Senate Panel Grills Corps’ Officials Over FY12 Budget
National Waterways Conference News Alert
1 April 2011
The Senate’s Environment and Public Works Transportation and
Infrastructure Subcommittee conducted a hearing yesterday on the
Administration’s fiscal year 2012 budget proposal for the Army Corps of
Engineers’ Civil Works program. The opening remarks suggested a
warm welcome for Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works,
Jo-Ellen Darcy, back to the committee where she had previously served
as staff, and for the Chief of Engineers, Lieutenant General Robert L.
Van Antwerp, as he prepares to retire from his Army career in
May. The good mood was short-lived, however, as Senators from
both sides of the aisle blasted the Administration for its lack of
investment in the nation’s water resources infrastructure.
The Administration’s proposal of $4.6 billion, roughly 15% lower than
the $5.4 billion enacted in 2010, was soundly criticized as far short
of what is needed to ensure the critical investments needed for flood
control projects, levees, and ports and waterways. The
Subcommittee’s Chairman, Senator Max Baucus (D-MT), chastised the
Administration for its “vague” plans devoid of any idea on how to pay
for needed infrastructure improvements. Further, with respect to
funding for the Inland Waterways Trust Fund, he implored the witnesses
that “the President must lead,” warning that if the Administration
fails to lead, “not much is going to happen.”
Senator John Boozman (R-AR) echoed those sentiments, urging leadership
from the Administration.
Senator David Vitter (R-LA), the panel’s Ranking Member, blasted the
Administration for what he considers a failure to provide any specific
recommendations on coastal Louisiana restoration projects, and all but
promised that future hearings to consider the nomination of the next
Chief of Engineers would be delayed pending resolution of those issues.
Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK), the Ranking Member of the full committee,
similarly took aim at the Administration’s priorities in the budget,
and Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) questioned the agency’s consideration
of climate change in its planning process. He seemed mollified
however, by General Van Antwerp’s explanation that full consideration
of all factors was needed in the development of long-term structures.