Carper, Kaufman, Castle Send Bicameral Letter Urging Funding for Coastline Repair

WASHINGTON – Today, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), Sen. Ted Kaufman (D-Del.) and Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.) along with seven of their Congressional colleagues sent a letter urging the Appropriations Committee leadership in both the House and Senate to retain at least $20 million for the Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies account in the final Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2010. The critical funding is needed to repair beaches, harbors and inlets along the coasts of Delaware, New Jersey and Virginia that suffered significant damage during Hurricane Ida in November 2009.

 

"These harbors, inlets and beaches, which serve as our levees, must be appropriately maintained to protect our coastal residents, businesses and infrastructure. Weakened coastal barriers leave communities under constant threat of significant and costly damage. We believe the damage sustained presents great threat to life, property and infrastructure, and necessitates emergency action," wrote the Members of Congress.

 

The Army Corps of Engineers estimates that the states sustained $72 million of damages during the storm and has stated emergency funding is needed to repair the beaches to their pre-storm condition.  The Members note the project’s potential for revenue generation, stating that for every $1 the Federal government spends on beach nourishment, it collects $320 in tax revenue. Additionally, the Members heed that the cost of maintenance to properly reinforce beaches now would outweigh the cost of Federal repairs should a major storm strike.

 

A copy of the letter follows:

 

June 29, 2010 

 

The Honorable Daniel Inouye                                       

United States Senate                                                     

722 Hart Senate Office Building                                  

Washington, DC 20510                                                 

 

The Honorable Thad Cochran

United States Senate

113 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

 

The Honorable David Obey                                                 

United States House of Representatives                              

2314 Rayburn House Office Building                               

Washington, DC 20515

                                                       

The Honorable Jerry Lewis 

United States House of Representatives

2112 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

 

Dear Chairman Inouye, Vice Chairman Cochran, Chairman Obey, and Ranking Member Lewis:

 

As you work to finalize the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2010, we are writing to urge you to at least retain the $20 million included in the Senate version of the bill for the Army Corps of Engineers’ (Corps) Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies (FCCE) account.    

 

As you know, in November, 2009, Hurricane Ida caused significant damage to numerous federally-authorized and constructed Corps projects in the coastal communities that we represent. The Corps estimates that harbors, inlets and beaches in Delaware, New Jersey, and Virginia sustained $72 million of damages, and has stated emergency funding is needed to repair the beaches to their pre-storm condition.  

 

These harbors, inlets and beaches, which serve as our levees, must be appropriately maintained to protect our coastal residents, businesses and infrastructure. Weakened coastal barriers leave communities under constant threat of significant and costly damage. The Corps projects are already a revenue generator since the Corps estimates that the Federal government collects $320 in tax revenue for every $1 it spends on beach nourishment. Reinforced beaches also generate cost-savings for taxpayers since the funding that would be required to repair the damage to a non-reinforced area, should a Hurricane Katrina-type storm hit, would greatly outweigh the funding needed to complete and maintain these Federal projects. 

 

We believe the damage sustained presents great threat to life, property and infrastructure, and necessitates emergency action. Therefore, we ask you to retain at least $20 million for FCCE in the final Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2010. 

 

Thank you for consideration of our request.

 

Sincerely,

 

Thomas R. Carper, U.S. Senator

Michael N. Castle, U.S. Congressman

Edward E. Kaufman, U.S. Senator

Frank R. Lautenberg, U.S. Senator

Robert Menendez, U.S. Senator

Jim Webb, U.S. Senator

Frank A. LoBiondo, U.S. Congressman

Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, U.S. Congressman

Frank Pallone, Jr., U.S. Congressman

John Adler, U.S. Congressman