Jones Continues Fight for ENC Waterways | Eastern NC Now

News Release:

    WASHINGTON, D.C.     Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3) is working with a bipartisan coalition of coastal members of Congress fighting to make sure that America's inlets and waterways get their fair share of funding from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF). Jones and 57 of his colleagues are calling on House negotiators on the fiscal year 2015 government funding bill to increase the amount of money annually disbursed from the fund.

    "The maintenance of our inlets and harbors is vital to the economic success of Eastern North Carolina," said Congressman Jones. "Congress must step up and increase the disbursement rate of HMTF revenue so that the waterways in our region and throughout the country can be improved."

    Money flows into the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund from a tax on shippers based on the value of goods shipped through ports. In years past, revenue coming into the fund has far exceeded appropriations from the fund for waterway maintenance. As a result, ports, harbors and inlets across the country have received far less money than necessary to maintain safe navigation. This includes many waterways in Eastern North Carolina such as Oregon Inlet, Hatteras Inlet, Morehead City Harbor, Bogue Inlet, New River Inlet and others.

    A copy of the coalition's letter to House appropriators can be found here.

    Maria Jeffrey
      Communications Director

    Congressman Walter B. Jones (NC-3)

     2333 Rayburn House Office Building
     Washington, DC 20515

     Maria.Jeffrey@mail.house.gov  •  (202) 225-3415is absolutely senility.