Blumenthal, Murphy: Big win for the future of Connecticut’s shoreline economy

Connecticut Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal have announced the inclusion of $5.725 million for Connecticut Congressionally Directed Spending projects in the Fiscal Year 2024 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill.

In addition, the bill includes over $10 million in funding for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers operations in Connecticut that are vital to protecting the shorelines and keeping waterways navigable.

Committee passage is the first step in the process, and funding will only be made available when the bill is passed by Congress and signed into law.

“These projects are really important to the health of Connecticut’s waters, and I’m proud to have secured the federal funding they need to get started. For some of these rivers and harbors, it’s been close to 30 years since they were last dredged. This bill is a big win for the future of our shoreline economy, and I’ll continue to push for their inclusion in the final budget,” said Murphy.

Connecticut projects in the Committee-passed Fiscal Year 2024 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill include:

• $500,000 for the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to study coastal storm risk management strategies in Stratford,
• $300,000 for USACE to support the dredging of Branford Harbor and Branford River,
• $75,000 for USACE to survey maintenance dredging needs within Clinton Harbor, 
• $800,000 for USACE to survey and plan for dredging projects within the Connecticut River between Hartford and Old Saybrook,
• $500,000 for USACE to complete plans and specifications for dredging projects within Guilford Harbor,
• $500,000 for USACE to evaluate disposal alternatives identified in the Long Island Sound Dredged Material Management Plan, 
• $1,250,000 for USACE to complete Project Condition Surveys for 22 federally maintained navigation channels in Connecticut,
• $500,000 for USACE to survey and test a reported shoal within Stonington Harbor,
• $1,300,000 for a research project at the University of Connecticut to improve the ability of governments and regulators to predict vulnerabilities in the electric grid system.