Collins Forms Caucus to Reform Corps of Engineers
U.S. Rep. Doug Collins has formally announced the formation of the “Corps of Engineers Reform Caucus.”
In a press release Monday, Collins said the group, which he will chair will focus its attention on ideas to overhaul the Corps of Engineers to better serve as a responsive and fiscally responsible agency.
“Corps projects are too often mired in bureaucracy, which means higher costs for taxpayers and delays in important public works projects. In addition, the Corps constantly undertakes new projects before competing ongoing construction. As a result, the Corps has a construction backlog estimated at more than $60 billion. Congress needs to transform the high-spending, low-transparency Corps into a responsive and fiscally responsible agency.”
Collins toured both Buford and Hartwell Dams last week. In February, he told a group at the Hart County Chamber Eggs and Issues breakfast said his goal for Georgia is to get the Corps to develop a better water management plan for the Upper Savannah River.
“We’re not out to just bash the Corps. We’re wanting to say, ‘Do your job. Everybody else has to do their job. Do your job. Let’s get a plan for how much water can come in, how much we can retain, and how much can we make the water levels become constant because water levels are an economic issue as well,” Collins said.
Collins said he will be working with South Carolina State Representative Jeff Duncan on the Lake Hartwell management plan.
The official announcement Monday by Collins’ office comes as good news for State Representative Alan Powell. Powell and a group of state lawmakers recently formed the Savannah River Caucus. The group met February 12th for the first time in Augusta to discuss goals and share ideas. Powell said at the time, the main purpose of the caucus is to get federal lawmakers involved.
On Monday, Powell said Collins’ move means the federal government may finally be paying attention to the problem.
“Our sincerest appreciation that he heard what we said,” Powell said. “He’s taken this ball to the federal level. We can talk about this all day long but at the end of the day, we cannot get the attention of the Corps of Engineers. He has taken that ball to the level that we expected him to.”
Powell said last year, U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson also expressed interest in revamping how the Corps manages the Savannah River Basin, but he has not heard anything more from the Senator about it.