Help ASLA Address Water Issues

August 8, 2023
Last week, Congress wrapped up its legislative business prior to its August recess. Both the House of Representatives and Senate acted on water policies key to the work of landscape architects, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). Specifically, both chambers took action on Interior, Environment, And Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations bills (H.R. 4821 and S. 2605). Within this legislation, Congress outlined funding levels for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF)—one of the largest federal funding sources for landscape architects to plan and design federal water infrastructure projects nationwide. Projects focus on stormwater management, damaged shorelines, and natural landscape protection at parks, campuses, streetscapes, trails, plazas, residences, and more.

The new congressional majority in the House drastically cut the CWSRF and allocated a meager $535 million, while the Senate allocated nearly $1.64 billion for the program. ASLA supports the Senate’s recommended funding for the program and is working to urge its passage.

The Senate also began hosting hearings on reauthorizing a new Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). WRDA provides funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to implement critical infrastructure projects, studies, and policies related to our nation’s waterways, which landscape architects have a significant role in. Recent ASLA federal legislative priorities surveys demonstrate an increasing number of landscape architects working on USACE projects.

As ASLA works to ensure that water-related policies continue to benefit landscape architects, we need to hear from you! Please complete this short survey to tell us about your water projects and how federal water policies impact your work HERE.