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    • AIWA Newsletter May 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.

       

       
      President Releases FY2026 Budget and
      U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Releases FY2025 Work Plan

      We are pleased to report recent actions in Washington, DC have led to more clarity for upcoming federal funding for the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW) through the President’s release of the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Budget and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) release of their work plan for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) funding.

      Fiscal Year 2026 President’s budget request

      On May 2nd, Russel Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, transmitted the FY26 President’s budget request to Congress. The transmittal package is available by clicking here or via the link below. This version is called the “skinny budget” as it only provides top line numbers for departments and agencies and further detail will be provided in a subsequent release. At this point, we are expecting less money will be proposed for the Corps than was enacted in Fiscal Year 2025, but this is common practice and Congress typically increases funding above the President’s budget request. Stay tuned!

      https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Fiscal-Year-2026-Discretionary-Budget-Request.pdf

      Corps’ Fiscal Year 2025 Work Plan

      On May 15th, the Corps released their FY25 work plan listing funding for projects between October 2024 and September 2025. We have good news to share. Once again, we have Operation & Maintenance funding for every state along the waterway! In addition, the final amounts match the FY25 President’s budget, and we are receiving $33.271 million total. Below is a brief summary of the allocations for each state.

      Summary of appropriations in the FY25 Work Plan
      VA – President’s budget (PB) – $5.292 Million, Senate Appropriations Amount (Senate) – $5.292 Million, House Appropriations Amount (House) –  $5.292 Million, Final FY25 Appropriations Amount (Final) – $5.292 Million
      NC – PB- $10.935 Million, Senate- $10.935 Million, House- $15.157 Million, Final- $10.935 Million
      SC – PB- $8.628 Million, Senate- $8.628 Million, House- $8.628 Million, Final- $8.628 Million
      GA – PB- $4.235 Million, Senate- $4.235 Million, House- $4.235 Million, Final- $4.235 Million
      FL – PB- $4.181 Million, Senate- $4.181 Million, House- $10.181 Million, Final- $4.181 Million

      Total for AIWW – President’s budget – $33.271 Million, Senate Appropriations Amount – $33.271 Million, House Appropriations Amount – $43.493 Million, Final FY25 Appropriations Amount- $33.271 Million

      Our New Jersey partners were a big winner and received $3 million more than the FY25 President’s budget.

      NJ- PB- $5.795 Million, Senate- $5.795 Million, House- $5.795 Million, Final- $8.795 Million

      While less than in previous years, this funding level is a relatively good outcome for the AIWW in light of all the other cuts in government. We fared better than many other projects that sustained funding reductions or no funding compared to the FY25 budget. Unfortunately, the continuing resolution did not allow for the Community Project Funding requests (earmarks) by Rep. Brian Mast (FL) and Rep. Greg Murphy (NC) that were in the House bill or we could have possibly received over $10 million more in federal funding for the AIWW.

      One other highlight for the AIWW is that our final funding was the same regardless of the presidency since the FY25 budget was developed under the Biden Administration and the work plan under the Trump Administration. This demonstrates the value of the waterway to the nation is not a partisan issue and bodes well for future funding allocations.

      Additional details regarding the amounts provided to various programs, projects, and activities on the Work Plan may be found at: https://www.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Budget/#WorkPlans.

      Looking forward

      With the release of the Corps’ FY25 Work Plan, our focus turns to the FY26 appropriations process. The next step will be for the President to release his detailed budget and for the House and Senate to develop their appropriation bills. The current FY25 funding ends on September 30, 2025.

      We are working closely with our federal partners, and the AIWA board and executive director participated in 17 Congressional meetings with members and staff in Washington, DC in March and May. While the appropriations process would typically be further along by now, it was slowed to complete FY25 appropriations, and Congress is now awaiting the President’s detailed 2026 budget.

      An important process that could have an impact on the appropriations process this year is budget reconciliation. Reconciliation allows for expedited consideration of changes in law to align spending, revenue, and the debt limit with agreed-upon budget targets. In this case, the Republicans in Congress are attempting to create a budget reconciliation package to address funding for their priorities and the priorities of the Administration since it only requires a majority vote and they have a majority in the House and Senate. It’s a complicated process and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has set a deadline of Memorial Day to pass the House version. The Senate would then consider the House bill. It is too early to tell if the GOP will pass a reconciliation bill, and more importantly for the AIWW, if the reconciliation process will delay the drafting of the annual appropriations bills.

      We are proud to continue work with our Corps partners on execution of FY25 funding, and look forward to participating in the FY 26 appropriations process.

       
      AIWA Participates in
      North Carolina Beach, Inlet and Waterway Association
      Spring Meeting

       
      On May 8-9, Brad Pickel participated in the N.C. Beach Inlet & Waterway Association’s Spring Meeting on Emerald Isle, NC. This meeting is a high point each spring for the AIWA to visit with our NC waterway stakeholders, learn from our state and federal partners about current programs and initiatives, and offer an update on AIWA activities and what we are working on this year.

      Our presentation this year covered ongoing federal actions and what we are watching in Washington. We are grateful to report that projects were completed or underway in all five states along the waterway in 2024 and 2025, and we hope this trend will continue in the coming years!

      Photo above | Brad Pickel, Executive Director, and Dennis Barbour, AIWA and NCBIWA Board Member

       
      Coast Guard Authorizes
      Temporary Schedule Change for
      Little River Swing Bridge
      Horry County, South Carolina

       
      Important notice for waterway users migrating north for hurricane season:

      The United States Coast Guard has authorized a temporary schedule change for the Little River Swing Bridge in Horry County, South Carolina. During this temporary deviation, the bridge will open on signal except from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on federal holidays. The draw will open on the hour and half hour. Public vessels of the United States and tugs with tows, upon proper signal, will be passed through anytime.

       

      Great News! The Dismal Swamp Canal is Open to Boaters 🛥️

      From our Partners at the Dismal Swamp Canal Visitors Center
      https://www.dismalswampwelcomecenter.com/
       
      SAVE THE DATE
      AIWA Annual Meeting
      November 18-20, 2025 | Savannah, Georgia
       
       
       
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      Copyright © 2025. Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association. All rights reserved.

      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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