Posted on March 12, 2018
American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has urged the US Government to up spending for the US Army Corps of Engineers and the department of transportation in the FY 2018 budget.
AAPA’s letter to House and Senate appropriators, which identifies US$66bn in port-related infrastructure federal investment needs over the next decade and calls for the additional investment in FY 2018 and 2019, follows Congress and the President’s approval of a two-year budget plan that included $20bn over two years for infrastructure, with funding due to be determined by the appropriators.
$33.8bn for waterside
The letter stated: “For FY 2018/2019, we believe additional infrastructure spending should be devoted to the Corps of Engineers Coastal Navigation Program, the Department of Transportation’s TIGER program and FAST Act state formula funds and INFRA Grants.”
AAPA’s letter advocates for US$1.03bn in additional funds for the Corps of Engineers coastal navigation program which would include full use of the prior year’s HMT revenues (US$1.472bn) and US$900m, which is one-tenth of the US$9bn of surplus in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund.
The organization emphasized: “These funds will expedite restoring navigation channels to their authorized depths and widths, improve efficient freight movement and benefit U.S. manufacturers and consumers.”
TIGER focus
On the land side, AAPA called for US$1.25bn for the Department of Transportation’s Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program, as well as additional funds for the FAST Lane state funds and INFRA grants, with an adjustment in the multi-modal caps since the 10% state limit puts states that have ports at a disadvantage, said the organization.
Congress has until 23 March to address the supplemental spending for FY 2018.
Source: PortStrategy
