Includes Policy Rider to Curb EPA's ‘Waters of the U.S.’ Rulemaking
Late last week, the House of Representatives passed a funding bill on a that would significantly increase funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works Program in fiscal year 2016 compared to the president’s budget proposal. would provide about $5.6 billion to the Civil Works Program in FY 2016; that’s $865 million more than the president requested in his budget proposal and $142 million above the FY 2015 funding levels. The bill: (1) increases the president’s proposed construction account funding level by about 40 percent to $1.631 billion; (2) increases the operations and maintenance account funding level to over $3 billion—the most ever and about $350 million more than the president requested; and (3) increases funding out of the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund to about $1.2 billion—the highest ever—and increases spending from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund to $340 million—which is reportedly all of the estimated revenues expected to flow into the trust fund this year. You can find project-specific funding information in the House Committee Report,.
The bill also includes a provision restricting funds for the proposed rule from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Corps that would redefine "Waters of the U.S." Several industry representatives, including ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ, have called for the rule's withdrawal and for the agencies to start over with better input from state and local governments and affected industries before a new proposed rule is issued.
For more information, please contact Jimmy Christianson atchristiansonj@agc.org or (703) 837-5325.