Waterway News From D.C.

September 5, 2025

A divided House of Representatives narrowly approved a fiscal year 2026 energy and water spending bill that includes funding for key projects important to the nation’s waterways industry. By a vote of 214 to 213, H.R. 4553 was sent to the Senate, which has not yet acted on its version of the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2026.

That one-vote victory, obtained only after the roll call was kept open for several minutes after time had expired, does not bode well for Republican leaders’ efforts to keep the government funded after September 30.

Four Republicans joined a united Democratic caucus to oppose the measure, which became the third of 12 annual spending bills to be approved by the full House so far.

According to a Republican summary issued by the House Appropriations Committee, the bill includes $9.883 billion for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works, which restores full funding for the water resources development program.

Figures for the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund were listed as $3.473 billion; construction projects for inland waterways system, $396.8 million, advancing the most critical ongoing projects; and roughly $1.97 billion was designated for flood and storm damage reduction activities.

Another key takeaway was lawful carry of firearms on U.S. Army Corps of Engineers land.

Wind Projects

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy withdrew or terminated funding totaling $679 million for 12 “doomed offshore wind projects across America” to ensure the funds will go toward restoring America’s maritime dominance and prevent waste.

DOT said, where possible, the funding will be “recompeted” to address critical port upgrades and other core infrastructure needs of the United States.

FEMA Reform

A key committee overwhelmingly approved a bipartisan bill “to dramatically reform” the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) even as a council created by President Donald Trump continues its work to come up with recommendations to improve disaster relief programs.

Passed by a vote of 57 to 3, the Fixing Emergency Management for Americans (FEMA) Act of 2025 now goes to the full House for action.

H.R. 4669 would streamline the federal government’s disaster response and recovery programs while also making FEMA a cabinet-level agency once again that is directly accountable to the president.

Other provisions are designed to reward effective state and local preparedness, protect taxpayers, cut red tape and ensure that relief efforts are fast, fair and free from political bias.

“The FEMA Act is designed to address one simple fact that we all recognize, especially Americans who have been impacted by disasters: FEMA is not working the way it should for our communities,” stated Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo), chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and sponsor of the legislation .

Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), the committee’s ranking member and Graves’ lead co-sponsor of the legislation, said as “natural disasters become more frequent and severe, the FEMA Act of 2025 strengthens the agency and ensures it has the tools to efficiently and effectively serve as a lifeline to disaster-impacted communities.”

Trump’s Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council is expected to submit its report later this year.

Coast Guard Notice

The Coast Guard announced the withdrawal of its 2015 notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to revise regulations in 33 CFR parts 148, 149 and 150 for the licensing, construction, design, equipment and operation of deepwater ports.

“The Coast Guard is taking this action because we will not be pursuing the proposed changes at this time,” the service said in the August 28 edition of the Federal Register. “The Coast Guard may issue a new rulemaking in the future, if warranted.”

The docket for this withdrawn proposed rule is available at www.regulations.gov under USCG-2012-0061.

The Coast Guard said it will continue to engage with stakeholders regarding potential revisions to Subchapter NN, adding its existing regulations in 33 CFR parts 148, 149 and 150 remain in effect.

For additional information, contact Brent Yezefski at 571-608-3191 or brent.c.yezefski@uscg.mil.

Drug Testing

The Department of Transportation (DOT) is accepting comments on its proposal to add fentanyl (a synthetic opiod) and norfentanyl (a metabolite of fentanyl) to its drug testing panels.

DOT said its proposal also would harmonize part 40 with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs and with current HHS Mandatory Guidelines using urine (UrMG) and oral fluid (OFMG).

“Adding fentanyl and norfentanyl is also in the interest of transportation safety, given compelling information regarding the number of overdose deaths in the United States involving fentanyl,” the agency stated.

Comments should be submitted by October 17, but DOT said late filed comments will be considered to the extent possible.

Comments can be submitted via www.regulations.gov under Docket No. DOT-OST-2025-0049, mail to Dockets Operations, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, West Building, Ground Floor, Washington, DC 20590-0001 or hand delivery at West Building, Ground Floor, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington, DC.

DOT and Docket No. DOT-OST-2025-0049 or the Regulatory Identification Number (2105-AF26) must appear at the beginning of the comments.

For additional information, contact Bohdan Baczara at 202-366-3784 or ODAPCWebMail@dot.gov.

New MSIBs

The Coast Guard released two Marine Safety Information Bulletins (MSIBs) providing guidance to the public and merchant mariners on using a new website for its Marine Information for Safety and Law Enforcement (MISLE) data system.

MSIB 04-25, New Public Portal Website for Civil Penalty Enforcement Cases, provides guidance for individuals and companies who are party to a civil penalty action initiated in accordance with 33 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Subpart 1.07.

MSIB 05-25, New Public Portal Website for Suspension & Revocation Proceedings, provides guidance to merchant mariners and their attorneys when they are the respondent in proceedings initiated in accordance with 33 CFR Part 20 and 46 CFR Part 5.

For additional information, visit the Marine Safety Information Bulletins page.