WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul introduced an amendment to the Water Resources Development Act (S. 2848) on behalf of Kentuckians that rely on Lake Cumberland as a water source. Dr. Paul’s amendment would prevent the Army Corps of Engineers from charging eleven cities and businesses a one-time user fee, as well as annual operation and maintenance fees, to access the water in Lake Cumberland after it completes a water reallocation study.  

“After hearing about the water fee issue facing Lake Cumberland’s surrounding counties, I reached out to local officials in those communities and promised to work with them to find a solution to this problem,” said Dr. Paul. “My amendment would ensure that Lake Cumberland’s surrounding communities and businesses would not be overwhelmed with substantial fees from the Army Corps of Engineers. I am hopeful this amendment will pass to help prevent the federal government from placing additional financial burdens on hardworking Kentuckians in this uncertain economic climate.”

Dr. Paul’s amendment would prevent the Army Corps of Engineers from charging the one-time fee and annual fee for ten years after the amendment becomes law. 

Legislation to block the reallocation study for one year passed the U.S. House of Representatives’ Appropriations Committee in April but has not yet been approved by the entire House.

Background information on the amendment is available below. Click HERE to read the text. 

Amendment No. 5025

• This amendment blocks the Army Corps of Engineers from charging a fee for water storage in, water supply from, or operation and maintenance costs for Wolf Creek Dam in Lake Cumberland. The Corps is in the process of studying Lake Cumberland/Wolf Creek Dam to determine how much cities and industries will have to begin paying the Corps for using water from and for operation and maintenance of the dam in Lake Cumberland, an intrastate Corps-controlled reservoir. Until now, these cities and industries have not had to pay any such user fee.

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