 |
| Talking
up WRDA on Capitol Hill this week were Production and Stewardship
Action Team member Warren Kemper (left), NCGA Director of Public
Policy Lisa Kelley and Tade Sullivan (right) were in town this
week, talking to key administration officials, congressional
members and their staff on the importance of passing WRDA. |
NCGA
Optimistic as WRDA Passes Through House Subcommittee (6-16-05)
The National
Corn Growers Association (NCGA) today expressed optimism for lock
and dam modernization after the Water Resources Development Act
(WDRA) passed through the House Water Resources and Environment
Subcommittee. H.R. 2864, which includes funding authorization for
locks modernization on the inland waterways infrastructure, passed
by voice vote today.
The House is
moving swiftly on the legislation which was introduced earlier this
week. The full House committee is scheduled to markup the legislation
next week with a floor debate expected before the July 4 recess.
The legislation
includes funding authorization for lock expansion at $3.34 billion
including ecosystem restoration funded at $1.58 billion on the Upper
Mississippi River.
“We are
very thankful to the Subcommittee Chairman John J. Duncan (R-Tenn.),
and the Subcommittee Ranking Member Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas),
for their efforts in comprehensively pulling together over five
years of water resources projects and studies into the Water Resources
Development Act of 2005,” said Lisa Kelley, NCGA director
of public policy.
Rep. Jerry Costello
(D- Ill.) has shown true leadership with the subcommittee on the
locks issue as well, notes NCGA.
“Rep.
Costello has been a champion of lock modernization and has worked
the Corps reform issue tirelessly,” Kelley said.
Costello, who
is has been an advocate for modernization said, "This is an
important step for building new locks on the Upper Mississippi River
and ensuring the country's economic health into the future. The
efficient transport of American crops and other goods in this country
and around the world must remain a high federal priority, and it
is in this legislation. I look forward to enacting WRDA during this
Congress."
According to
NCGA, the legislation has broad implications for all commodities,
products, businesses and the entire economy. The locks are more
than 60 years old and have far outlived their usefulness and effectiveness
for modern river transportation needs.
According to
The Evans Study, an economic impact analysis, river transportation
impacts more than 440,000 jobs. Lock construction would generate
48 million man hours of work – a generation of jobs for the
Midwest. However, unless the locks on the Upper Mississippi and
Illinois rivers are modernized, this nation could see a job loss
of more than 30,000 jobs. The congestion on the waterways affects
all of agriculture with negative impacts on the environment, transportation
costs, trade deficits and farm income. Barge transportation is more
efficient, environmentally friendlier and a safer means of moving
all commodities.