Includes Policy Rider to Curb EPA’s Waters of the U.S. Rulemaking
On April 22, the House Appropriations Committee approved by unanimous voice vote a funding bill that would significantly increase funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works Program in fiscal year 2016 as compared to the president’s budget proposal. The Energy and Water Development appropriations bill would provide $5.597 billion to the Civil Works Program in FY 2016; that’s $864.75 million more than the president requested in his budget proposal and $142.25 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 $3.058 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 $1.178 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 fund this year.
Also agreed to by the Committee is a provision restricting funds for the proposed rule from the EPA and Corps that would redefine "waters of the U.S." Several industries, 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 at christiansonj@agc.org or (703) 837-5325. Return to Top