WASHINGTON (October 23, 2018) -- Today, President Donald J. Trump signed into law S. 3021, America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 (AWIA 2018).
"The authorization of an estimated $3.8 billion in new Army Civil Works projects, the Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations of $7 billion and the emergency supplemental funds of $17.4 billion, will give the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) key tools to support the development of water infrastructure in this Nation, furthers the objectives outlined in the President's Infrastructure Initiative, and allows for us to continue to move dirt," said R.D. James, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works. "Congress has taken significant positive steps with this bill, and I look forward to working with them to continue advancing the President's goals of reforming project delivery and unleashing economic growth."
Passing in the Senate with a vote of 99 to 1, AWIA 2018 demonstrates the importance of federal water resource projects across the Nation, providing critical infrastructure to protect our communities from flood and storm risk and promoting economic growth in maintaining and improving the Nation's navigation system.
AWIA 2018 expedites the delivery of federal resource projects by authorizing multiple new projects for construction and providing streamlining tools to non-federal sponsors interested in implementing federally authorized projects. AWIA 2018 incentivizes the development of effective and efficient water infrastructure by authorizing measures that would provide greater flexibilities for USACE and its non-federal partners to use available federal and non-federal funds, make greater use of contributed funds, and allow innovative use of contracting tools. The Act also increases tools available for financing federal projects, including additional tools to work with other federal agencies. Further, AWIA 2018 focuses on the infrastructure needs and priorities of today by addressing the portion of the President's Infrastructure Initiatives related to deauthorization of certain federal civil works projects.
In addition to AWIA 2018, USACE received $7 billion in appropriations for the Civil Works program in the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2019. Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations will support $2 billion in construction of water resource projects of which $1.3 billion will be used for new and on-going high priority construction projects throughout the Nation. The Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations provided $368 million to the Mississippi River and Tributaries program, $35 million to flood control and coastal emergencies program, and a record $3.74 billion for USACE's Civil Works Operations and Maintenance program. Earlier this year, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 provided an additional $17.4 billion to support natural disaster recovery activities.
With AWIA 2018, the Fiscal Year 2019 Appropriations of $7 billion and the emergency supplemental funding, USACE now has key tools that are integral to promoting economic growth and investing in our Nation's water resources infrastructure.
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