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Chairwoman Kaptur Secures Hundreds of Millions in Federal Funding for Ohio and Great Lakes Region in Fiscal Year 2020 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill

May 21, 2019

The 2020 Energy and Water Appropriations Bill invests $46.4 billion in Energy and Water Development programs, an increase of $1.8 billion from fiscal year 2019, with specific provisions to combat Asian Carp in the Great Lakes and harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie, investment in Toledo and Cleveland harbors and the Soo Locks construction project, funding to help low-income Americans weatherize their homes, and much more.

WASHINGTON — Today, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, released the following statement after the House Committee on Appropriations passed the fiscal year 2020 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies funding bill. The legislation funds the Department of Energy, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Department of the Interior programs, and other related agencies and now heads to the House floor.

In total, the legislation includes $46.4 billion in funding to spur energy innovation that will increase economic prosperity across the country, especially in Ohio and the Great Lakes, while working to mitigate and adapt to climate change, improve the nation's water infrastructure, and strengthen national security. This represents an increase of $1.8 billion, or 4 percent, above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level. The bill includes $23.3 billion for non-defense activities, an increase of $1.1 billion above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level, and $23.1 billion for defense spending, an increase of $673 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level.

"This bill makes historic investments in projects across the Department of Energy, Army Corps of Engineers, Department of the Interior, and Bureau of Reclamation that meet our national and regional priorities," said Rep. Kaptur. "Meeting the needs of current and future generations requires our nation be at the forefront of global energy innovation, and this funding bill sets us on that path.

"This legislation takes concrete steps to fund environmental projects in the Great Lakes region, including reigning in the spread of deadly algal blooms in Lake Erie and preventing Asian carp from taking hold in the Great Lakes. The negative economic and environmental impact these species have on Lake Erie and its coastal communities cannot be overstated, and this legislation will help protect our $7 billion fishing industry and equally important tourism industry. This bill also provides $290 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program, $36 million above 2019, which helps low-income households across this country, including in Northern Ohio, sufficiently weatherize their homes, cut down on energy costs, and keep themselves and their families safe. The bill also restricts the Army Corps of Engineers from disposing sediment collected from the Toledo and Cleveland Harbors in Lake Erie.

"I am grateful that as we prepared for this legislation, our subcommittee held eight hearings and received significant member input from both sides of the aisle. I am proud of the bipartisan work that went into creating this bill and I look forward to its swift passage on the House floor."

A summary of the fiscal year 2020 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies bill is below. The full text of the bill is here. The subcommittee markup will be webcast live and linked from https://appropriations.house.gov/events/markups.

Summary of Provisions Benefitting Ohio and Great Lakes Region:

Army Corps of Engineers – The bill provides a total of $7.36 billion, an increase of $357 million above the fiscal year 2019 level and $2.53 billion above President Trump's budget request.

  • Funding for Investigations is $135 million, an increase of $10 million above the fiscal year 2019 level and $58 million above the president's request.
    • The bill provides significant additional funding for environmental restoration projects, which will allow projects including the Asian Carp control project at Brandon Road to more easily compete for needed resources.
    • The bill provides a new start for a multi-purpose watershed study to assess coastal resiliency, for which the Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency study will be well suited to compete.
    • The bill funds the Environmental Infrastructure program at $100 million, an increase of $23 million over the fiscal year 2019 level, and supports a variety of projects that invest in stormwater collection, recycled water distribution, and other surface water protection priorities. The State of Ohio received $7 million under this program in fiscal year 2019.
  • Funding for Construction is $2.34 billion, an increase of $154 million above the fiscal year 2019 level and $1.17 billion above the request.
    • This funding includes significant additional funding for construction projects, including $75.3 million for the Soo Locks construction project. Soo Locks will also be able to compete for additional funding on top of the $75.3 million.
  • Funding for Operations and Maintenance is $3.92 billion, an increase of $183.5 million above the fiscal year 2019 level and $1.99 billion above the request.
    • This funding will benefit projects at the Cleveland and Toledo Harbors.
    • The bill includes a provision that restricts the Army Corps of Engineers from disposing of sediment collected from the Toledo and Cleveland Harbors in Lake Erie.
  • Funding for Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund projects is estimated to be $1.697 billion, $147 million above the fiscal year 2019 level, an increase of $732 million above the President's request and $100 million above the target set by the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014. Projects in the Great Lakes receive approximately 13 percent of these funds.
  • The bill makes full use of the estimated receipts for the Inland Waterways Trust Fund.
  • The bill provides for six new study starts and six new construction projects.

Department of Energy – The bill provides a total of $37.1 billion for the Department of Energy, an increase of $1.4 billion above the fiscal year 2019 level and $5.6 billion above the President's budget request.

  • Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy – The bill provides $2.65 billion, an increase of $273 million above the fiscal year 2019 level and $2.3 billion above the request. This funding provides for clean, affordable, and secure energy and ensures American leadership in the transition to a global clean energy economy. The bill directs DOE to support middle and late stage research priorities and requires a broad commitment of projects at all stages of the R&D pipeline.
    • This bill provides $290 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program, $36 million above 2019, which helps low-income households across this country, including in Northern Ohio, have energy-efficient, more livable homes.
    • Within the Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO), the bill prioritizes technical assistance and R&D to assist our nation's wastewater and drinking water facilities in addressing rising energy prices at these facilities.
    • The bill funds the Solar Energy program at includes $270 million, $23.5 million above 2019, which supports critical domestic production of photovoltaic cells and modules.
    • The bill commits significant resources to a variety of new priorities related to energy storage.
    • The bill includes significant increases in the Vehicle Technologies Office.

  • Nuclear Energy – Funding is included to begin interim storage activities for spent nuclear fuel.
    • Investments in interim storage are critical as America deals with the immediate need of safely storing our Nation's nuclear waste.

  • Fossil Energy Research and Development – The bill provides $740 million, equal to the fiscal year 2019 level and an increase of $178 million above the request. This funding provides for research, development, and demonstration activities to ensure the safe, efficient, and environmentally sound use of fossil energy resources.
    • This funding includes significant resources for the carbon capture and carbon storage technologies, which are critical for addressing climate change.

  • Science – The bill provides $6.87 billion, an increase of $285 million above the fiscal year 2019 level and $1.3 billion above the request. The Office of Science funds basic science research in physics, biology, chemistry, and other science disciplines to expand scientific understanding and secure the nation's global leadership in energy innovation.
    • This funding supports much needed infrastructure investment which is fundamental for ongoing fundamental research at our national laboratories, in partnership with universities and key industry partners. Investments in basic research and instrumentation supports a broad range of applications from the physical, energy, and health sciences. These investments bear fruit across a variety of fields.
    • Workforce Development- The appropriation provides $25 million for the Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists program at DOE and rejects the administration proposal to decrease resources for Workforce Development pipeline programs. DOE and the high sciences in general face a dramatic shortage of trained professionals and have difficulty retaining highly trained personnel.

  • Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy – The bill provides $425 million, an increase of $59 million above the fiscal year 2019 level and rejects the budget proposal to eliminate the program. This funding supports research aimed at rapidly developing energy technologies that are capable of significantly changing the energy sector to address our critical economic, environmental, and energy security challenges.
  • Environmental Management – The bill provides $7.175 billion, equal to the fiscal year 2019 level and an increase of $706 million above the President's budget request. This funding is used for nuclear waste cleanup at 16 sites across the country.
    • Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning – $873 million, an increase of $32 million above the fiscal year 2019 level and $158 million above the budget request.
      • This rejects the president's proposal to barter uranium; this shortsighted proposal was a bad budget gimmick that would have put the cleanup at Portsmouth in jeopardy.
      • Defense Environmental Cleanup – $5.994 billion, an increase of $487 million above the request which supports the Portsmouth cleanup project in Southern Ohio and funds it at $418.3 million.

Department of the Interior/Bureau of Reclamation – The bill provides a total of $1.65 billion for the Department, an increase of $82.8 million above the fiscal year 2019 level and $528 million above the President's budget request.

  • The bill provides $1.63 billion for the Bureau of Reclamation, an increase of $82.8 million above the fiscal year 2019 level and $523 million above the request. Within Reclamation:
    • The bill provides $400 million in additional funding for water resources projects, including those authorized in the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act.
    • Within additional funding, $121 million is provided for rural water projects above the budget request.

National Nuclear Security Administration –The bill provides $15.9 billion for DOE's nuclear security programs, an increase of $665.7 million above the fiscal year 2019 level. This funding will maintain a safe, secure, and credible nuclear deterrent while addressing the threat of nuclear proliferation and terrorism. This includes:

  • Weapons Activities – $11.76 billion, an increase of $661 million above the fiscal year 2019 level to maintain a credible nuclear deterrent.
    • Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation – $2.07 billion, an increase of $150 million above the fiscal year 2019 level and $82 million above the request. This funding secures nuclear material both globally and domestically. Funding is included to advance the Surplus Plutonium Disposition project.
    • Naval Nuclear Reactors – $1.63 billion, which is $160 million below the fiscal year 2019 level, to continue safe and reliable operation of the Navy's nuclear-powered fleet and consistent with planned reductions as projects near completion.
    • Federal Salaries and Expenses– $425 million, an increase of $15 million above the fiscal year 2019 level, to strengthen federal oversight and program and project management.

Issues:Energy