Dredging contractors praise signing of infrastructure spending act

SEPTEMBER 24, 2018 — President Donald Trump has signed into law the Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations

 Act, a three-part package that includes appropriations for dredging activities in harbors and channels, important infrastructure projects and beach and coastal restoration.

The $147 billion measure includes a 2.4% increase in military construction spending and an 11% funding increase for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works Program. The U.S. Senate approved the measure 92-5, while the U.S. House passed it 377-20.

The total funding for the Civil Works program is $6.9985 billion, approximately $2.2 billion aboveprevious levels. In addition, legislative measures include significant increases in funding for construction of shoreline protection, beneficial use of dredge material, national coastal mapping and coastal inlet research. The new law does not call for the reorganization of the Army Corps of Engineers.

“This is great bipartisan work by Congress and the Administration. We thank President Trump for signing the supporting infrastructure measures into law,” said William P. Doyle, CEO and Executive Director of the Dredging Contractors of America (photo inset, at right). “It all starts with dredging—and America’s going to work building America.”