NCGA
Urges Members to Attend Corps Public Meetings on Locks (5-6-05)
The National
Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is encouraging its members to voice
their support and provide comments for lock construction during
two Army Corps public meetings held by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
on May 10 and 11.
The U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers will hold the public meetings In an effort to
engage the public on the potential plans for construction of new
locks, fish passage design and water control changes at Lock and
Dam 22 and 25 on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Waterway System.
“The
navigation study released last fall clearly confirms the need for
new locks and the Corps is taking the next step in this process
by informing the public of its site specific plans,” said
NCGA President Leon Corzine.
The Corps meetings
will be an opportunity for the public to discuss and gather information
on the potential plans for construction of a new lock and fish passage
design at Lock and Dam 22 and potential plans for construction of
a new lock and water control changes design at Lock and Dam 25.
The Corps’
meetings are an integral part of the pre-construction, engineering,
and design phase associated with the 2004 Upper Mississippi and
Illinois Integrated Feasibility Report study. Pre-construction,
engineering and design make up the interim phase between completing
a feasibility study and Congressional authorization for construction.
Congressional authorization is required before construction can
begin.
Each public meeting will begin at 6 p.m. with a form presentation
beginning at 7 p.m. The presentation will discuss the Integrated
Feasibility Report findings, the rationale behind the proposed work,
and information on potential construction at the two sites.
The presentation will be followed by a question and answer period
and an open house session until 9 p.m.
“NCGA
encourages its members to attend the public meetings where they
will have the opportunity to visit the displays and speak with members
of the project teams and provide comments regarding the proposals,”
Corzine said.
“We know
these meetings come at a busy time for corn growers who have begun
their 2005 planting season,” he said “This is an opportunity
for our growers to speak directly with the Corps about the upcoming
projects. It is important that our growers who are most affected
by this construction participate.”