Army Corps apportions funding for short-term natural disaster recovery projects

Published On: May 24, 2018

On May 21, 2018, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced short-term projects that it will complete with funding provided in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, signed into law Feb. 9, 2018.

The act provides USACE a total of $17.398 billion in six appropriations accounts: Investigations; Construction; Mississippi River and Tributaries; Operation and Maintenance; Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies; and Expenses.

Of that amount, USACE said, it will use approximately $424 million of the $810 million provided in the Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies account to repair damage at 48 locally owned flood risk management projects in 11 states and one territory.

“These projects and the allocation of funds will enable the Corps to continue the repair work it has started to alleviate the impacts of past disasters on projects that are important to human safety and flood-prone property,” said R. D. James, assistant secretary of the army for civil works.

Brig. Gen. Diana Holland (front, right), commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ South Atlantic Division, surveys the Guajataca Dam near the town of Isabella, Puerto Rico, on Oct. 23, 2017. The dam was compromised during Hurricane Maria. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Nicholas Dutton, courtesy USACE

 

This is the second set of short-term repair work that USACE has announced with the funds provided in the Bipartisan Budget Act. USACE announced the first set of short-term repair work on April 30, 2018, with an initial allocation of approximately $360 million of the $608 million provided in the Operation and Maintenance account to repair damages to USACE projects resulting from natural disasters and to perform emergency dredging of shoaled material deposited at USACE navigation projects by natural disasters. Those funds will be used to address 31 projects in 11 states.

The current lists of projects that will be funded is posted at http://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Budget under “Supplemental Appropriations for Disasters 2018” and “Short-Term Repairs.” The lists will be updated as additional information becomes available.

USACE will announce additional allocations of funds under the Bipartisan Budget Act at a later date.