Administration Announces $454 Million In Civil Works Investments
The Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works announced August 1 additional Corps of Engineers studies and projects funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (DRSAA) of 2022 and the DRSAA of 2023. Together, these actions invest more than $454 million to help communities reduce their flood risks from coastal storms and to restore delicate aquatic ecosystems.
“The transformative investments funded through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the 2022 and 2023 Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Acts continue to meet the president’s priorities of protecting the nation’s economic competitiveness as well as our most vulnerable communities,” said Michael L. Connor, assistant secretary of the Army for civil works.
The updated BIL Construction spending plan provides approximately $27 million to complete construction of the Wood River (Illinois) Levee, Deficiency Correction and Reconstruction.
The updated plan also includes nearly $100 million for the Continuing Authorities Program to study, design and construct smaller-scale water resources projects in partnership with local sponsors. The plan provides an additional $1 million in Investigations funding to complete the re-evaluation of the needs of Tampa Harbor in Florida.
The updated DRSAA spending plans provide nearly $261 million in emergency assistance to repair levee systems and replenish beaches damaged in floods or coastal storms. The plan provides $135 million to repair the existing storm damage reduction infrastructure at Grand Isle, La., which sustained significant damage in Hurricane Ida; an additional $48 million to complete repairs of a levee system on the Ouachita and Black rivers in Arkansas and Louisiana; and $20 million to repair a levee breach and erosion on the left bank of the Pajaro River in California.
The updated DRSAA 2023 spending plan provides an additional $29 million in operation and maintenance funds to address damages to projects that the Corps maintains and dredge federal navigation channels in response to recent storms, including $8.5 million to replace steel bulkhead at the Cape Cod Canal project in Massachusetts.
Further details regarding the amounts provided to various programs, projects and activities in the August 1, 2023, Addenda may be found at: www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Supplemental-Work/.
