Legislation expands American iron and steel requirement to additional water programs -

Earlier today, President Obama signed into law the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (“WRRDA”). Today’s action follows Congressional approval of the Conference Agreement reached in May by House and Senate negotiators that resolved the differences between each chamber’s version of the water resources reauthorization legislation.

The final version of WRRDA signed by President Obama adopts the same American iron and steel (“AIS”) requirement that was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014, and which requires the use of specific AIS products in (1) all treatment works projects funded by a Clean Water State Revolving Fund assistance agreement and (2) all public water system projects funded by a Drinking Water State Revolving Fund assistance agreement in Fiscal Year 2014. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers that AIS requirement and has already issued interpretive guidance and waivers to permit the use of non-domestic iron and steel products in specific projects.