Page 32: of Marine News Magazine (February 2016)

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FUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE

Dredging Needs Grow

As the Lower

Mississippi

Floods

Photo: Chuck Perrodin, Louisiana’s CPRA

The need to dig deeper for federal dollars has never been more pronounced.

By Susan Buchanan n the past ? ve years, maintenance dredging of the lower Corps’ budget isn’t set up for the emergency effects of a

Mississippi River in Louisiana has cost the U.S. Army ? ood, he said. And, that’s a problem.

Corps of Engineers an average of $102 million annu- Moving bulk and petroleum cargoes from the heartland

I ally. Looking ahead, maintenance will remain expensive to international markets isn’t simply a bene? t of an ef? cient in 2016, especially following this winter’s ? ood, said Sean river system. It is absolutely critical to the nation’s econo-

Duffy, executive director of the New Orleans-based Big my. Directly south in the bread basket of South Ameri-

River Coalition, which includes over 100 maritime entities. ca’s great Amazon basin, they get it. Today, an aggressive “It will take $90 million to $100 million to recover the South American ? eet renewal program is augmented by channel completely after the impact of the high river,” an equally strategic port development plan. The difference

Duffy told MarineNews in January. Sediment, dead trees between competitive U.S. grain and commodities sales and and debris are all ? oating south. “We jokingly say that the lost opportunities hinges largely on what the United States forest is coming down,” he said. “After the ? ood, the river’s – through its funding of USACE maintenance activities – ? oor comes up because of the compiled sediment, and its decides is important. Many industry stakeholders think we ceiling drops” as water subsides. Unfortunately, the Army are headed for failure.

The 1,044-foot Maersk Kawasaki calls at the Port of New Orleans regularly. The vessel is just one of thousands s s s s that depend on adequate dredging and maintenance on the Mississippi River.

Coastal restoration and dredging operations underway in Louisiana.

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