Bill Introduced to Modify Appeals of Section 404 Permits for Water Storage Projects

Senator John Barrasso (WY) has introduced the Water Essential Storage To Enhance Regions in Need Act, or WESTERN Act (S. 2873). The bill would modify the administrative appeals process for Section 404 permits for water storage projects. It does so by creating a Corp of Engineers Board of Appeals that would be able to override certain actions related to Section 404 permits. The board would be made up of three representatives of state water development agencies and two representatives of the Corp of Engineers.