U.S. Senator Katie Britt Leads Alabama Delegation in Letter to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Urges Adequate Resources to Address Lock Failures

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 14, 2024 – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) recently led every member of the Alabama delegation in sending a letter to the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, Micheal Connor, and the Commanding General and Chief of Engineers for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Lieutenant General William Graham, expressing their concerns over recent major lock failures on key waterways throughout Alabama and its impact on how the Corps allocates Operations and Maintenance (O&M) funding.

In the letter, the Members highlighted how failures this year at Demopolis Lock, Holt Lock, and Wilson Lock have significantly impacted supply chains and businesses that directly depend on Alabama’s inland waterway system. Additionally, the Members requested the U.S. Army Corps take the subsequent reduced tonnage into account when determining needed funds for Alabama’s river systems.

“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sets O&M budget guidance based on a five-year tonnage average for river systems,” the Members wrote. “We are deeply concerned that the significantly reduced annual tonnage on the Tennessee-Tombigbee and Black Warrior River Systems in calendar year 2024 due to the closures of the Demopolis and Holt Locks will cause the Corps to underinvest critically needed O&M funds in these river systems.”

“As such, we urge the Corps to adjust the budget guidance for the Tennessee-Tombigbee and Black Warrior River systems by excluding the tonnage data from the calendar year 2024. These vital waterways and their associated industries should not face further hardship, beyond the impacts already resulting from the outages, by an inadequate O&M budget allocations in future fiscal years,”they continued.

Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Representatives Jerry Carl (R-Ala.), Barry Moore (R-Ala.), Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.), Dale Strong (R-Ala.), Gary Palmer (R-Ala.), and Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) joined Senator Britt in sending the letter. 

As a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Britt secured almost $73 million in directed spending for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Energy and Water Development Act including:

• $20.6 million to revitalize and repair the George W. Andrews Lock and Dam on the Apalachicola, Chattahoochee, and Flint Rivers at Columbia, Alabama;
• $18.4 million for dredging, maintenance, and operations on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway;
• $12.1 million for dredging, maintenance, and operations on the Black Warrior and Tombigbee Rivers;
• $11.2 million for dredging, maintenance, and operations in Mobile Harbor; and
• $10.5 million for dredging, maintenance, and operations on the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River System.

The FY24 Energy and Water Development Act was signed into law on March 9, 2024.

Earlier this year, Senator Britt advanced critical appropriations funding totaling $25.07 million in the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Energy and Water Development Act including:

• $20 million for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to modernize the Coffeeville Lock and Dam by replacing its miter gates;
• $2.9 million for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to continue to the deepening studies for the Tennessee Tombigbee and Black Warrior Tombigbee Waterways;
• $550,000 for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to continue the next phase of the Selma Riverbank Flood Risk Management Feasibility Study that would recommend needed infrastructure improvements for riverbank stabilization and erosion control in Selma, AL;
• $323,000 for the US Corps to perform periodic inspection at the Bankhead Lock and Dam in Tuscaloosa County;
• $292,000 for the US Corps to perform periodic inspection and surveying the Heflin Lock and Dam;
• $955,000 for the US Corps to improve recreation facilities in five counties in the Alabama Black Belt: Autauga, Greene, Monroe, Sumter, and Wilcox; and
• $50,000 for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to fund maintenance activities along the Luxapallila Creek.

The FY25 Energy and Water Development Act awaits consideration before the full Senate.

The full text of the letter can be found here.

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