The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) released a statement responding to the 2018 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) legislation. The Association welcomed the legislation, but said that an agreement reached by the US major ports to ensure equity and fairness must also be included.
WRDA aims to improve the US’s ports, inland waterways, locks, dams, flood protection, ecosystem restoration, and other water resources infrastructure.
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Responding to this legislation, AAPA stated:
We’re pleased to see the House and Senate committees this week approving their versions of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) that authorizes water resources projects and makes important programmatic efficiency improvements. This is a positive step that addresses the President’s call for nationwide infrastructure improvements.
However, the Association noted that the legislation must also include a unique agreement reached among the nation’s major ports that provides equity and fairness regarding the allocation of the Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT), which is considered a vital funding source that enables economic growth and keeps US ports viable in the marketplace.
AAP ended its statement by saying the following:
With a quarter of the nation’s GDP and more than 23 million American jobs dependent on well-maintained ports, we’re hopeful that this week’s markup of WRDA in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will result in legislation that guarantees full use of the HMT by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
