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[House Document 109-99]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]

                                     

109th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 109-99

 
                 REQUEST FOR FY 2006 BUDGET AMENDMENTS

                               __________

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                   THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

 A REQUEST FOR FY 2006 BUDGET AMENDMENTS FOR THE ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS

   April 26, 2006.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and 
                         ordered to be printed
                                            The White House
                                        Washington, April 25, 2006.
Hon. J. Dennis Hastert,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC
    Dear Mr. Speaker: To provide additional resources to assist 
the greater New Orleans region to continue its recovery from 
the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, I ask the Congress to 
consider the enclosed requests for an additional $2.2 billion 
for the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps), which is in addition 
to amounts requested on February 16th. This additional amount 
is offset by a $2.2 billion reduction in the amount requested 
on February 16th for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's 
Disaster Relief Fund.
    The revised Corps request, which now totals $3.7 billion, 
replaces the previous supplemental request for the Corps that 
was submitted on February 16th. This revised request supports 
the Administration's commitment to further enhance the levee 
system in parts of the New Orleans area to meet Federal 100-
year standards of protection.
    I designate these proposals in the amounts requested herein 
as an emergency requirement.
    The details of these requests are set forth in the enclosed 
letter from the Acting Director of the Office of Management and 
Budget.
            Sincerely,
                                                    George W. Bush.
                [Estimate No. 5, 109th Cong., 2d Sess.]

                 Executive Office of the President,
                           Office of Management and Budget,
                                    Washington, DC, April 25, 2006.
The President,
The White House.
    To continue your Administration's efforts to respond to the 
significant needs of hurricane-affected States, I submit for 
your consideration revised supplemental proposals for the Army 
Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency (FEMA). These proposals replace your earlier proposals 
of $1.5 billion for the Corps and $9.4 billion for FEMA that 
were transmitted to the Congress on February 16th.
    The Corps' revised request, which now totals $3.7 billion, 
follows through on the Administration's commitment announced 
last week by Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding Don 
Powell to further enhance protection of levees in parts of the 
New Orleans area to meet the FEMA's 100-year standard of 
protection. The $2.2 billion increase over your previous 
request for the Corps is offset by reducing the amount 
previously requested for the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency's Disaster Relief Fund from $9.4 billion to $7.2 
billion. I recommend that you designate the proposals contained 
in this transmittal as emergency requirements.
    As described below and in more detail in the enclosures, 
the requests for the Corps include the following:
     $1.6 billion in additional funding for reinforcing 
or replacing flood walls where necessary to enhance the 
performance of these structures for storms including the 100-
year base flood.
     $530 million to modify drainage canals and install 
state-of-the-art pumping stations and floodgates at the outfall 
ends of three drainage canals.
     $495 million in additional funding for the Federal 
cost share (at 65 percent) of raising levee heights.
     $350 million for improved protection along the 
Inner Harbor Navigation Canal.
     $250 million to storm-proof authorized pump 
stations in Jefferson and Orleans parishes.
     $215 million ($155 million above the previous 
request) to incorporate a non-Federal levee on the west bank of 
the Mississippi river in lower Plaquemines Parish into the 
existing Federal levee system to protect an evacuation route.
     $170 million to armor critical elements of the 
hurricane and storm protection system.
     The Administration's request also proposes to 
authorize appropriations from the general fund for coastal 
wetlands restoration efforts under the Coastal Wetlands 
Planning, Protection and Restoration Act, in locations where 
these efforts will also reduce the risk of storm damage to the 
greater New Orleans metropolitan area. Initial funding of $100 
million is requested for this purpose.
    I have reviewed these proposals and am satisfied that they 
are necessary at this time. Therefore, I join the Secretary of 
the Army and the Secretary of Homeland Security in recommending 
that you transmit the proposals to the Congress.
            Sincerely,
                                          Clay Johnson III,
                                                   Acting Director.
    Enclosures.
                            Revised Request

