BOND: WE NEED TO MODERNIZE AND IMPROVE NATION’S WATERWAYS
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May 18, 2007
ST. LOUIS, MO – U.S. Senator Kit Bond today joined the Midwest Area River Coalition and Army Corps of Engineers officials to tout the passage of the Water Resources and Development Act (WRDA) at the Melvin Price Locks and Dam and the Lock and Dam No. 22 on the Mississippi River.
“We need to modernize and improve,” said Bond. “If we want our farmers and business owners to continue to grow and create jobs and help meet the challenges of the new century, we must continue to make improvements to our transportation infrastructure,” said Bond.
Bond pointed out that at Lock and Dam No. 22 every year tons of commodities pass through from barges that spur commerce and economic growth in Missouri. Over the past 35 years, waterborne commerce on the Upper Mississippi River has more than tripled. The system currently carries 60 percent of our Nation’s corn exports and 45 percent of our Nation’s soybean exports and it does so at two-thirds the cost of rail—when rail is available. In Missouri alone, 34.7 million tons of commodities with a combined value of more than $4 billion, including agricultural commodities, coal, petroleum, chemicals, iron and steel are shipped.
As Chairman of the Environment and Public Work’s Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee in 2006, Bond was a key author of the present bill and has fought hard for WRDA’s passage since 2002. Bond’s lock and dam provision is essential to commerce and economic growth in Missouri. The new bill authorizes nearly $2 billion in federal funds for seven new locks. The new 1,200 foot locks on the Mississippi River will create new jobs, creating 48 million man-hours of construction work and provide greater efficiency, especially critical to farmers in the Midwest who depend on the lock and dam system to move their products to market.
Modernizing the nation’s waterways will help prepare the country for emerging energy and economic challenges in the future. Bond stressed that water transportation is a great untapped capacity, and is more energy and environment friendly. One medium-size tow on the river can carry the same weight as 870 trucks, or two diesel engines in exchange for 870 diesel engines. With oil and gas prices at a record high, increased waterways usage is a positive step towards the use of less costly, domestic and environmentally safe energy in America.
Despite the importance of and support for the bill Congress has not passed a WRDA bill since 2000. Bond expressed hope that with overwhelming passage in both the House and Senate a bill will soon be sent to the President. The Senate overwhelmingly passed the bill with a vote of 91-4. The new bill must now be reconciled with the House of Representatives version before being signed into law. Also, earlier this week, Bond spoke with President Bush and White House officials on the importance of the bill.
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“We need to modernize and improve,” said Bond. “If we want our farmers and business owners to continue to grow and create jobs and help meet the challenges of the new century, we must continue to make improvements to our transportation infrastructure,” said Bond.
Bond pointed out that at Lock and Dam No. 22 every year tons of commodities pass through from barges that spur commerce and economic growth in Missouri. Over the past 35 years, waterborne commerce on the Upper Mississippi River has more than tripled. The system currently carries 60 percent of our Nation’s corn exports and 45 percent of our Nation’s soybean exports and it does so at two-thirds the cost of rail—when rail is available. In Missouri alone, 34.7 million tons of commodities with a combined value of more than $4 billion, including agricultural commodities, coal, petroleum, chemicals, iron and steel are shipped.
As Chairman of the Environment and Public Work’s Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee in 2006, Bond was a key author of the present bill and has fought hard for WRDA’s passage since 2002. Bond’s lock and dam provision is essential to commerce and economic growth in Missouri. The new bill authorizes nearly $2 billion in federal funds for seven new locks. The new 1,200 foot locks on the Mississippi River will create new jobs, creating 48 million man-hours of construction work and provide greater efficiency, especially critical to farmers in the Midwest who depend on the lock and dam system to move their products to market.
Modernizing the nation’s waterways will help prepare the country for emerging energy and economic challenges in the future. Bond stressed that water transportation is a great untapped capacity, and is more energy and environment friendly. One medium-size tow on the river can carry the same weight as 870 trucks, or two diesel engines in exchange for 870 diesel engines. With oil and gas prices at a record high, increased waterways usage is a positive step towards the use of less costly, domestic and environmentally safe energy in America.
Despite the importance of and support for the bill Congress has not passed a WRDA bill since 2000. Bond expressed hope that with overwhelming passage in both the House and Senate a bill will soon be sent to the President. The Senate overwhelmingly passed the bill with a vote of 91-4. The new bill must now be reconciled with the House of Representatives version before being signed into law. Also, earlier this week, Bond spoke with President Bush and White House officials on the importance of the bill.
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