President Obama released his FY12 Budget Proposal last week and the $44.7 million allocated for coastal projects in FY12 is far below the anemic level of $53 million proposed in FY11.  Marlowe & Company was pleased to learn that a record 7% of the President’s proposed spending will benefit our clients in various regions of the country.  However, we are still disappointed to see the President, like the others before him, miss a tremendous opportunity to use his budget request to invest in infrastructure protection initiatives along the coast.

In recent weeks the President has spoken of the need to invest in projects around the country that can show a true return on their investment.  Coastal protection projects do just that.  On average, for every dollar that is spent on protecting our nation’s coastline, the government saves seven in post-disaster assistance that would otherwise have to be given out by FEMA.  When our beaches are full and protected, our businesses, roads, and utilities are protected, but when we allow our shores to erode, we put all of these resources at risk.  All it takes is one storm and many of these resources can be washed away.  The cost of repairing or replacing damaged infrastructure is often far greater than the costs of protecting it in the first place.

We can assure you that we will continue to be successful working with Congress and the Administration to make sure that our clients along the coast have their needs met.  If you are living along the coast without the benefit of government affiars specialists, we wish you the best of luck in getting the federal government’s attention.  However, if you would like to ensure that your needs are expressed effectively to Congress and the Administration, give us a call today at (202) 775-1796 or e-mail us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

Please follow the link below to a chart that compares the number of projects needing immediate assistance to those which received support in the President’s FY12 budget and to learn more about the importance of protecting America’s coasts.

Rep. Bill Young (FL) Supports Beach Funding