AIWA Advocacy in Washington, Spotlight on Priorities for 2019

The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association (AIWA) Board of Directors traveled to Washington, D.C. last month to advocate on behalf of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW).

AIWA Board Members with NC Representative David Rouzer, Image source: AIWA

The trip included twelve meetings with Congressional offices and staff from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to discuss the Association’s legislative priorities for 2019.

“Our visits were well received and appreciated by the Congressional offices and USACE staff,” said AIWA in its release.

The focus of the meetings was to request support for $60 million in each of three appropriations funding pots, including:

  • Additional dredging needs for inland waterways;
  • Additional dredging needs for small, remote and subsistence navigation;
  • Additional dredging needs for navigation.

According to AIWA, the purpose of appropriation funding pots is to provide additional funding to USACE for operations and maintenance. The AIWW is eligible for funding from each of these three funding pots for waterway maintenance dredging.

“To support our funding requests, the AIWA delegation shared information provided from USACE regarding the Operations and Maintenance Needs of the AIWW with each office. The USACE information shows that current estimates to return the AIWW to its authorized width and depth are on the order of $93 million dollars, which is $13 million less than last year. Furthermore, the current cost estimates for annual maintenance to keep the AIWW at its authorized width and depth was approximately $49.5 million,” concluded AIWA.