$4.6 Billion Appropriated for Corps' Civil Works Program
President Barack Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5, on Tuesday, 17 February. The act, Public Law 111-5, is also referred to as the stimulus and is intended to help in the recovery of the U.S. economy.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is directly appropriated $4.6 billion in the act for its Civil Works Program. The $4.6 billion includes $2.0 billion for Construction and $2.075 billion for Operations and Maintenance. Appropriations are also included for the Mississippi River and Tributaries account in the amount of $375 million.
The Corps has identified many potential Civil Works projects that meet the criteria of the legislation for funding, and expects to publish its final list of projects to apply stimulus dollars to in mid-March. Selected projects will be geographically distributed across the United States and across Corps programs to provide the nation with inland and coastal navigation, environmental, flood risk management, hydropower, recreation, and more.
The Corps' Military Programs expects to receive between $2 billion and $2.5 billion for Military Programs missions through the Department of Defense. The Corps’ Military Programs expects to receive approximately $1.4 billion in Military Construction (MILCON) funding. The Act provides more than $3 billion in Sustainment, Restoration, and Modernization (SRM) funds for Army, Air Force and DOD Health Facilities, but the specific amount the Corps will execute is as yet undetermined. Military Programs has already received requests from non-DOD Agencies for assistance in executing $1 billion in work, and additional requests are anticipated.
The Corps, as the Department of Defense construction agent, is working closely with the DOD, Army and Air Force program managers to refine project lists and timelines for project awards and construction schedules. The Corps anticipates awarding contracts for Child Development Centers (CDCs), Warrior in Transition Complexes (WTCs), family housing, troop billeting, and hospitals.
The MILCON funds include $555M for expansion of the Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP) to provide assistance to relocating military service members, civilian employees and their families who are facing financial loss due to the ongoing housing crisis. USACE Real Estate is actively engaged in the development of policy guidance for implementation of the new authorities provided in the act.
Economists estimate the Corps will create approximately 8,000 direct jobs for every $1 billion spent. It is also estimated that an additional 20,400 jobs will be indirectly created for each $1 billion spent in industries that supply or support construction and O&M activities and the industries that sell goods and services to these workers and their families.