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the M-90 Marine Highway Corridor, and the Hudson Riv- er/ Champlain Canal as part of the M-87 Marine Highway Connector. MARAD has recognized what DeWitt Clin- ton and other pioneering New Yorkers did two centuries ago ? that the Canal represents a vital link between the Midwest and the Eastern United States which is viable and competitive today. I actually think that some of the larg- est potential for utilizing the Canal commercially lies in goods, products, and technology manufactured right here in New York and exported to customers beyond our bor- ders. This is what we call ?originating cargo? and with New York enjoying a huge economic uptick through Governor Cuomo?s Regional Economic Development Councils ini- tiative and programs like Start-Up NY, New York is poised to once again put the ?Empire? back in ?Empire State? with the help of New York?s original economic develop- ment program: the Erie Canal. At its maximum capacity, New York Canals could re- move a signiÞ cant amount of trafÞ c from the stateÕs road and railways. What kind of ÔintermodalÕ plan or blueprint is now in place in the Empire State and where does the canal sit within those plans? Any comprehensive, effective and sustainable transpor- tation strategy has to have at its core some multi-modal elements. Certainly, we know the Canal has limitations due to seasonality and dimensional restrictions. But we need to, as a State, identify what gaps exist that we can help  ll, and what other modes of transportation we can best complement. Part of that is anticipating what impacts the expansion of the Panama Canal will have on cargo transportation throughout the eastern United States, and in New York in particular, and whether the time is right to introduce container-on-barge on the NYS Canal Sys- tem. We had an excellent report ? available on our web- site ? prepared for us through a partnership with the NYS Energy Research and Development Authority in 2010. This report, authored by Goodban Belt, LLC had some very interesting things to say about containerization on the Canal System. So while we can anticipate the needs of the industry and logistics community ? and prepare to the extent possible ? the best thing we can do is to keep the Canal System in great operating condition for all who want to use it. Your success at generating revenues, private invest- ment and job creation in Schenectady is a great basis from which to do the same thing for the transporta- tion system that you oversee. Can you shed a little light onto your management style and how you hope to move forward in a similar fashion for the NY state canal system?Absolutely. The key to success in government or any other endeavor is in team building and utilizing your team members to the greatest effect. We have a tremendous team here at the NYS Canal Corporation and we have outstand- ing leadership. That leadership is Governor Andrew Cuo- mo ? who has long been a champion on New York?s Canals going back to his time as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Clinton ? to our Chairman, Howard Milstein ? we are so fortunate to be empowered and given the resources to maintain this priceless resource. INSIGHTSSeptember 201416 MNMN Sept14 Layout 1-17.indd 16MN Sept14 Layout 1-17.indd 168/20/2014 11:45:52 AM8/20/2014 11:45:52 AM