Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly is crafting legislation to give the Army Corps of Engineers more tools to respond to drought conditions, including the historic 24-year dry spell plaguing much of the West.
The “Drought Resilient Infrastructure Act” would create new programs within the Army Corps and allow the agency to take on additional projects focused on drought.
Kelly, chair of the Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, announced the forthcoming legislation during a hearing in Flagstaff, Arizona. He plans to file the bill after the current recess.
“Making sure that the Army Corps has the tools they need to support Arizona communities is a priority for me,” he said during the hearing.