Waterways budget surprises industry

While Congress is just beginning to review the administration’s FY 2021 budget plan, the waterways industry is hopeful that lawmakers will reject the proposals to cut federal waterways spending, impose fees for commercial use of certain waterways, and spend no money from a trust fund 50-50 funding split by the barge industry and federal government to finance construction and repair an aging navigation infrastructure. Some congressmen, who sit on key congressional committees that oversee waterways spending, have told industry reps Trump’s plan is essentially dead on arrival; and that lawmakers will likely continue to appropriate strong budgets for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ inland waterways programs as it has in the past. Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.), a ranking member of the Appropriations Committee, said that budget will be “promptly ignored” and will likely escape partisan friction. President Trump’s FY-21 budget plan for the USACOE proposed $5.96B for the civil works program, down 22 percent from current appropriations. Of the $2.1B construction account, no money would be allowed to be spent on priority infrastructure projects from the Inland Waterways Trust Fund. It would be the first time “zero” funding has been proposed for trust fund projects, which has surprised the waterways industry. (Source: Work Boat 03/12/20) https://www.workboat.com/news/coastal-inland-waterways/trump-barge-industry-budget-cuts-get-cool-reception-on-capital-hill/