Maritime Transportation System Infrastructure News

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) has voiced strong support of Representative Pete Stauber’s (R-Minn.) amendment to the Transportation Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bill which, if implemented, would restore funding for the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP).“The Feds have made a serious, laudable, bipartisan down payment on port infrastructure modernization with $1.45 billion awarded through PIDP so far. Don’t stop now, Congress,” said Cary Davis, AAPA President and CEO.

ST. LOUIS - More than 4,000 Coast Guardsmen continue to save lives and assess the damage to waterways, aids to navigation, the environment and maritime transportation system infrastructure in the wake of Hurricane Rita. To date, the Coast Guard has rescued 120 people imperiled by flood waters and has medically evacuated two others from hospitals in the hurricane-impacted area. Coast Guard rescuers continue to work closely with local and state officials as well as the Department of Defense, to determine the number of people in need of rescue and to ensure help is delivered as swiftly as possible. Two Disaster Response Units (DRUs) were dispatched to the Lake Livingston, Texas, area while three more DRUs were deployed to Port Arthur, Texas, to aid in relief efforts.