The President released both the work plan for fiscal year 2015 (FY15) and his budget proposal for fiscal year 2016 (FY16) which includes funding for ongoing projects in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wilmington District.
The FY15 work plan provides additional funding of almost $7 million in operation and maintenance (O&M) for a range of Wilmington District projects (the District was originally allocated $48.4 million for FY 15 in O&M). For example, the Morehead City Harbor project received an increase of $4.1 million for a new total O&M allocation of $8.9 million, and the Manteo (Shallowbag) Bay project increased by $1.2 million for a total funding of almost $2 million. Seven other O&M projects received additional funds in the work plan including $500,000 for New River Inlet and $957,000 for Philpott Lake in Virginia. The enclosed table shows the original funding allocations for all projects, the additional funds provided by the work plan and the resulting total funding for FY15.
The $54 million designated for District projects in the FY16 budget provide funding for O&M of Federal projects including: Wilmington Harbor, $15 million; Morehead City Harbor, $8.8 million; and other shallow draft harbors and channels including Manteo (Shallowbag) Bay (Oregon Inlet) and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. The District’s five lakes and dams are included in the budget with John H. Kerr Dam and Reservoir in N.C. and Va. (Buggs Island) receiving $11 million, Philpott Lake, Va., $5 million, W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir, N.C., $3.4 million, B. Everett Jordan Dam and Lake, N.C., $2 million, and Falls Lake, N.C., $1.8 million. The FY16 budget proposals for all District projects are shown on the enclosed table.
“The additional funding of two of the state's important navigation projects at Morehead City Harbor and Manteo will allow us to perform additional dredging and at least alleviate the emergency conditions in the short term,” said District Commander Army COL Kevin Landers. “In addition to the funding appropriated to continue to maintain Wilmington Harbor, the increase in funding in the President's Budget at both Morehead City Harbor and Manteo will certainly help us remain out of crisis mode in FY16. We also appreciate the state's continued support in strategic planning and potential funding to keep the state's waterways, which are economic engines, viable.”
Like each year’s presidential budget, the proposed FY16 budget begins a process that includes action by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and results in an appropriations bill to be enacted into law before final funding amounts are known.
Wilmington District Authorized Projects ($1,000s)
FY16
INVESTIGATIONS FY15 FY15 FY15 President’s
Project Title Allocation Work Plan Total Budget
Wilmington Harbor Improvements, NC 25 25 0
Investigations Subtotal $25 $0 $25 $0
CONSTRUCTION FY15 FY15 FY15 FY16
Project Title Allocation Work Plan Total Budget
Roanoke River, Upper Basin Headwaters, VA 50 50 0
Construction Subtotal $50 $0 $50 $0
OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FY15 FY15 FY15 FY16
Project Title Allocation* Work Plan Total Budget
Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, NC 2,574 2,574 2,600
B. Everett Jordan Dam and Lake, NC 1,837 19 1,856 2,049
Cape Fear River above Wilmington, NC 478 3 481 772
Falls Lake, NC 1,890 20 1,910 1.776
John H. Kerr Dam and Reservoir, VA and NC 10,578 45 10,623 10,976
Manteo (Shallowbag) Bay, NC 792 1,200 1,992 2,000
Masonboro Inlet, NC 50 50 50
Morehead City Harbor, NC 4,806 4,100 8,906 8,796
New River Inlet, NC 500 500
Philpott Lake, VA 6,378 957 7,335 5,023
Rollinson Channel, NC 545 545 300
Silver Lake Harbor, NC 297 297 300
W. Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir, NC 3,260 34 3,294 3.363
Wilmington Harbor, NC 13,986 13,986 15,019
Inspection of Completed Works, NC 261 261 270
Project Condition Surveys, NC 693 693 700
Operation and Maintenance Subtotal $48,425 $6,878 $55,303 $53,994
All Appropriations $48,500 $6,878 $55,378 $53,994
* - Operations and maintenance allocation amounts have already been reduced by the 1% statutory deduction for emergency activities