U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Releases Work Plan for Fiscal Year 2015 Civil Works Appropriations

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) yesterday delivered to Congress its Fiscal Year 2015 (FY15) work plans for the Army Civil Works program.

On December 16, 2014, President Obama signed into law the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2014, Division D of Public Law 113-235, the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, providing $5.483 billion in FY15 appropriations for the Army Civil Works program, which is offset in part by a $28 million cancellation of unobligated carryover funding appropriated prior to fiscal year 2015.  The Act's accompanying Statement of Managers report designates $4.473 billion of that total for specified programs, projects and activities (PPA).  The Corps is responsible for allocating the remaining $1.009 billion, designated as additional funding, to individual PPAs, consistent with the categories and criteria provided in the Statement of Managers.

"The Army Civil Works program supports the Nation's economy, environment and quality of life," said The Honorable Jo-Ellen Darcy, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works.  "With the funding provided for the program in FY15, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will significantly advance and complete studies, construction projects and maintenance requirements that are critical to the future of the Nation's water resources infrastructure." 

The Army Civil Works budget funds the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of water resources projects and focuses on the highest performing work within three main Civil Works mission areas: commercial navigation, flood and storm damage reduction, and aquatic ecosystem restoration.  It also funds programs that contribute to the protection of the nation's waters and wetlands; the generation of low-cost renewable hydropower; the restoration of certain sites contaminated as a result of the nation's early atomic weapons development program; and emergency preparedness and training to respond to natural disasters.

The $1.009 billion in additional funding not allocated to specified projects in the Statement of Managers is subdivided into numerous categories within these broad areas:

• Navigation: $523 million
• Flood Risk Management: $330 million
• Other Authorized Project Purposes: $156 million

Work eligible for consideration for the additional funding generally included projects, programs and activities funded in the three previous fiscal years, and other ongoing projects, programs and activities that can attain a significant milestone or produce significant outputs in FY 2015. 

The work plans detail the projects that will receive all of the civil works funding provided in FY15 to the Corps, including funding received previously this fiscal year under a continuing appropriations act.  With the total funding for this fiscal year the work plan funds four reconnaissance studies, 27 feasibility studies, five projects in the Preconstruction Engineering and Design phase, and 11 construction projects or elements of projects to completion.

Reconnaissance Study Funded for Completion in FY 15:

• Chesapeake Bay Comprehensive Plan, MD, PA and VA
• Lower Santa Cruise River, AZ
• Satilla River Basin Watershed, GA
• Houston Ship Channel, TX

Feasibility Studies Funded for Completion in FY15:

• Alaska Regional Ports (Arctic Deep Draft), AK
• Aliso Creek, CA
• Anacostia Watershed Restoration, Montgomery County, MD
• Anacostia Watershed Restoration, Prince Georges County, MD
• Arroyo Seco, CA
• California Coastal Sediment Master Plan, CA
• Charleston Harbor, SC
• Espanola Valley, Rio Grande and Tributaries, NM
• Fremont, NE
• Hilo Harbor Modifications, HI
• Hudson-Raritan Estuary, NY & NJ
• Hudson-Raritan Estuary, Lower Passaic River, NJ
• Missouri River Degradation, MO
• Norfolk Harbor and Channels, Southern Branch, VA (Deepening)
• Northwest El Paso, TX
• Pine Knot, DE
• Puyallup River, WA
• Redwood City Harbor, CA
• Rio Grande Basin, NM, CO & TX
• Skagit River, WA / Skagit County, WA
• Skokomish River Basin, WA
• Upper Turkey Creek, KS
• Waiakea-Palai, HI
• Westminster (East Garden Grove) Watershed, CA
• White River Comprehensive (Lower Cache River), AR
• Wilmington Harbor Improvements, NC
• Yellowstone River Corridor, MT

Preconstruction Engineering and Design Funded for Completion in FY15:

• Coyote & Berryessa Creeks, CA
• GIWW, High Island to Brazos River, TX
• Jacksonville Harbor, FL
• Lynnhaven River Basin, VA
• Port Lions Harbor, AK

Construction Projects Funded for Completion in FY15:

• City of Santa Clarita, CA
• Dover Dam, Muskingum River, OH (Dam Safety)
• Hamilton Airfield Wetlands Restoration, CA
• Lower Savannah River Basin, GA
• Muddy River, MA
• New York and New Jersey Harbor, NY & NJ
• Petaluma River, CA
• Roanoke River Upper Basin, Headwaters Area, VA
• Texas City Channel (50-Foot Project), TX

Elements of Projects Funded for Completion

• Alamogordo, NM (General Reevaluation Report)
• Rio Grande Floodway, San Acacia to Bosque del Apache, NM (Phase III)

Public Law 113-235 also authorized the Corps to fund up to 10 previously unfunded studies and up to four previously unfunded construction projects.  The Corps selected 10 previously unfunded studies and four previously unfunded construction projects for funding based on performance and on considerations provided in the Statement of Managers. 

Previously unfunded studies funded in the FY15 Investigations account were selected because they are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely) compliant and are supported by prospective cost-sharing partners.  The 10 selected studies are:

• Des Moines Levee System, Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers, IA
• Du Page River, IL
• Dungeness River, WA
• Fairfield and New Haven Counties, CT
• Manatee Harbor, FL
• New Haven Harbor Deepening, CT
• Proctor Creek, GA
• Kaskaskia River Basin, IL
• San Juan Harbor Channel Improvement, PR
• Three Rivers, AR

Construction new starts in FY 15 are:

• Greens Bayou, TX FRM
• Louisiana Coastal Area Ecosystem Restoration, LA
• Topeka, KS
• Grays Harbor (38-Foot Deepening), WA

The work plan for each appropriation listing the amounts provided to various programs, projects and activities can be found at http://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/CivilWorks/Budget.aspx.

The Statement of Managers (House Rules Committee Print 113-59, Division D) can be found at http://rules.house.gov/bill/113/hr-83. 
 

SOURCE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Related Links

http://www.usace.army.mil