While much of the state was paying attention to the COVID-19 relief package that passed Congress on Monday, Congressman Peter DeFazio was celebrating another win.
DeFazio, who serves as the chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, said the spending bill that also passed was a big win for the nationâs coastal communities. Included in the package was the Water Resources Development Act of 2020, which fully funds harbor maintenance.
âThis is a tremendous victory for Oregonâs coastal communities,â DeFazio said. âFor decades, I have fought to unlock the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund and ensure that funds already collected for harbor maintenance are fully utilized to keep our local ports dredged and jetties maintained. Finally, WRDA 2020 fulfils that goal. With this fix, our ports and harbors will have the resources they so desperately need, all without raising taxes or adding a penny to the deficit. My bipartisan bill, approved by both
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Dredge operations by the Port of Coos Bay.
Credit Port of Coos Bay
DeFazio said a dedicated container tax that’s meant for harbor maintenance has long been diverted by congress. He said there’s $10 billion in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund that has finally been unlocked by the recent legislation. He says this will allow small Oregon ports to do dredging and jetty maintenance projects they have long put off.
“And it’s going to be very helpful for the coastal economy in terms of sports fishing and commercial fishing, and the coast guard have been limited in some of their activities because of shoaled in harbor entrances,” DeFazio said.
Bipartisan Water Resources Development Act passes House of Representatives last week theworldlink.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from theworldlink.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.