USACE’s Baltimore District Provides Funding Outlook for Projects

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District, has announced the list of projects that will receive funding this fiscal year, as outlined in the fiscal 2017 work plan for the Army Civil Works program released May 24.

Baltimore District is also sharing the projects included in the fiscal 2018 President’s Budget for Civil Works released May 23.

“Funding through our Civil Works program allows us and our important non-federal partners to continue to study, maintain and improve critical water resources infrastructure throughout the region; bring economic and environmental returns to the nation; and reduce risks to public safety,” said Col. Ed Chamberlayne, Baltimore District commander.

Proposed fiscal 2018 President Budget funds are distributed within Baltimore District’s Civil Works program as follows:

• Construction – $36.25 million;
• Operation and Maintenance – $91.65 million;
• Investigations – $200,000;
• Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) – $2 million.

Construction

• The Assateague Island project in Maryland received $600,000 in the fiscal 2017 work plan to continue restoration of habitat for endangered and threatened species by bypassing sand near the Ocean City Inlet and placing it within the surf zone along the northern end of Assateague Island;
• The Atlantic Coast of Maryland Shoreline Protection project in Ocean City, Maryland, received $2.45 million in the fiscal 2017 work plan;
• The Poplar Island Ecosystem Restoration project in Maryland received $62.65 million in the fiscal 2017 work plan and a proposed $36.25 million in the fiscal 2018 President’s Budget to continue ecosystem restoration of the remote island habitat and expansion of the project.

Operation and Maintenance

• East Sidney, Indian Rock, Whitney Point and Raystown dams received funds in the fiscal 2017 work plan to update master plans;
• Baltimore Harbor and Wicomico River received $23.35 million and $2 million, respectively, in the fiscal 2017 work plan to perform regularly-scheduled maintenance dredging this year to maintain navigable depths within the federally-authorized channels;
• The fiscal 2018 President’s Budget includes a proposed $22.03 million for Raystown Lake in Pennsylvania and a proposed $16.95 million for the operation and maintenance of Indian Rock Dam and the federally-maintained flood risk management project along Codorus Creek in York, Pennsylvania;
• The fiscal 2018 President’s Budget includes a proposed $25.56 million for dredging in the Baltimore Harbor and channels; $2.3 million for dredging in Knapps Narrows; $2 million for dredging in Wicomico River; and $250,000 for dredging in Ocean City Harbor Inlet, Sinepuxent Bay.

Investigations

• The Washington DC and Metropolitan Area Coastal Flooding feasibility study received $300,000 in the fiscal 2017 work plan to study coastal storm risk management alternatives for the District of Columbia and nearby communities along the Middle Potomac and Anacostia rivers;
• The Chesapeake Bay Comprehensive Plan received $1.46 million in the fiscal 2017 work plan to complete a watershed assessment that identifies environmental opportunities in the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and aims to synchronize similar existing federal, state and local efforts;
• The Baltimore District’s National Hurricane Program received $300,000 in the fiscal 2017 work plan to update hurricane evacuation software;
• The fiscal 2018 President’s Budget includes a proposed $200,000 for the Baltimore Metropolitan Water Resources Coastal Flooding feasibility study to identify coastal storm risk management alternatives for the Baltimore metropolitan area.