A water bill included in the large defense bill recently signed by President Biden directs the Army Corps of Engineers on measures aimed at shoring up navigation and infrastructure vulnerable to worsening storms, according to an article from the Associated Press. The Water Resources Development Act of 2022 reportedly includes a $34 billion Texas coastal barrier with massive floodgates and other structures intended to protect Houston area oil refineries and chemical plants at risk during major hurricanes.
The bill also includes a $3.2 billion authorization for a new Soo Lock on the St. Marys River, which connects Lake Superior with Lake Huron. Currently, U.S. iron ore, the majority of which is mined near Lake Superior, needs to travel on vessels through an aging Michigan lock referred to as the “Achilles heel” of the North American industrial economy, according to the AP.
