SEATTLE --The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Wednesday $68.823 million from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the 2022 Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act will aid Washington state projects.
"The Army will work with community partners to leverage these historic Civil Works funds for investments that strengthen national supply chains through our commercial navigation mission, help communities impacted by climate change to increase their resiliency, advance environmental justice, and invest in communities that have too often been left behind," said Michael L. Connor, the assistant secretary of the Army for civil works.
Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022, which is Division B of Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act, 2022, Public Law 117-43
Of the $5.711 billion supplemental funds that Public Law 117-43 provides for the Army Civil Works Program, $40 million is designated to restore the Shoalwater Bay flood and coastal storm damage reduction berm. Storms in recent years have damaged the berm resulting in flooding of nearby Shoalwater Bay tribal lands. The berm is located at the mouth of Willapa Bay near Tokeland, Washington and provides flood protection for the Shoalwater Bay tribal community, cultural lands, and ecologically significant wetlands.
“The Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe Tribal Council would like to say Hayu Masi (thank you) to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for their dedication to this project,” said Chairwoman Charlene Nelson of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe Tribal Council. “Also, special thanks to all of our Tribal members, our Tribal employees, our Williapa Bay Enterprises employees, other Tribes, our community-run WECAN [Willapa Erosion Control Alliance Now], our Tokeland neighbors, Pacific County, the state of Washington, the local cranberry growers, the United States Government, and our Ancestors who stood with us reminding us that that – ‘we were survivors, too - and we made it - and you will make it, too!’ - as we all work to save our Tribal Reservation from rising sea waters for all of our Tribal members who live here now, and for all who will come after us. Hayu Masi to all of you who are standing with us,” Nelson said.
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Public Law 117-58
With the nearly $17.1 billion provided in Public Law 117-58, the Army will fund Army Civil Works studies and projects, maintain existing infrastructure, and repair damage and dredge channels in response to floods and coastal storms. In Washington state, more than $28.8 million will go toward repairing or modernizing navigation and coastal flood mitigation projects.
About $11 million will fund Grays Harbor north jetty repairs. The north and south jetties secure the mouth of the harbor with a deep draft 22-mile channel from the Pacific Ocean to the city of Aberdeen. The north jetty was last repaired in 1976 and existing damage threatens the integrity of the federal navigation channel. It’s expected jetty repairs will help reduce current wave impacts to the city of Ocean Shores wastewater treatment plant.
“We are extremely pleased to see the North Jetty repairs funded in the Corps work plan for the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act,” shared Port of Grays Harbor Commissioner Stan Pinnick. “This project not only helps to protect and maintain the Grays Harbor Navigation Channel, but has long been a priority for the North Beach community. We thank Senators Murray and Cantwell and Congressman Kilmer for their efforts in securing this historic funding for critical infrastructure projects like this.”