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Dredge operations by the Port of Coos Bay.
Credit Port of Coos Bay
DeFazio said a dedicated container tax that’s meant for harbor maintenance has long been diverted by congress. He said there’s $10 billion in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund that has finally been unlocked by the recent legislation. He says this will allow small Oregon ports to do dredging and jetty maintenance projects they have long put off.
“And it’s going to be very helpful for the coastal economy in terms of sports fishing and commercial fishing, and the coast guard have been limited in some of their activities because of shoaled in harbor entrances,” DeFazio said.
Maritime Infrastructure Coalition Applauds Passage Of WRDA 2020
Members of the Maritime Infrastructure Coalition issued the following statements applauding House and Senate passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2020 within the Omnibus spending package and urged President Trump to sign the package into law. The coalition brings together waterway users to advocate for a modern national maritime infrastructure system that can reliably serve the waterborne transportation needs of a broad array of users while ensuring safe, reliable and environmentally sustainable waterways.
“AAPA is very pleased to see the 2020 WRDA getting finalized, especially the HMTF provision – the culmination of years of effort by our association, our members and many of our stakeholders and partners. AAPA sincerely appreciates the efforts of House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO), along with Senate Environment and Public Works Ch
December 23, 2020 By Jim Myers
Washington, D.C. Escaping a “chopping block,” the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA 2020) made it into a massive package Congress passed to fund the government and provide coronavirus relief to the American people.
“What a day this has been!” the National Waterways Conference (NWC) exclaimed in a news alert crediting the actions of its members with saving the popular legislation.
According to the NWC alert, the 11th-hour drama grew out of concerns over changes to the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, a major goal for some.
The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) hailed the inclusion of its “long-sought reforms to more fairly allocate and spend revenues from the Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT).”
December 23, 2020 By Waterways Journal
At the end of an eventful and disruptive year, Jupiter and Saturn aligned for their first conjunction observable from Earth in 800 years, forming a “Christmas star.” In Washington, D.C., too, the “stars” aligned, as both houses of Congress passed the Water Resources Development Act by large margins (359 yeas to 53 nays in the House, 92 to 6 in the Senate). It was passed as part of an omnibus appropriations bill that also included $900 billion in COVID-19 relief measures. The funding package is headed to the White House for the president’s signature.
Both the inland waterways and ports have reason to celebrate the bill. The package included the top priority of the Waterways Council Inc. to adjust the cost-share for construction and major rehabilitation of inland waterways projects from 50 percent Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF) / 50 percent general revenues to 35 perc
Ag interests received welcomed news with the passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2020, which was included in the year-end funding bill. The nation’s inland waterways system is critical to the U.S. agriculture industry and economy overall, and this legislation promises to modernize and rehabilitate the system, while helping to significantly reduce the backlog of authorized projects.
Bobby Frederick, National Grain and Feed Association’s vice president of legislative affairs and public policy says, “Since 2014, each Congress has passed a WRDA into law, and NGFA has viewed each bill as an opportunity to enhance U.S. inland waterways and port infrastructure. WRDA 2020 ensures continued investment in U.S. waterways infrastructure, helps bring U.S. waterways infrastructure into the 21st century and will help maintain American agriculture’s competitive transportation advantage against other countries.”