Sens. Warren, Markey, Rep. Moulton push bill through the House and Senate 

Salem, MA - The U.S. Senate passed the Water Resource Development Act of 2016 (WRDA)a provision to allow dredging in the Essex River, and the bill is now heading to President Obama’s desk. Moulton advocated for the Essex River dredging project to be included in WRDA, ensuring the project has the federal criteria it needs in order to occur, and Massachusetts Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward J. Markey were instrumental in helping get the bill through the Senate this session. 

“We worked hard to ensure that the Essex River Dredging project was included in the final legislation, and I am pleased that this bill provides the Town of Essex the tools it needs to ensure residents can enjoy its waterways safely.  I thank Congressman Moulton and Senator Warren for their partnership on this important issue, and I applaud Town Administrator Zubricki and Harbormaster Silva for their leadership,” said Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass).

“Dredging the Essex River is critically important to public safety, and I’m proud that we were successful in our efforts to include this dredging project in the final Water Resources Development bill heading to the President’s Desk,” said Moulton. "This project will make the Essex River channel more navigable, ensuring a safer environment and spurring local job growth while being conscious of the need to protect this valuable part of our environment. Harbormaster Silva, Town Administrator Zubricki, and U.S. Coast Guard officials have been tireless advocates for this dredging project. I thank them, along with the dedication of Senators Markey and Warren, for their advocacy.

 “I’m very glad this bill contains several key provisions we fought for to help Massachusetts’ communities improve their water infrastructure,” Senator Warren said. “The kinds of projects supported by this bill are good for families and good for economic growth across the Commonwealth. That’s why I’m particularly disappointed that Republicans refused to require infrastructure projects funded by US taxpayers use American-made materials -- a commonsense rule that would have supported American jobs and further strengthened our economy here at home.” 

The annual WRDA bill authorizes all water resources development projects carried out by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The bill now goes to President Barack Obama’s desk to be signed into law.