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Mar 5, 2025by: Larry Dorminy No Comments

AIWA Newsletter March 2025

Cruisers Net is proud to be a member of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association whose lobbying work is crucial to keeping the Waterway navigable and safe. Your membership dollars directly support their vital work. Please join and encourage your boating neighbors to do likewise, regardless of their homeport.

Returning to Washington to Advocate
for the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway

Next week, the AIWA Board of Directors is returning to Washington, DC to meet with the elected officials representing communities along the waterway. With the flurry of activity underway by the new Administration and pending Congressional action, there isn’t a better time for the association to engage with our federal leadership.

Three issues we are focused on this month:

1. FY25 Appropriations and the Continuing Resolution through March 14th

Our annual DC fly-in is our premier opportunity to engage on appropriations for federal projects. This year, we will be outlining the need to continue sustained funding of existing projects for FY25 while requesting additional project funding for FY26. The federal government is currently operating under a Continuing Resolution through March 14th that limits the funding available to the Corps and the types of projects that can be contracted. Fortunately, AIWW projects that are underway will continue, and we are not aware of any additional impacts caused by this delay. However, it is becoming clear that their is little appetite for passing a new Continuing Resolution prior to the March 14th deadline so we are planning for a government shutdown and are exploring how this will impact our projects.

Looking ahead, if a full-year Continuing Resolution is passed by Congress in the coming weeks, it will impact the amount of funding available for waterway projects through September 2025 as funding levels will be based on the FY24 appropriations bills, and there will be no funding pots. The table below reflects the current breakdown of funding as it stands today.

2. Impacts from actions related to the reduction in workforce efforts

With the incoming administration, deferred resignations and layoffs are becoming a reality. Multiple federal agencies have implemented large-scale layoffs of staff who are under a probationary standing. While this includes new hires, it is our understanding that in some cases it has also included employees who have recently gotten a promotion into a higher position and are thus deemed probationary in this new position regardless of their tenure with the agency. Due to a recent judge’s ruling, this process is now in flux so we are not sure yet if the layoffs will be rescinded or not. Fortunately, these types of layoffs have not yet been announced for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers prior to the lawsuit.

3. Selection and Confirmation of a new Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works (ASA-CW)

The selection of the ASA-CW is integral to the success of the Corps as they are the lead federal official in the Department of the Army representing the Corps in the Pentagon. With other high-level appointments pending in the U.S. Senate, we have heard of no movement on this position so it remains filled on a temporary basis. We are continuing to monitor whether the lack of a confirmed ASA will impact how money is allocated in the federal appropriations process in FY25 and FY26.

It is clear that our association bears a greater responsibility to be a strong and active Voice for the Waterway with the current unknowns in multiple federal agency and Congressional activities. Our 100 members in 100 days campaign is currently underway, and we need your voice and support. Please join us in increasing our membership roles so that we have multiple stakeholder resources to engage at this critical time.

AIWA 100 Members in 100 Days Membership Drive

The first 100 days in a new administration are crucial for our ability to raise awareness of the value of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW) and we need your support.

We are facing monumental changes both in federal agencies’ policies and employment, in addition to educating new Senators and Representatives and their staff who make the day-to-day decisions to move issues forward. The AIWA must reach them, and each membership dollar counts!

Join our 100 Members Campaign by lending your support to have our Voice of the Waterway heard. To have a strong impact in Washington, DC, it is important for us to increase our recreational and commercial membership rolls. https://atlanticintracoastal.org/join-aiwa

Join the AIWA Today

Colonial Oil Industries
Christens New Tug and Barge

Colonial Industries, Inc., part of AIWA founding member Colonial Group, recently christened its newest tug and barge in a Savannah, GA ceremony held at sister company and AIWA Silver Sponsor, Colonial Terminals on the Savannah River.

The new tug, Soaring Eagle, built by Eymard Marine Construction & Repair of Harvey, LA, and its barge, represent a strategic investment in the future of Colonial Oil’s marine fueling and towing capabilities. We are excited to see this investment by our partners. We invite you to click here to read the full article in Marine Log.

AIWA Founding Member Colonial Group

The AIWA is a national non-profit organization with the mission of securing funding and support for the maintenance of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. We are the only organization dedicated to ensuring the future of the AIWW and proudly represent all stakeholders of the waterway.

Contact:
Atlantic Instracoastal Waterway Association
5a Market | Beaufort, SC 29906
(843) 379-1151 | atlanticintracoastal.org

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AIWA Newsletter March 2025

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AIWA Newsletter March 2025

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