Washington, D.C. – For your planning purposes, Chair of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Grace F. Napolitano (D-CA) announced the Subcommittee will meet on Friday, March 6, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. in Baldwin Park, California, to conduct a roundtable on “America’s Water Resources Infrastructure: Concepts for the Next Water Resources Development Act (WRDA).” This is the second field roundtable the Subcommittee is hosting in preparation for WRDA 2020. The discussion will focus on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (Corps) water infrastructure projects.
The purpose of this roundtable is to define the challenges states and communities face in addressing local water resources issues and to determine the potential role the Corps can play in resolving America’s water infrastructure needs, specifically in Southern California. Roundtable participants will include representatives from several public and private stakeholder groups with an interest in water resources infrastructure.
After the roundtable, members will tour local dams and port harbors that depend upon the Corps of Engineers. Below is the full schedule of Friday’s tour and field roundtable, along with roundtable participants. All times, locations, and participants are subject to change. In addition to Chair Napolitano, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Bruce Westerman (R-AR), Rep. Jared Huffman (D-CA), Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Rep. Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA), Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), Rep. Pete Agular (D-CA), Rep. J. Luis Correa (D-CA), Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), and Rep. Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. (D-CA) plan to attend the roundtable. This roundtable is open to media.
Roundtable Participants:
Mayor Eric Garcetti, City of Los Angeles
Supervisor Hilda L. Solis, Los Angeles County
Chairwoman Gloria D. Gray, Chairwoman of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Board of Directors
Shane Silsby, Director of Public Works, Orange County
Tony Zampiello, San Gabriel Valley Water Association
Robb Whitaker, General Manager of the Water Replenishment District of Southern California
Thomas D. Fayram, Deputy Public Works Director, County of Santa Barbara Public Works
Congressional Delegation Schedule:
Friday, March 6, 2020
10:00 AM: Subcommittee Roundtable in the Baldwin Park City Council Chamber on “America’s Water Resources Infrastructure: Concepts for the Next Water Resources Development Act.”
12:00 PM: Conclusion of Roundtable, delegation to hold media and photo availability.
1:00PM: Members arrive at Whittier Narrows Dam for a tour and discussion of the dam safety upgrade project, water capture, wildlife habitat, recreation, and homeless encampments.
2:15PM: Tour of local water infrastructure for Members of Congress conducted by the Los Angeles District of the Corps and the Los Angeles County Public Works Department. The tour will include the Santa Fe Dam, the San Gabriel River, the Los Angeles River, the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and coastal projects.
3:45PM: Members of Congress to participate in tour of the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Members will view the terminals, waterways, and infrastructure projects of this important harbor which handles 40 percent of the nation’s imports.
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