                    DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

                  FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

                          DISASTER RELIEF FUND

    For an additional amount for `Disaster Relief'' for 
necessary expenses under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.), 
$7,165,700,00, to remain available until expended: Provided, 
That Congress designates this amount as an emergency 
requirement for this specific purpose.
    This amended request would reduce the Administration's 
previous request for the Federal Emergency Management Agency 
(FEMA) by $2,234,300,000 for disaster relief associated with 
Hurricane Katrina and the other hurricanes of the 2005 season.
    As detailed in the previous request, this funding will 
replenish funding that was reallocated from the Disaster Relief 
Fund in P.L. 109-148. This funding will support ongoing 
response efforts, including assistance to families and 
individuals so that they can be sheltered and provided with 
medical care, housing assistance, and other FEMA disaster 
assistance benefits. Additionally, funding will support public 
assistance, emergency protective measures, debris removal, and 
response activities performed by other Federal agencies 
pursuant to mission assignments from FEMA under the Stafford 
Act. The February 16th request level was developed to provide 
sufficient funding to continue recovery efforts uninterrupted 
through fiscal year 2007. Based on current information and 
projections, this revised request would provide sufficient 
resources to continue Federal disaster response and relief 
efforts through early calendar year 2007.
                                ------                                

                            Revised Request

                    CORPS OF ENGINEERS--CIVIL WORKS

                              CONSTRUCTION

    For an additional amount for ``Construction'' for necessary 
expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane Katrina and 
other hurricanes of the 2005 season, $595,300,000, to remain 
available until expended, of which $100,000,000 shall be used 
to reduce the risk of storm damage to the greater New Orleans 
metropolitan area, at full federal expense, by restoring the 
surrounding wetlands through measures to begin to reverse 
wetland losses in areas affected by navigation, oil and gas, 
and other channels and through modification of the Caernarvon 
Freshwater Diversion structure or its operations; $495,300,000 
shall be used consistent with the cost-sharing provisions of 
Section 103 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986, as 
amended, (33 U.S.C. 2213) to raise levee heights where 
necessary and otherwise enhance the existing Lake Pontchartrain 
and Vicinity project and the existing West Bank and Vicinity 
project to provide the levels of protection necessary to 
achieve the certification required for participation in the 
National Flood Insurance Program under the base flood 
elevations current at the time of this construction: Provided, 
That any project using funds appropriated herein shall be 
initiated only after non-Federal interests have entered into 
binding agreements with the Secretary of the Army to pay 100 
percent of the operation, maintenance, repair, replacement and 
rehabilitation costs of the project and to hold and save the 
United States free from damages due to the construction or 
operation and maintenance of the project, except for damages 
due to the fault or negligence of the United States or its 
contractors: Provided further, That Congress designates this 
amount as an emergency requirement for these specific purposes.
    The request includes $495 million for the Federal share of 
initial costs of raising levee heights of the existing Lake 
Pontchartrain and Vicinity project and the existing West Bank 
and Vicinity project, not including lower Plaquemines Parish. 
Raising the heights of these levees will improve the level of 
protection to achieve certification for continued participation 
in the National Flood Insurance Program administered by the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) at the base flood 
elevations current at the time the Chief of Engineers 
recommends the project for construction funding. Raising the 
levees to this height is important to allow FEMA to provide 
flood insurance for these areas, which contained 98 percent of 
greater New Orleans' pre-Katrina population. The request 
proposes to require non-Federal cost-sharing consistent with 
the statutory cost-sharing requirement for such projects, which 
is a minimum non-Federal share of 35 percent and not to exceed 
50 percent of the total project cost. The Administration 
intends to exercise flexibility available in current law and 
policy regarding the timing and form of the non-Federal 
contribution.
    This proposal would also provide an additional $100 million 
to the Corps of Engineers to reduce the risk of storm damage to 
greater New Orleans by restoring the surrounding wetlands. 
These funds are needed to help reduce the risk of loss of life 
and damage to homes, businesses, and local infrastructure in 
the metropolitan area.
    The Corps would use these funds to begin to reverse wetland 
losses in areas affected by navigation, oil and gas, and other 
channels and to improve the performance of the Caenarvon 
Freshwater Diversion Structure. The wetlands surrounding 
greater New Orleans operate as a natural buffer to lessen storm 
impacts, and are an important part of the overall storm damage 
reduction system. Nourishing and rebuilding these wetlands will 
increase the effectiveness of the levees and floodwalls of New 
Orleans.
                                ------                                

