Kiggans Urges Army Corps of Engineers to Prioritize Chincoteague Inlet Feasibility Study

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) and Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) sent two letters to the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regarding the feasibility study on managing erosion of the Chincoteague Inlet on the Eastern Shore. One letter requests that the USACE includes funding for a feasibility study in the FY26 work plan, and the second asks that the FY27 President’s Budget Request includes funding for the study if it’s excluded from the FY26 work plan. 

Congresswoman Kiggans said, “The Town of Chincoteague has worked diligently to advance the inlet feasibility study since its original authorization under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act in 2016. Erosion around the Chincoteague Inlet has reached a critical point, and will soon threaten homes, local businesses, vital infrastructure, and the long-term stability of this coastal community. I call on the USACE to include this urgent request in their FY26 work plan or ensure its inclusion in the next year’s budget request. Protecting our coastal communities isn’t optional—it is a responsibility we owe to the families and small businesses who call them home.”

Read the FY26 work plan request letter here.

Read the FY27 budget request letter here.

Background:

In February 2026, Rep. Kiggans requested that language leveraging funding for the Chincoteague Inlet Feasibility Study be included in the Water Resources Development Act of 2026.

Rep. Kiggans has been a long-time advocate for infrastructure improvements on Chincoteague Island, including the request for federal funds to build the Mariner’s Point Bulkhead through the FY25 Appropriations process.

In February 2025, Rep. Kiggans’ Contaminated Wells Relocation Act was signed into law. This legislation ensures the residents of Chincoteague, Virginia have access to safe drinking water by authorizing NASA to reimburse the town of Chincoteague for the costs associated with the removal of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contaminated wells, as well as the relocation of these wells to a safe location free from groundwater contamination. Read her press release here.