AAPA Urges Funding for Port Infrastructure

To provide adequate resources for three key federal programs that help fund multimodal port-related infrastructure in the United States, the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has sent a letter to the leadership of both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees’ Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development and Related Agencies (THUD).

The letter commends the subcommittees’ leadership on their commitment to fund multimodal port infrastructure.

It also strongly recommends they adopt the House provision that a third of the funding for the portion of the National Infrastructure Investment Program focusing on multimodal BUILD/TIGER-style projects be dedicated to port infrastructure projects.

“Because dedicated multimodal infrastructure funding for ports is one of AAPA’s top priorities, we particularly appreciate House THUD Subcommittee Chairman Mario Díaz-Balart making it a priority in his bill,” said AAPA President and CEO Kurt Nagle. “AAPA members have consistently advocated for increased BUILD/TIGER funding levels. We heartily supported Chairman Díaz-Balart when he successfully championed 33 percent funding for port infrastructure projects in the House USDOT appropriations bill, and we hope to see that funding level in the final compromise bill.”

AAPA is advocating that the fiscal 2019 BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development) program adopt the Senate funding level of $1 billion, or if possible, the fiscal 2018 level of $1.5 billion. AAPA members have identified $32 billion in needed federal investments in port landside connections and facility infrastructure.