Letter to Jo-Ellen Darcy, Assistant Secretary of the Army - Civil Works - Investments, Critical Maintenance of Oregon's Ports

Letter

Dear Assistant Secretary Darcy:

Congress allocated $329,500,000 (including $42,500,000 for small ports) to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the FY2015 Omnibus Appropriations Bill for Operations and Maintenance (O&M) activities at Corps-authorized projects -- including small ports -- that were not included in the Administration's request. We are writing to encourage you to use a portion of this funding to ensure that Oregon's coastal ports receive the dredging dollars they need.

Oregon's ports are heavily impacted by severe Pacific storm fronts and strong fluvial runoff that inundate these ports with sediment. Consequently, they require ongoing maintenance dredging to ensure they are safe and operational. Simply put, many of Oregon's ports and harbors, which are the lifeblood of Oregon's coastal communities, would not exist if not for regular maintenance dredging.

Safe, navigable Oregon ports enhance regional and local economic development and support local job growth. In fact, one out of every six Oregon jobs is directly or indirectly tied to cargo, recreation, industrial, commercial or other activities at Oregon's ports. These jobs contribute over $4.5 billion in wages to the state's economy thereby helping thousands of working Oregon families maintain a good quality of life. Oregon ports also support Federal agency activities, such as the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Oregon's coastal ports have long been underfunded. To make matters worse, many of these ports and harbors have been "zeroed out" in the Administration's budget request to Congress. This is why the Oregon delegation fought to include a provision in the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) specifying that ten percent of annual Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) revenue be used for dredging and jetty maintenance at ports and harbors that transport less than 1,000,000 tons of commerce annually. But more work and investment are needed.

Thank you for your consideration of this urgent request. These federal funds are essential to keep our ports open and safe, and to ensure Oregon's coastal communities are able to thrive.