Port of Long Beach urges WRDA 2026 authorization for 80‑foot deep‑draft project and equitable HMT funding
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Summary
Port of Long Beach COO Noel Hasegaba asked the House subcommittee to include a post‑authorization change report (PACR) for an 80‑foot deep‑draft navigation project in WRDA 2026 and called for predictable, equitable Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund distributions for donor and energy ports.
Noel Hasegaba, chief operating officer of the Port of Long Beach (and incoming CEO), told the House Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee that WRDA 2026 should authorize a post‑authorization change report (PACR) for a deep‑draft navigation project that would deepen federal channels to 80 feet and allow the West Coast port to handle larger vessels.
"This project will deepen and expand the federal channels at our port to 80 feet, improving safety and enhancing efficiency for vessel operations," Hasegaba said during his testimony. He said the Port of Long Beach moves more than $300 billion in cargo annually and supports about 2.7 million jobs nationwide, framing the project as national‑scale economic and security infrastructure.
Hasegaba also pressed the committee to ensure reliable distribution of Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMT) revenues and to preserve expanded uses for donor and energy ports under section 102 of WRDA 2020. He told lawmakers that Long Beach generated roughly $400 million in HMT revenue in 2024 but received about $49 million under the expanded‑use distribution when it was included in the Corps’ FY2024 work plan.
Members and witnesses discussed a recent administrative ‘‘pause’’ on the project; Hasegaba said the pause has been lifted and that the port is working closely with the Army Corps of Engineers to meet an aggressive PACR timeline ahead of WRDA 2026. He asked Congress to authorize the PACR and encouraged the Corps to keep PACR and implementation schedules predictable so ports can plan multiyear investments.
The port and several members asked the committee to prioritize predictable HMT distributions and continued funding for dredging, seismic and wharf safety projects. Members also tied the request to national security: Hasegaba noted Long Beach is one of 18 federally designated commercial strategic seaports that support national security in crises.
What happens next: Port representatives said they are working with the Corps on the PACR timeline and welcomed committee oversight to help ensure funding and timely Corps decisions that match congressional intent.
