April 26, 2016

Dear Senator:

We urge you to support Senator Flake’s Amendment #3820 to ensure federal taxpayer dollars are not wasted on non-federal projects that fall outside of the Army Corps of Engineers’ primary mission areas. Eliminating funding for the Environmental Infrastructure program would save nearly $69 million.

The Army Corps of Engineers’ Environmental Infrastructure program duplicates and undermines other more cost-effective and accountable governmental programs. Established as a “pilot project” grant program in 1992 by then Reps. Bud Shuster (R-PA) and Jack Murtha (D-PA), the Corps’ Environmental Infrastructure program was one of the most highly earmarked federal programs, with the vast majority of funding being directed to the districts of appropriators and authorizers with control over the Corps’ budget. Even now the necessity, value, and effectiveness of these projects is difficult to determine because they are not subject to standard economic analyses other Corps projects undergo. The water projects funded under this program are not the legislated primary mission areas for the Corps (navigation, flood and storm damage reduction, and environmental restoration), but instead directly compete with those missions for limited funding. The program has the dubious distinction of being opposed by every President (Clinton, Bush, and Obama) since its creation.

We urge you to support Senator Flake’s amendment #3820 to strike $69 million of wasteful environmental infrastructure spending. For more information contact Steve Ellis at 202-546-8500 or steve[at]taxpayer.net.

Sincerely,