Groups urge water resources bill passage

Groups urge water resources bill passage    Maritime and environmental groups have joined together to urge passage of the 2006 Water Resources Development Act, which they say “authorizes many U.S. Army Corps of Engineers programs and projects which are vital for the nation’s economy and natural resources.”
   In a letter to Senate majority leader Bill Frist, representatives of the Waterways Council, American Association of Port Authorities, Nature Conservancy, and National Audubon Society say “the nation has waited six years, instead of the normal two years, since the last WRDA was signed into law. As a result, many long-overdue projects for the improvement of our waterways, ports and flood and hurricane protection systems as well as for the restoration of important ecosystems are stalled.”