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 240 to 177 vote 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.The Energy and Water Development appropriations bill 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,linked here.
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 AGC, 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. Return to Top