congress set to increase energy security and port project funding

Up to $117 million has been approved in a Congressional subcommittee to enhance the security of the nation’s electric grid.
That money is folded into the much larger $44.7 billion Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, which is now before the House Appropriations Committee.
The legislation, designed to also fund environmental cleanup initiatives and the continued operations of the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository, increases electric grid security spending by more than $41 million over fiscal year 2018 in an ongoing effort to protect the nation’s energy infrastructure from cyber attacks.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is also seeing a funding increase of some $451 million over last year, for a total budget of $7.2 billion.
Of that amount, $3.3 billion will go to the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, as well as a variety of navigation studies and projects.
More than $2 billion will go for flood and storm damage reduction activities, an increase of some $190 million over fiscal year 2018.
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen of New Jersey lauded the legislation, noting that it “makes important investments in our water and power infrastructure that will help our economy grow and provide a platform on which our business, industries, and communities can thrive.”
It is not yet known when the House Appropriations Committee will take a final vote on the legislation.

By Garry Boulard