[House Document 109-99]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
109th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 109-99
REQUEST FOR FY 2006 BUDGET AMENDMENTS
__________
COMMUNICATION
from
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
transmitting
A REQUEST FOR FY 2006 BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR THE ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS
April 26, 2006.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and
ordered to be printed
The White House
Washington, April 25, 2006.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC
Dear Mr. Speaker: To provide additional resources to assist
the greater New Orleans region to continue its recovery from
the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, I ask the Congress to
consider the enclosed requests for an additional $2.2 billion
for the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), which is in addition
to amounts requested on February 16th. This additional amount
is offset by a $2.2 billion reduction in the amount requested
on February 16th for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's
Disaster Relief Fund.
The revised Corps request, which now totals $3.7 billion,
replaces the previous supplemental request for the Corps that
was submitted on February 16th. This revised request supports
the Administration's commitment to further enhance the levee
system in parts of the New Orleans area to meet Federal 100-
year standards of protection.
I designate these proposals in the amounts requested herein
as an emergency requirement.
The details of these requests are set forth in the enclosed
letter from the Acting Director of the Office of Management and
Budget.
Sincerely,
George W. Bush.
[Estimate No. 5, 109th Cong., 2d Sess.]
Executive Office of the President,
Office of Management and Budget,
Washington, DC, April 25, 2006.
The President,
The White House.
To continue your Administration's efforts to respond to the
significant needs of hurricane-affected States, I submit for
your consideration revised supplemental proposals for the Army
Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA). These proposals replace your earlier proposals
of $1.5 billion for the Corps and $9.4 billion for FEMA that
were transmitted to the Congress on February 16th.
The Corps' revised request, which now totals $3.7 billion,
follows through on the Administration's commitment announced
last week by Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding Don
Powell to further enhance protection of levees in parts of the
New Orleans area to meet the FEMA's 100-year standard of
protection. The $2.2 billion increase over your previous
request for the Corps is offset by reducing the amount
previously requested for the Federal Emergency Management
Agency's Disaster Relief Fund from $9.4 billion to $7.2
billion. I recommend that you designate the proposals contained
in this transmittal as emergency requirements.
As described below and in more detail in the enclosures,
the requests for the Corps include the following:
$1.6 billion in additional funding for reinforcing
or replacing flood walls where necessary to enhance the
performance of these structures for storms including the 100-
year base flood.
$530 million to modify drainage canals and install
state-of-the-art pumping stations and floodgates at the outfall
ends of three drainage canals.
$495 million in additional funding for the Federal
cost share (at 65 percent) of raising levee heights.
$350 million for improved protection along the
Inner Harbor Navigation Canal.
$250 million to storm-proof authorized pump
stations in Jefferson and Orleans parishes.
$215 million ($155 million above the previous
request) to incorporate a non-Federal levee on the west bank of
the Mississippi river in lower Plaquemines Parish into the
existing Federal levee system to protect an evacuation route.
$170 million to armor critical elements of the
hurricane and storm protection system.
The Administration's request also proposes to
authorize appropriations from the general fund for coastal
wetlands restoration efforts under the Coastal Wetlands
Planning, Protection and Restoration Act, in locations where
these efforts will also reduce the risk of storm damage to the
greater New Orleans metropolitan area. Initial funding of $100
million is requested for this purpose.
I have reviewed these proposals and am satisfied that they
are necessary at this time. Therefore, I join the Secretary of
the Army and the Secretary of Homeland Security in recommending
that you transmit the proposals to the Congress.
Sincerely,
Clay Johnson III,
Acting Director.
Enclosures.
Revised Request
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
DISASTER RELIEF FUND
For an additional amount for `Disaster Relief'' for
necessary expenses under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.),
$7,165,700,00, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That Congress designates this amount as an emergency
requirement for this specific purpose.
This amended request would reduce the Administration's
previous request for the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) by $2,234,300,000 for disaster relief associated with
Hurricane Katrina and the other hurricanes of the 2005 season.
