The Water Resources Development Act of 2020, reauthorizing U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) activities and setting congressional priorities, has passed the House and now heads for the Senate for passage.
The legislation aims to improve the nation’s ports, island waterways, dams, levees, aids to navigation, flood control and operational functions that the Corps undertakes in support of national, state and local water resources development needs.
Alaska specific provisions of the act include expansion of the per-project federal cost-share cap for the Tribal Partnership Program, with a budget of $15 million, up from $12.5 million.
The program provides authority for the Corps. To perform water-related planning activities related to the study, design and construction of water resources development projects located primarily on tribal lands that substantially benefit federally recognized tribes.
Other Alaska specific provisions which Rep. Don Young, R-Alaska, said he worked to secure include $505 million for the Arctic Deep Draft Port project in Nome, $35 million for dredging at Unalaska Dutch Harbor, $164 million for St. George Harbor navigation improvements, coastal mapping, research into invasive species and more.
