In the News

Yesterday, just before the Senate departed for its August recess, the Senate Appropriations Committee marked up and passed unanimously by a vote of 28-0 the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Energy and Water Development (E&WD) and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.

The bill includes $10.34 billion for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works mission, which represents record funding and is even higher than the nearly $10 billion the House Appropriations Committee approved on July 9.

E&WD funding recommended in FY25 is $1.66 billion above last year’s (FY24) enacted level. For the Construction Account, $2.98M was recommended, an increase of $1 billion from the FY25 President’s budget request. This includes $423 million for two ongoing construction projects- specifically:

• $218 million for Kentucky Lock requested by Senator McConnell (R-KY); and
• $205 million for the Montgomery Lock on the Upper Ohio requested by Senators Casey and Fetterman (D-PA)

The Senate recommended $107.8 million for the Investigations account and $200 million for a new Planning, Engineering, and Design account that includes activities previously included in the Investigations account. Projects recommended for funding include:

• $2.9 million for the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway and Black Warrior River Deepening study requested by Senators Britt (R-AL) and Wicker (R-MS);
• $500,000 for the J. Bennett Johnston Waterway Deepening study requested by Senator Cassidy (R-LA)

Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T) received $375.5 million, which represents a $130.7 million increase from the President’s FY25 budget request. The Senate recommended an additional $12.78 million for dredging on the system to be allocated to specific projects in a work plan. Some specific projects recommended for funding include:

• $42.83 million for Channel Improvement construction and $81.12 million for Channel Improvement Operations and Maintenance
• $1.63 million for Greenville Harbor requested by Sen. Hyde-Smith (R-MS)
• $1.35 million for Vicksburg Harbor requested by Sen. Hyde-Smith
• $2.44 million for Memphis Harbor

The Senate recommended $5.85 billion for the Operations and Maintenance account, a $300 million increase from last year’s enacted levels.

The Senate included report language for two important issues to the inland waterways. The first directs the Corps, under certain circumstances, to use its existing continuing contract authorities for construction projects that cost share with the Inland Waterways Trust Fund and dam safety projects. The second prohibits the Corps from using any funds for remote lock operations until the Committee is provided with the National assessment completed on lock and dam remote operations and a stakeholder engagement plan.

The Senate Appropriations Committee’s bill is here, the accompanying report is here.

The House passed its FY25 E&WD bill on July 24 with record funding for the Corps.