Energy & Water Appropriations bill released as part of FY2014 omnibus

Yesterday, details of H.R.3547, the FY2014 Omnibus spending bill were released, including the Energy & Water Development section outlining Army Corps of Engineers funding for the remainder of FY2014. The Corps is funded at 10% over FY2013 enacted levels, with a total of $5.5 billion provided to the agency. Over $1 billion of this funding came from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, which is a significant increase from previous years. The bill is expected to go to the House and Senate floors for a vote this week. Project funding levels for PNWA's supported projects, as well as additional information, can be found below.

Construction (CG)

Columbia River Fish Mitigation (combination of Construction & O&M funds) - $104,903,000

Mt. St. Helens sediment control, WA - $600,000

Lower Columbia River ecosystem restoration, OR/WA - $4,634,000

Duwamish & Green River Basin, WA - $8,500,000

Columbia River Channel Improvements OR/WA - $250,000

Operations & Maintenance (O&M)

Columbia River at the Mouth (MCR), OR/WA - $18,217,000

Columbia & Lower Willamette below Vancouver & Portland (C&LW), OR/WA - $34,517,000

Columbia River between Vancouver & The Dalles, OR/WA - $878,000

Coos Bay, OR - $6,069,000

Yaquina Bay, OR (Port of Newport) - $2,000,000

Seattle Harbor, WA - $110,000

Lake Washington Ship Canal, WA - $9,416,000

Tacoma Harbor, WA - $1,894,000

Grays Harbor, WA - $9,965,000

Humboldt Harbor & Bay (Port of Humboldt Bay, CA) - $2,730,000

Bonneville Lock & Dam - $7,477,000

The Dalles Lock & Dam - $3,150,000

John Day Lock & Dam - $4,502,000

McNary Lock & Dam - $6,909,000

Ice Harbor Lock & Dam - $4,574,000

Lower Monumental Lock & Dam - $2,480,000

Little Goose Lock & Dam - $2,710,000

Lower Granite Lock & Dam - $9,621,000

Siuslaw River (Port of Siuslaw) - $32,000

Willamette Falls Locks - $60,000

Additional O&M funding. Congress continues to recognize the lack of funding dedicated to Corps projects and included additional O&M funding to maintain navigation projects nationwide. All categories of interest to PNWA members fared well in H.R.3547, with $128M in additional funding dedicated to deep draft projects, $42M for inland projects, and $40M for small port projects nation-wide. The $40M for small ports is a noticeable increase in funding from the $30M we have seen in past years. This additional O&M money is critical for these small ports, who continue to be zeroed out of the funding process year after year. The Corps has 45 days from enactment of the omnibus to develop a detailed workplan outlining project funding levels.  

Nor'wester readers will remember that retaining additional funding for which our NW projects can compete has been a major piece of PNWA's advocacy efforts over the last few years. We could not be more pleased and appreciative of these robust numbers, and we are already working to ensure that our Northwest projects compete well in the workplan process.

New starts. This year, PNWA has also spent a great deal of effort on retaining the desirable new start funding we received in the President's FY2014 budget to begin the Seattle Harbor deepening study and the MCR jetty major rehab. Both of those projects are noticeable omissions in the list above, as no new starts were directly funded in the omnibus. Congress did recognize the need to move forward with some of these vital projects, however, and also included "additional funding" for the CG and GI accounts for use on "new start" projects like those included in the President's FY2014 budget request. Up to nine projects will be awarded a total of $13M in additional GI funding, divided into $6M for deep draft/coastal projects, $4M for inland projects and $3M for small, remote or subsistence projects. Up to four CG projects will be awarded the additional construction funding, of which $47M is dedicated to navigation projects, and $81.5M for Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF) projects.

Prior to developing a workplan for these monies, the Corps must create a ratings system to evaluate projects for the allocation of this additional new start funding. Each eligible project is then prioritized based on this ratings system. While the Corps has complete discretion in this process, Congress does encourage deference based on a wide range of impacts, including benefits to the national, local and regional economies. Within 45 days, the Corps must provide details to Congress on the ratings system and the allocation of funds. PNWA is working to ensure that our new start projects compete well for funding in the final workplan.

CEQ's Principles & Guidelines. PNWA would also like to highlight that H.R.3547 retained language from the FY2014 House Energy & Water Appropriations bill requiring that the Corps continues to be prohibited from spending resources on CEQ's Principles and Guidelines. PNWA has been active in supporting the efforts of the National Waterways Conference to ensure that the Corps continues to follow the 1983 P&G until the Administration allows them to develop these updated P&Gs as directed in WRDA 2007. We are very pleased to see this language in the final bill.  

PNWA is extremely appreciative of the continued support from our Northwest Congressional delegation. Their work on behalf of our membership and our regional projects has helped secure robust funding for many of our supported projects. PNWA continues to read through the bill language and will update our membership with additional information as it is available.