Energy and Water Appropriations Bill Supports New Jersey

Statement

The Fiscal Year 2019 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill passed by the House Appropriations Committee this week advances flood control and storm and flood preparedness in New Jersey. Overall, the legislation provides annual funding for national defense nuclear weapons activities, the Army Corps of Engineers, various programs under the Department of Energy (DOE), and other related agencies.

"In an increasingly complex and dangerous world, national security is our number-one priority. This bill will fund essential programs that maintain our nuclear deterrence posture in the face of growing global threats -- including Russia, China, North Korea and other countries that are testing the tolerance of the international community," Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) said. "Further, this legislation will make important investments in our energy development and water infrastructure to keep our economy growing and to continue the country's lead in essential energy technology and innovation."

"This bill includes strong funding for the Army Corps of Engineers -- $451 million more than last year. Projects supported by this funding are vital to keeping our local port, the New York-New Jersey harbor, open for business and to protect people, businesses, and infrastructure from damages caused by floods and coastal storms," he said. "The Army Corps' work also ensures our ports and waterways are able to move cargo and bulk goods around the country and overseas."

Army Corps funding also supports

-Construction funding for the Green Brook Sub-Basin flood control project ($5 mil) and funds for monitoring of the Passaic River Flood Warning System ($668,000)

-Requires the Army Corps to update Congress with regular status update on the Passaic River Basin Mainstem project, the Peckman River project and the Rahway river project

-$2.1 billion to support public health and safety by funding flood and storm damage reduction activities, an increase of $190 million above fiscal year 2018 and $647 million above the President's budget request;

In addition, the legislation includes $590 million for Fusion Energy Sciences, which is $57 million above FY18 and $250 million above the request. This funding supports work at the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab.

The bill also provides $6.6 billion for science research -- an increase of $340 million above the 2018 enacted level. This funding supports basic energy research, the development of high-performance computing systems, and research into the next generation of energy sources.

The bill makes critical targeted investments to protect our nation's energy infrastructure against cyber and other attacks. Within this funding, $117 million -- $41 million above the fiscal year 2018 level -- is directed to research and development activities to strengthen the security of our electric grid. To support these activities further, the bill adopts the Administration's budget proposal to create a new account, "Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response."

The bill continues congressional efforts to support the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository, providing a total of $267.7 million, an increase of $100 million above the President's budget request. Funding will be used to accelerate progress toward meeting the federal government's legal obligation to take responsibility for storing the nation's nuclear waste, some of which is now stored in New Jersey.

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Overall, the FY 2019 Energy and Water Development Appropriations billtotals $44.7 billion -- $1.5 billion above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level and $8.17 billion above the President's budget request. Funding is targeted toward national security efforts -- including nuclear weapons activities -- and energy and water infrastructure investments. This level is in line with the overall discretionary caps put in place through the two-year budget cap agreement.

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