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Higgins urges funding for long‑authorized Chincoteague Inlet feasibility study, cites national security stakes
Summary
Congresswoman Jennifer Higgins asked the subcommittee to fund a feasibility study for Chincoteague Inlet, authorized by the 2016 Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act and supported by nonfederal sponsors, arguing erosion threatens local communities and federal assets including NASA's Wallops Flight Facility.
Congresswoman Jennifer W. Higgins (R‑Va.) told the Appropriations Subcommittee that the Chincoteague Inlet on Virginia's Eastern Shore is undergoing rapid erosion and needs a federally funded feasibility study to evaluate stabilization and ensure navigation safety.
Higgins said the study was authorized under the 2016 Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act and that the town had secured the required nonfederal cost share and state support, but the Army Corps has not yet funded or initiated the study. She urged the committee to prioritize funding so the Army Corps can evaluate long‑term stabilization strategies.
Higgins emphasized the inlet's linkage to federal assets, citing NASA's Wallops Flight Facility, the Mid‑Atlantic Regional Spaceport and nearby Navy installations, and argued that comprehensive Corps studies should account for federal infrastructure to protect both community resilience and military readiness.
Next steps: Higgins' funding request was entered for FY27 appropriations consideration; the member day record contains no committee decision.
