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Port infrastructure funding cuts set off alarm bells at US ports
THE American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has raised concerns that funding for most federal port-related programmes under US President Donald Trump's fiscal 2018 budget is to be cut.
The reduced funding will impact Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) discretionary grants, Harbour Maintenance Trust Fund (HMST) outlays, port security grants, and assistance in lowering diesel emissions.
However, the AAPA met the administration's call to support US$1 trillion in infrastructure investment over 10 years with approval, reported Container Management. Of the $1 trillion, direct spending accounts for $200 billion, of which $5 billion would be spent next year.
AAPA president Kurt Nagle was quoted as saying: "AAPA applauds President Trump's call to invest $1 trillion into America's infrastructure over the next decade. The port industry has identified a need of $66 billion in federal investments to port-related infrastructure over that time.
"Ports and their private sector partners plan to invest $155 billion over the next five years alone in port facility infrastructure, and it's vital that supporting federal investments be made, primarily to improve the waterside and landside connections to our nation's ports."
Over the next decade, the AAPA recommends investing $33.8 billion in federal funds to maintain and modernise deep-draught shipping channels, plus $32.03 billion for building road and rail connections to ports and to improve port facility infrastructure.
Among the budget proposals for next year is eliminating the US Department of Transportation's (US DoT) TIGER grants programme, which last year awarded US ports $61.8 million in multimodal infrastructure grants for improvement works to docks, rail and road networks.
Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security's Port Security Grant Programme (PSGP), which Congress last funded at US$100 million and which provided 35 port security-related grants in fiscal 2017, would see funding reduced by 52 per cent to $47.8 million.
President Trump has also proposed cutting the overall Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) budget by 31 per cent, while the EPA's Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grants would see an 83 per cent reduction to $10 million.
The reduced funding will impact Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) discretionary grants, Harbour Maintenance Trust Fund (HMST) outlays, port security grants, and assistance in lowering diesel emissions.
However, the AAPA met the administration's call to support US$1 trillion in infrastructure investment over 10 years with approval, reported Container Management. Of the $1 trillion, direct spending accounts for $200 billion, of which $5 billion would be spent next year.
AAPA president Kurt Nagle was quoted as saying: "AAPA applauds President Trump's call to invest $1 trillion into America's infrastructure over the next decade. The port industry has identified a need of $66 billion in federal investments to port-related infrastructure over that time.
"Ports and their private sector partners plan to invest $155 billion over the next five years alone in port facility infrastructure, and it's vital that supporting federal investments be made, primarily to improve the waterside and landside connections to our nation's ports."
Over the next decade, the AAPA recommends investing $33.8 billion in federal funds to maintain and modernise deep-draught shipping channels, plus $32.03 billion for building road and rail connections to ports and to improve port facility infrastructure.
Among the budget proposals for next year is eliminating the US Department of Transportation's (US DoT) TIGER grants programme, which last year awarded US ports $61.8 million in multimodal infrastructure grants for improvement works to docks, rail and road networks.
Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security's Port Security Grant Programme (PSGP), which Congress last funded at US$100 million and which provided 35 port security-related grants in fiscal 2017, would see funding reduced by 52 per cent to $47.8 million.
President Trump has also proposed cutting the overall Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) budget by 31 per cent, while the EPA's Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grants would see an 83 per cent reduction to $10 million.
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