AAPA weighs in on Trump’s FY2018 budget

The American Association of Port Authorities says members are concerned about declines in federally funded port programs in the proposed fiscal 2018 budget, but encouraged by plans to support $1 trillion in infrastructure over 10 years.    The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has expressed concern over declines in various federally funded, port-related programs in President Donald Trump’s fiscal 2018 budget request, which was transmitted to Congress Tuesday.
   However, the association said it is encouraged by the Trump administration’s recently announced major infrastructure initiative to support $1 trillion in infrastructure over 10 years, $200 billion of which would be direct federal spending. Of the $200 billion, $5 billion is proposed for spending next year.
   In addition, the Coalition for America’s Gateways and Trade Corridors (CAGTC) said, “The president’s commitment to improving national economic competitiveness through strategic infrastructure investment is commendable, and in particular, we applaud his dedication to investing $1 trillion.”
   The AAPA is calling for $66 billion in federal funds for port-related infrastructure over the next decade to ensure U.S. job creation, economic growth, safe and secure ports, and tax fairness.
   “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,” AAPA President and CEO Kurt Nagle said in a statement.
   However, the budget proposal for next year includes the elimination of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant program, and a 52 percent reduction in funding for the Department of Homeland Security’s Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) to $47.8 million. In fiscal 2017, the PSGP provided 35 port security related grants, and the TIGER grants program awarded $61.8 million in multimodal infrastructure grants to U.S. ports.
   In addition, President Trump has proposed cutting the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) budget by 31 percent, while the EPA’s Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grants would see an 83 percent cut.
   “These grants have helped ports to make investments in clean diesel equipment and reduction strategies at the ports themselves, and they’ve used them to help businesses buy newer, cleaner-burning trucks, locomotives and vessels,” AAPA said.
   The AAPA recommended investing $33.8 billion to maintain and modernize deep-draft shipping channels, and $32.03 billion to construct road and rail connections to ports and improve port facility infrastructure.
   According to Nagle, activities at U.S. seaports account for over a quarter of the nation’s economy, support more than 23 million American jobs, and generate more than $321 billion annually in federal, state and local tax revenues.
   The AAPA has created the “America: Keep It Moving” campaign in an effort to highlight the needs and benefits of investing in seaport infrastructure.
   The association’s primary recommendations for the fiscal 2018 budget include:
     • Providing $2.9 billion for the Corps’ Navigation program, including $1.6 billion for the Coastal Navigation portion;
     • Expanding the USDOT’s TIGER program, or establishing a new, multimodal discretionary grant and fund it at $1.25 billion annually;
     • Continuing funding for the USDOT’s Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act programs at currently authorized levels, and expanding the amount of funds available for multimodal projects, which are currently limited to $500 million a year through 2020;
     • Increasing funding to $400 million for the Department of Homeland Security’s PSGP, and increasing the number of Customs and Border Protection officers in the maritime environment by 500;
     • And funding DERA grants at the $100 million authorized level.