Congress Admonishes Administration Cuts to Corps of Engineers

Sharp criticism from both parties was leveled at the Obama Administration's plans to cut the budget for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in a hearing yesterday before the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee. The Army Corps would receive $4.9 billion under the president's fiscal 2011 budget request, down from the $5.4 billion appropriated for the agency in the current fiscal year. The budget request slashes the investigation account, which funds project studies, from $162 million this year to $104 million in 2011. The proposal also cuts $39 million in funds for operating and maintaining existing projects, suggesting $2.4 billion for the account next year. In addition, the construction budget would drop to $1.7 billion, compared with $2 billion awarded by Congress for this fiscal year. Rep. Ed Pastor (D-Ariz.), Energy and Water Development Subcommittee Chairman, said his staff estimated those cuts would result in the loss of more than 350 ongoing studies or projects. Rep. Zach Wamp (R-Tenn.) also expressed concern that the cuts to the construction and operations and maintenance accounts could result in shutdowns of key waterways like the Tennessee River. Lt. Gen. Robert Van Antwerp, the Corps' Chief of Engineers, said that many of the nation's locks are old -- the average is 58 years of service -- and that the Corps recognizes that the key to keeping them operating is good maintenance. AGC believes that in order to complete ongoing infrastructure projects in a timely and efficient manner and to save future costly repairs by adequately addressing the existing backlog of critical deferred maintenance, funding for the Corps of Engineers Civil Works budget must increase to at least $7.0 billion for FY 2011.