Port-related funding reduced in President’s FY2018 budget
The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has voiced its concerns over the potential of significant declines for most federally funded, port-related programs in President Trump’s fiscal 2018 budget.
AAPA president and CEO, Kurt Nagle said: “We’re apprehensive about the fiscal 2018 budget. Adequate federal investments into US port-related infrastructure, both on the landside and waterside, are crucial for the efficient movement of goods so the nation can remain globally competitive. Activities at US seaports account for more than a quarter of the nation’s economy, support over 23 million American jobs and generate more than $320 billion a year in federal, state and local tax revenue. It’s vital the federal government uphold its end of the partnership with ports so the country can have a 21st century goods movement system in place.”
Proposed for the budget chopping block is the US Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grants program, which last year awarded US ports $61.8m in multimodal infrastructure grants such as dock, rail and road improvements. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security’s Port Security Grants Program (PSGP), which Congress last funded at $100m and which provided 35 port security-related grants in fiscal 2017, is expected to experience a significant cut.
President Trump has also proposed cutting the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) budget by 31 percent. EPA’s budget funds the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grants. While no details were released on the fate of this program, which is authorised at $100m, DERA grants have been especially helpful in decreasing port-related diesel emissions in near-port communities. These federal grants have helped ports to make investments in clean diesel equipment and reduction strategies at the ports themselves, and they’ve used them to help businesses buy newer, cleaner-burning trucks, locomotives and vessels.
Kurt said: “While the president’s budget request includes significant funding cuts to some port-related programs, we’re hopeful that, as the fiscal 2018 budget process as well as the anticipated sizable infrastructure package moves forward, that significant federal investments will be made in port-related infrastructure. Such investments will pay huge dividends in terms of economic growth, American jobs and tax revenues.”
For more information on AAPA’s key recommendations for the fiscal 2018 budget visit www.aapa-ports.org
20th March 2017
