The climate is changing and our coasts are facing unprecedented threats – from sea level rise and increasing storm intensity to on-going erosion and sediment loss. The new Administration and 117th Congress must take major actions to restore and preserve America’s shores and beaches. As we wade into these new waters, ASBPA recommends the following…
On The Capitol Beach, Derek Brockbank talks WRDA with Ryan Seiger, the Staff Director for the Water Resources and Environment sub-committee of the House Transportation & Infrastructure committee. Ryan has been working on WRDAs on Capitol Hill for over 20 years and is one of the most influential people on coastal policy that no one…
Coastal States Organization (CSO) and American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) have issued a call for policies, funding, and science to address the unprecedented challenges facing our nation’s coasts. In an era of rising sea, changing Great Lake levels, increasing storm intensity, coastal erosion and flooding, and lack of available coastal sediment, Congress and…
Late on Monday, December 21st, Congress passed a major package of legislation, including most prominently the FY21 federal budget and a $900 billion COVID economic stimulus. Importantly for coastal communities, this bill also included the 2020 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). We expect the president to sign the bill soon. Here is a summary of…
With a major Omnibus-COVID Stimulus bill passed, Congress has averted a government shutdown and passed an FY21 federal budget. Here are the funding levels in the House and Senate appropriations and the final approved amount for some key coastal programs: (All numbers in thousands of dollars.) Energy and Water Appropriations (Includes US Army Corps of…
The American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) and Coastal States Organization (CSO) commend the U.S. House of Representative and U.S. Senate for the introduction of the bipartisan S. 1811, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2020, and encourage Congress to pass this legislation before the end of the year. This bill contains numerous…
The federal FY21 budget is operating under a Continuing Resolution (CR) through December 11. Before then, Congress must agree to a budget or the government will shut down (which certainly feels on-brand for 2020, but at this point both House and Senate would like to avoid). Adding to the challenge is the lingering question whether…
On the ASPN flagship show, co-hosts Peter Ravella and Tyler Buckingham discuss the upcoming online national coastal conference, “Navigating Stormy Times“, with ASBPA Executive Director, Derek Brockbank. They discuss how a virtual conference will work, what some of the conference highlights will be, including plenary panels on how beach communities handled the pandemic this summer…
House Passes WRDA In late July, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7575, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), by voice vote – indicating unanimous support. While the corresponding legislation in the Senate (S. 3591) has only passed the Environment & Public Works Committee, House and Senate staffers and key members from both chambers of…
Almost exactly one year ago, in July 2019, ASBPA testified before the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee on the need to develop water resources legislation that would advance: Regional Sediment Management (RSM) and the Beneficial Use of Dredged Material (BUDM); A modification of the Corps’ Benefit-Cost-Ratio (BCR) process; Natural Infrastructure. This week, the Transportation & Infrastructure…