Water resources projects focus on navigation, flood damage reduction and ecosystem restoration
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The $1.7 billion work-plan for Fiscal Year 2018 Civil Works appropriations, released by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers June 11, includes $143 million for Jacksonville District’s continuing navigation, flood and coastal storm damage reduction and aquatic ecosystem restoration projects in Florida and Puerto Rico.
“The array of projects in this budget will positively contribute to our mission of building infrastructure that increases national security, energizes our economy and reduces disaster risks for the citizens of Florida and Puerto Rico,” said Col. Jason Kirk, Jacksonville District commander. “From restoring America’s Everglades, rehabilitating the Herbert Hoover Dike, to ensuring that our ports, harbors and waterways can sustain commercial navigation so critical to our economy, Jacksonville District’s team continues its steadfast dedication to serving our nation and our Armed Forces wherever and whenever we are needed.”
The $143 million in FY18 work-plan funds for the Jacksonville District is in addition to the $221 million in FY18 allocations received under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 for a total of $364 million. The act funds included $82 million for the Herbert Hoover Dike rehabilitation and $76.5 million for the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration (SFER) Program, which includes the Everglades.
The SFER Program received $28.9 million for construction and $4.7 million for operations and maintenance in the work-plan. Coupled with earlier allocations of $76.5 million, this represents a total of $110 million for the program. The SFER projects are part of the massive effort to restore and improve water flows and water quality and ensure a healthy, sustainable environment. Restoring the Everglades is the Corps’ single largest ecosystem restoration effort
Additional work-plan funding in the investigations account for design and feasibility studies includes:
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Miami Harbor Improvements ($556,250)
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Cano Martin Pena, Puerto Rico ($849,000)
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San Juan Harbor Improvement Study, Puerto Rico ($400,000)
Work-plan funding for flood and coastal storm damage reduction construction projects include:
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Brevard County Mid Reach ($28,375,000)
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Sarasota Lido Key ($13,462,000)
Work-plan funding for navigation construction projects include:
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Jacksonville Harbor ($32,389,000)
Work-plan funding for operations and maintenance programs and projects in support of commercial navigation include:
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Canaveral Sand Bypass ($14,760,000)
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Jacksonville Harbor ($8,406,000)
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Miami Harbor ($1,897,000)
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Port Everglades ($771,000
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Tampa Harbor ($500,000)
More information on the FY 2018 Civil Works budget is available at: http://www.usace.army.mil/CECW/PID/Pages/cecwm_progdev.aspx.
Businesses interested in working with the Corps to deliver this infrastructure can find opportunities at www.fedbizopps.gov. Professionals looking to serve with the Corps team can locate opportunities at www.usajobs.gov.