NWC NEWS ALERT (March 31 2026)

Budget Week Ahead, NWC Member Calls & Updates

A quick heads up as we start the week. Congress is out for the next two weeks, but that does not mean things are quiet. There are still ongoing discussions about how to fund the Department of Homeland Security, and there are still disagreements about how to move forward. We expect that to continue beyond this week.

In Memoriam

First, we wanted to share the sad news that Blake Roderick passed away this past week. Many of you knew Blake through his work across the waterways, water resources, and agriculture communities. He also served on the NWC Board. His knowledge and wit will be deeply missed.

NWC Government Affairs Committee Call

Just a quick reminder that NWC’s Government Affairs Committee will hold its monthly call this Thursday at 4 p.m. ET. We will be joined by special guests from the House Natural Resources Committee, who plans to discuss the committee’s work on permitting and Endangered Species Act reform. They are particularly interested in hearing directly from NWC members about outstanding issues involving the Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries.

USACE Call

Looking ahead, at the end of April, NWC has a call scheduled on April 30 with Mr. Eric Bush, Chief of Planning and Policy for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. If you are interested in joining that conversation, let us know and we will send the Zoom link.

 

Data Center Survey & Legislative Summit

Also, be on the lookout this week for an NWC data center survey. We are trying to get a better sense of where the membership is on this issue, what challenges members are running into, and what opportunities they are seeing. This will also help inform a discussion we have scheduled for April 21 at the Legislative Summit with several national and regional organizations about how we can work together to develop practical best practices and other tools for members. The goal is to help members go into negotiations better prepared, with a clearer sense of what issues to raise, what questions to ask, and what lessons others have already learned through experience.

Budget Week & Appropriations

And finally,  this is expected to be budget week in Washington.

We are expecting the release of USACE’s fiscal year 2026 work plan soon, which is tied to the fiscal year 2026 Energy and Water appropriations bill signed into law in January. The work plan lays out how funding provided by Congress will be allocated across U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works activities.

Additionally, (and also tied to the appropriations process) we are expecting release of the President’s fiscal year 2027 budget request by April 3. That will kickstart budget activity on Capitol Hill.

We will keep you posted as these items are released.