NCGA:
Consumers Will Pay for Failure to Modernize Locks and Dams (4-20-05)
Failure to modernize
the locks and dams on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Waterways
in addition to lack of much needed funding will cost all consumers
in the long run, according to the National Corn Growers Association
(NCGA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Rick Tolman, who is also chairman
of the Midwest Area River Coalition (MARC 2000).
Recently, MARC 2000 released
the top five 2005 endangered locks list, which include Locks and
Dams 24 in Clarksville, Mo.; 11 in Dubuque, Iowa; 3 in Welch, Minn.;
19 in Keokuk, Iowa; and 27 in Granite City, Ill. The list was developed
from the Annual Report of the Inland Waterways User Board, an account
released to Congress last month.
"These locks are
more 75 years old and were built with a life expectancy of only
50 years," said Tolman. "The five locks listed require
serious rehabilitation and modernization, however, all locks on
the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers need urgent attention."
Tolman also noted frequent
delays and shut downs of any locks not only hurt farmers, but consumers
as well. He said the only fix is proper funding and the right legislation.
"Right now any lock that shuts down costs money. We have limited
funding and limited ways to fix these outdated locks. We need Congress
and the President to act on legislation this year," he said.
MARC 2000 said that river
traffic originating or terminating on the Upper Mississippi River
System accounts for approximately 40 percent of funding into the
Inland Waterways Trust Fund, a national fuel tax depository intended
for national waterway capital improvements. Only 15 percent is traditionally
invested back into the river system.
According to the Evans
Study on the Economic Impact of Increased Congestion on the Upper
Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, failure to modernize this waterways
infrastructure will result in nearly $562 million in lost farm income,
a decrease of nearly $264 million in exports and $416 million lost
due to lower commodity prices and decreased domestic demand. Recently,
the Senate passed a full Water Resources Development Act
(WRDA) S. 728, which
includes legislation to build seven new locks on the upper Mississippi
and Illinois rivers. WRDA includes permission for the Corps of Engineers
to construct seven 1,200-foot locks on the Upper Mississippi and
Illinois River System. The bill also includes immediate implementation
of small scale measures, such as guide wall extensions and helper
boats to alleviate congestion as well as authorization for a major
ecosystem restoration project.
"Now that
the Senate has acted on this necessary legislation, we are hopeful
the House will follow suit," said Tolman. "We need all
of Congress to pass WRDA and provide for modernization of our waterways
infrastructure this year. It's really only the beginning, but it's
a major step forward. If we don't get this legislation this year,
this country will see devastating economic effects." NCGA issued
a legislative alert encouraging all growers to send letters to the
Senate and to the House to support the lock modernization issue.
To send a personal letter to your legislators, go to the legislative
action center at www.ncga.com.
For more information on the locks and dams, log on to www.marc2000.org.