                            Revised Request

                    CORPS OF ENGINEERS--CIVIL WORKS

                 FLOOD CONTROL AND COASTAL EMERGENCIES

    For an additional amount for ``Flood Control and Coastal 
Emergencies,'' as authorized by section 5 of the Flood Control 
Act of August 18, 1941, as amended (33 U.S.C. 701n), for 
necessary expenses related to the consequences of Hurricane 
Katrina and other hurricanes of the 2005 season, 
$3,099,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, 
That the Secretary of the Army is directed to use the funds 
appropriated herein to modify, at full Federal expense, 
authorized projects in southeast Louisiana to provide hurricane 
and storm damage reduction and flood damage reduction in the 
greater New Orleans and surrounding areas; of the funds 
provided herein, $530,000,000 shall be used to modify the 17th 
Street, Orleans Avenue and London Avenue drainage canals, and 
install pumps and closure structures at or near the lakefront; 
$250,000,000 shall be used for storm-proofing interior pump 
stations to ensure their operability during hurricanes, storms 
and high water events; $170,000,000 shall be used for armoring 
critical elements of the New Orleans hurricane and storm damage 
reduction system; $350,000,000 shall be used to improve 
protection at the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal; $215,000,000 
shall be used to replace or modify certain non-Federal levees 
on the west bank of the Mississippi River in Plaquemines Parish 
to incorporate them into the existing New Orleans to Venice 
hurricane protection project; and $1,584,000,000 shall be used 
for reinforcing or replacing floodwalls, where necessary, in 
the existing Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity project and the 
existing West Bank and Vicinity project to improve the systems' 
performance: Provided further, That any project using funds 
appropriated herein shall be initiated only after non-Federal 
interests have entered into binding agreements with the 
Secretary to pay 100 percent of the operation, maintenance, 
repair, replacement, and rehabilitation costs of the project 
and to hold and save the United States free from damages due to 
the construction or operation and maintenance of the project, 
except for damages due to the fault or negligence of the United 
States or its contractors: Provided further, That Congress 
designates this amount as an emergency requirement for these 
specific purposes.
    This request would provide a total of $3.1 billion for this 
account for several measures necessary to achieve the 
President's commitment of stronger and better protection for 
New Orleans, Louisiana. The proposal includes:
     $1.6 billion for replacing I-walls with T-walls 
necessary in the Orleans East Bank Algiers, Jefferson East 
Bank/St. Charles, Jefferson West Bank, New Orleans East, St. 
Bernard/Lower Ninth Ward, Belle Chasse/Algiers East hydraulic 
areas of the existing Lake Pontchartrain and Vicinity project 
and the existing West Bank and Vicinity project, not including 
lower Plaquemines Parish. Replacing I-walls with T-walls will 
be necessary in some locations to improve the performance of 
the system to the base flood elevation, established by the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency, current at the time the 
Chief of Engineers recommends the project for construction 
funding.
     $530 million to modify three interior drainage 
canals (17th Street, Orleans Avenue, and London Avenue) and 
install state-of-the-art pumping stations and closure 
structures at the outfall ends of the canals. The closure 
structures will help prevent storm surge from Lake 
Pontchartrain from entering the canals and the new pumping 
stations will convey water from the canals to the lake.
     $350 million for improved protection along the 
Inner Harbor Navigation Canal (IHNC), which could be used to 
construct two closure structures, one at Seabrook, where the 
IHNC enters Lake Pontchartrain and another on the Gulf 
Intracoastal Waterway.
     $250 million to storm-proof existing authorized 
Federal pump stations in Orleans and Jefferson parishes. Storm-
proofing measures will provide more protection against 
hurricane force winds, storm surge and inundation so the 
drainage pumps and equipment can remain operable during 
hurricanes, storms, and high water events.
     $215 million for incorporating certain non-Federal 
levees by replacing or modifying these existing levees on the 
west bank of the Mississippi River in Plaquemines Parish. 
Incorporating, replacing or modifying these non-Federal levees 
will provide a hurricane protection system commensurate with 
the level of protection authorized for the Federal New Orleans 
to Venice hurricane protection project in order to protect the 
evacuation route.
     $170 million for armoring of levees and floodwalls 
at critical portions of the New Orleans hurricane and storm 
damage reduction system, including structural transition points 
such as pipeline crossings or junctures between levees and 
floodwalls; floodwalls susceptible to scour and erosion; and 
certain sections of levees exposed to extreme surge and wave 
wash.

                                  
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