As detailed in the previous request, this funding will
replenish funding that was reallocated from the Disaster Relief
Fund in P.L. 109-148. This funding will support ongoing
response efforts, including assistance to families and
individuals so that they can be sheltered and provided with
medical care, housing assistance, and other FEMA disaster
assistance benefits. Additionally, funding will support public
assistance, emergency protective measures, debris removal, and
response activities performed by other Federal agencies
pursuant to mission assignments from FEMA under the Stafford
Act. The February 16th request level was developed to provide
sufficient funding to continue recovery efforts uninterrupted
through fiscal year 2007. Based on current information and
projections, this revised request would provide sufficient
resources to continue Federal disaster response and relief
efforts through early calendar year 2007.
------
Revised Request
CORPS OF ENGINEERS--CIVIL WORKS
CONSTRUCTION
For an additional amount for ``Construction'' for necessary
expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and
other hurricanes of the 2005 season, $595,300,000, to remain
available until expended, of which $100,000,000 shall be used
to reduce the risk of storm damage to the greater New Orleans
metropolitan area, at full federal expense, by restoring the
surrounding wetlands through measures to begin to reverse
wetland losses in areas affected by navigation, oil and gas,
and other channels and through modification of the Caernarvon
Freshwater Diversion structure or its operations; $495,300,000
shall be used consistent with the cost-sharing provisions of
Section 103 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986, as
amended, (33 U.S.C. 2213) to raise levee heights where
necessary and otherwise enhance the existing Lake Pontchartrain
and Vicinity project and the existing West Bank and Vicinity
project to provide the levels of protection necessary to
achieve the certification required for participation in the
National Flood Insurance Program under the base flood
elevations current at the time of this construction: Provided,
That any project using funds appropriated herein shall be
initiated only after non-Federal interests have entered into
binding agreements with the Secretary of the Army to pay 100
percent of the operation, maintenance, repair, replacement and
rehabilitation costs of the project and to hold and save the
United States free from damages due to the construction or
operation and maintenance of the project, except for damages
due to the fault or negligence of the United States or its
contractors: Provided further, That Congress designates this
amount as an emergency requirement for these specific purposes.
The request includes $495 million for the Federal share of
initial costs of raising levee heights of the existing Lake
Pontchartrain and Vicinity project and the existing West Bank
and Vicinity project, not including lower Plaquemines Parish.
Raising the heights of these levees will improve the level of
protection to achieve certification for continued participation
in the National Flood Insurance Program administered by the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at the base flood
elevations current at the time the Chief of Engineers
recommends the project for construction funding. Raising the
levees to this height is important to allow FEMA to provide
flood insurance for these areas, which contained 98 percent of
greater New Orleans' pre-Katrina population. The request
proposes to require non-Federal cost-sharing consistent with
the statutory cost-sharing requirement for such projects, which
is a minimum non-Federal share of 35 percent and not to exceed
50 percent of the total project cost. The Administration
intends to exercise flexibility available in current law and
policy regarding the timing and form of the non-Federal
contribution.
This proposal would also provide an additional $100 million
to the Corps of Engineers to reduce the risk of storm damage to
greater New Orleans by restoring the surrounding wetlands.
These funds are needed to help reduce the risk of loss of life
and damage to homes, businesses, and local infrastructure in
the metropolitan area.
The Corps would use these funds to begin to reverse wetland
losses in areas affected by navigation, oil and gas, and other
channels and to improve the performance of the Caenarvon
Freshwater Diversion Structure. The wetlands surrounding
greater New Orleans operate as a natural buffer to lessen storm
impacts, and are an important part of the overall storm damage
reduction system. Nourishing and rebuilding these wetlands will
increase the effectiveness of the levees and floodwalls of New
Orleans.
