AAPA calls for more FY 2019 Corps funding

In a letter to Congressional leaders, AAPA supports specific funding for Corps’ accounts from both the House and Senate passed E&WD appropriations bills that is above the president’s budget for the Corps’ coastal navigation programme. An AAPA top priority is the continued annual progress towards the goal of full use of Harbour Maintenance Tax (HMT) funding for navigation channel maintenance, which both the House and Senate bills accomplish.

AAPA recommends the following funding above the budget for the Corps’ coastal navigation programme: US$612.902m for operations and maintenance account in the House bill; US$525.067m for construction account in the House bill; US$18.823m for investigations account in the Senate bill, and US$50m for donor and energy transfer port funding in the House and Senate bills.

Separate HMT funding

AAPA also requested that the final E&WD bill includes language in the House and Senate bills rejecting the Administration’s request to establish a separate account for HMT funding, as this would adversely impact dredging work during continuing resolution periods.

The House E&WD bill passed on 8 June and the Senate passed its version of the bill on 11 July. A Congressional Conference Committee is resolving differences in the bills.