AAPA calls for port infrastructure funds

The association’s letter to lawmakers pushes for resources for three federal programs.    The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) on Thursday called for “adequate” funding for port infrastructure in a letter to the leadership of both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees’ Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development and Related Agencies (THUD).
   As the House and Senate move toward conferencing the fiscal year 2019 THUD appropriations bill, AAPA is pushing for resources for three federal programs that help fund multimodal, port-related infrastructure. These programs are the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) Transportation Program, the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program and the Marine Highway Program.
   In the letter, AAPA recommended the adoption of the House provision in which one-third of the funding for the portion of the National Infrastructure Investment Program focusing on multimodal BUILD/TIGER-style projects be dedicated to port infrastructure projects. AAPA is advocating that the fiscal 2019 BUILD program adopt the Senate funding level of $1 billion, or if possible, the fiscal 2018 level of $1.5 billion.
   AAPA also said it strongly supports the $7 million for the Marine Highway Program in the Senate bill, asserting the program “is an asset that is enabling ports and communities to fully realize their potential in increasing freight volumes, while reducing congestion in communities.”
   In regard to the CRISI program, AAPA said it supports the House funding level of $300 million for the program’s grants because of the port rail access the program provides and the opportunities it offers for strong rail and port partnerships.