Washington Waves: Waterway News From D.C.

5/15/2025

Washington, D.C.—Adam Telle, President Donald Trump’s pick to serve as assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, enjoyed a smooth ride through Senate confirmation hearings.

“This should be a piece of cake,” Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) quipped at the hearing before the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, which met the day after the hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee.

No doubt his current job as chief of staff for Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), who introduced him at both hearings, and his past work with Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), who chairs the EPW panel, provided crucial help.

In addition, Telle’s decades-long career in Washington has provided him with an unusual level of experience and knowledge of the issues handled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which he will oversee if confirmed by the full Senate.

“Exactly one month into my time working in the Senate, Hurricane Katrina made landfall along the Gulf Coast,” he said, describing the storm as the “most devastating disaster in American history.”

At the time, Telle was asked by his then-boss, Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), to run point on Mississippi’s recovery from Katrina.

In his testimony to the EPW committee, he vowed to act aggressively in tackling critical issues facing the Corps.

“As it relates to permitting, we are at a moment in history where Americans of all viewpoints crave certainty from their government about whether or not the rules apply to them,” Telle said.

“We must act with haste, transparency and clarity to give them that certainty without delay.”

Future Of FEMA

The President’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Review Council is scheduled to meet in person May 20 to discuss the potential future of FEMA, according to an “emergency” notice published by the Department of Homeland Security.

Set to begin at 3 p.m. EDT, the meeting also will be open virtually to the public and will be led by the secretaries of homeland security and defense. Registration is required and must be received via email no later than 5 p.m. EDT on Monday, May 19.

“The Council meeting location is to be determined,” the notice stated in the May 13 edition of the Federal Register.

To submit comments, email them to FEMAreviewcouncil@hq.dhs.gov with Docket No. DHS-2025-0014 in the subject line of the message. For additional information on attending the meeting, contact Patrick Powers at 202-891-2283 or FEMAreviewcouncil@hq.dhs.gov.

Upper Miss Security Zone

The U.S. Coast Guard is inviting comments on its proposal to establish a permanent security zone for waters of the Upper Mississippi River adjacent to the Jefferson Barracks military installation in Saint Louis to safeguard it from sabotage or other subversive acts.

Under the proposed rule, no vessel or person would be permitted to enter the security zone, described as all navigable waters within 300 feet of the right descending bank of the Upper Mississippi River from Mile 169.3 to 169.5, unless authorized by the captain of the port of Sector Upper Mississippi River or a designated representative.

Comments and related material must be received by June 9. Submit comments under Docket No. USCG-2025-0210 via www.regulations.gov. For additional information, contact Jekeydon Pratcher at 314-269-2564 or Jekeydon.A.Pratcher@uscg.mil.

USACE Portal

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers once again is encouraging the public to use the Regulatory Request System (RRS) for a better permitting experience.

Launched Jan. 31, 2024, the online application portal is promoted by the Corps for its straightforward, transparent process for the timely submittal and review of permit requests.

“USACE continues to make improvements to the Regulatory Request System to enhance its functionality and make the permitting process easier and faster for the public,” said Stephen Hill, chief, Operations and Regulatory Programs.

“We are encouraging greater use of RRS because this automated system also increases the efficiency of our regulatory staff when making permitting decisions,” he said.

Hill said the Corps’ goal is to see use of the system become the primary way through which the agency interacts with the public and provide support on regulatory matters.

The RRS can be accessed on the web at https://rrs.usace.army.mil/rrs.

Invasive Carp

Trump issued a memorandum committing his administration to protecting the Great Lakes from invasive carp, apparently ending a disagreement with the state of Illinois that previously stalled the Brandon Road Interbasin Project.

“I am directing my administration to achieve maximum speed and efficiency at the federal level,” Trump said, adding that specific agencies will expeditiously implement the most effective barriers and measures to prevent the migration of the invasive carp to the Great Lakes and the surrounding region. “This includes supporting the Brandon Road Interbasin Project.”

Responding to the president’s memo, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced his state has received the necessary assurances from the federal government to move toward completion of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project. According to the governor, Congress had appropriated $225 million for the project under the Biden administration only to have the Trump administration cut off funding.

“I am glad that the Trump administration heard our calls about the importance of delivering federal funds for the Brandon Road Project and decided to finally meet their obligations to the state of Illinois and the Great Lakes region,” Pritzker said.

FMC Comments

The Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) is seeking comments on a petition from a controlled carrier requesting an exemption from the statutory requirement to provide 30 days’ notice of a reduction in its tariff rates. Comments must be written in English, include the commenter’s contact information and submitted electronically by June 9. Identified by Docket No. FMC-2025-0008, comments can be submitted at www.regulations.gov. A copy of the comment also must be served on the Chinese-Polish Joint Stock Shipping Company’s counsel, Cameron W. Roberts, Roberts & Kehagiaras LLP, at cwr@tradeandcargo.com, 210 Yacht Club, Redondo Beach, CA 90802.

For additional information, contact David Eng at 202-523-5725 or by email at secretary@fmc.gov.

Reflagging Ships

The Coast Guard has announced an update to the process for foreign ships to be certified under the American Registry without compromising safety.

The update can be found in Change-2 to Navigation and Vessel Inspection Circular (NVIC) 01-13, Inspection and Certification of Vessels under the Maritime Security Program (MSP). The Coast Guard stated the effort supports executive actions, as well as the national policy for the U.S. Merchant Marine to carry waterborne commerce at all times and to serve as a naval auxiliary during national contingencies. For more information on reflags visit www.uscg.mil/reflag.