Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler announced that the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations approved legislation that would designate $30 million specifically for the purpose of small port dredging.
As a member of the U.S. House Appropriations committee, Jaime has strongly advocated to make small port dredging a federal priority. Recently, Jaime took to the U.S. House floor to highlight the difficulties many small ports are facing in her area due to a lack of maintenance dredging, particularly the Port of Chinook and Port of Ilwaco in her district.
The funding will come from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, which is directly supported by commercial port usage fees. If enacted into law, the Energy and Water bill would give small ports a better opportunity to receive federal funds for the dredging of their channels.
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Dredging Today Staff, July 15, 2013