After Advocating for Funding and Accelerated Completion, Pappas Applauds $18.2 Million for Portsmouth Harbor Project

Press Release

Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and member of the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee, which oversees the civil works programs of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, applauded the announcement that the Army Corps has included the Portsmouth Turning Basin project in the Piscataqua River to their 2021 Work Plan and allocated $18.2 million, which would complete the project by the end of 2021.

"The Piscataqua River is a critical driver for the seacoast region and New Hampshire's economy, and this project is vital to ensuring increased economic output and improved safety conditions for ships entering Portsmouth Harbor," said Congressman Chris Pappas. "This funding will complete this badly needed project by the end of the year. I fought to secure funding to expedite this project and other ongoing water infrastructure projects on the Seacoast and will continue to fight to ensure that infrastructure improvements throughout New Hampshire get the priority and funding they require."

This Army Corps project will widen the turning basin on the Piscataqua River to improve safety and navigability for commercial vessels. Presently, ships are sometimes forced to wait for daylight and ideal tides to navigate ships through the 800-foot Turning Basin with minimal clearance between the riverbed and ships' keels.

On December 6th, Rep. Pappas supported the House passage of the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020 which included key language Chris Pappas fought for instructing the Army Corps of Engineers to accelerate this project and projects at Portsmouth Harbor and Rye Harbor.

On December 21, Rep. Pappas voted to pass bipartisan legislation to provide additional COVID-19 relief to Americans and fund critical government services and programs, which included the provisions in WRDA to expedite ongoing water infrastructure projects for the Portsmouth Harbor/Piscataqua River project and Rye Harbor.

Congressman Pappas serves on the Water Resources and Environment subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, which oversees the civil works programs of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

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