------
Revised Request
CORPS OF ENGINEERS--CIVIL WORKS
FLOOD CONTROL AND COASTAL EMERGENCIES
For an additional amount for ``Flood Control and Coastal
Emergencies,'' as authorized by section 5 of the Flood Control
Act of August 18, 1941, as amended (33 U.S.C. 701n), for
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season,
$3,099,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That the Secretary of the Army is directed to use the funds
appropriated herein to modify, at full Federal expense,
authorized projects in southeast Louisiana to provide hurricane
and storm damage reduction and flood damage reduction in the
greater New Orleans and surrounding areas; of the funds
provided herein, $530,000,000 shall be used to modify the 17th
Street, Orleans Avenue and London Avenue drainage canals, and
install pumps and closure structures at or near the lakefront;
$250,000,000 shall be used for storm-proofing interior pump
stations to ensure their operability during hurricanes, storms
and high water events; $170,000,000 shall be used for armoring
critical elements of the New Orleans hurricane and storm damage
reduction system; $350,000,000 shall be used to improve
protection at the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal; $215,000,000
shall be used to replace or modify certain non-Federal levees
on the west bank of the Mississippi River in Plaquemines Parish
to incorporate them into the existing New Orleans to Venice
hurricane protection project; and $1,584,000,000 shall be used
for reinforcing or replacing floodwalls, where necessary, in
the existing Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity project and the
existing West Bank and Vicinity project to improve the systems'
performance: Provided further, That any project using funds
appropriated herein shall be initiated only after non-Federal
interests have entered into binding agreements with the
Secretary to pay 100 percent of the operation, maintenance,
repair, replacement, and rehabilitation costs of the project
and to hold and save the United States free from damages due to
the construction or operation and maintenance of the project,
except for damages due to the fault or negligence of the United
States or its contractors: Provided further, That Congress
designates this amount as an emergency requirement for these
specific purposes.
This request would provide a total of $3.1 billion for this
account for several measures necessary to achieve the
President's commitment of stronger and better protection for
New Orleans, Louisiana. The proposal includes:
$1.6 billion for replacing I-walls with T-walls
necessary in the Orleans East Bank Algiers, Jefferson East
Bank/St. Charles, Jefferson West Bank, New Orleans East, St.
Bernard/Lower Ninth Ward, Belle Chasse/Algiers East hydraulic
areas of the existing Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity project
and the existing West Bank and Vicinity project, not including
lower Plaquemines Parish. Replacing I-walls with T-walls will
be necessary in some locations to improve the performance of
the system to the base flood elevation, established by the
Federal Emergency Management Agency, current at the time the
Chief of Engineers recommends the project for construction
funding.
$530 million to modify three interior drainage
canals (17th Street, Orleans Avenue, and London Avenue) and
install state-of-the-art pumping stations and closure
structures at the outfall ends of the canals. The closure
structures will help prevent storm surge from Lake
Pontchartrain from entering the canals and the new pumping
stations will convey water from the canals to the lake.
$350 million for improved protection along the
Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (IHNC), which could be used to
construct two closure structures, one at Seabrook, where the
IHNC enters Lake Pontchartrain and another on the Gulf
Intracoastal Waterway.
$250 million to storm-proof existing authorized
Federal pump stations in Orleans and Jefferson parishes. Storm-
proofing measures will provide more protection against
hurricane force winds, storm surge and inundation so the
drainage pumps and equipment can remain operable during
hurricanes, storms, and high water events.
$215 million for incorporating certain non-Federal
levees by replacing or modifying these existing levees on the
west bank of the Mississippi River in Plaquemines Parish.
Incorporating, replacing or modifying these non-Federal levees
will provide a hurricane protection system commensurate with
the level of protection authorized for the Federal New Orleans
to Venice hurricane protection project in order to protect the
evacuation route.
$170 million for armoring of levees and floodwalls
at critical portions of the New Orleans hurricane and storm
damage reduction system, including structural transition points
such as pipeline crossings or junctures between levees and
floodwalls; floodwalls susceptible to scour and erosion; and
certain sections of levees exposed to extreme surge and wave
wash.