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FUNDING INFRASTRUCTURE h h “Some things are worth the wait and this is certainly true for the FY ’16 Omnibus

Appropriations agreement that provides record-level funding for the Corps’ Civil

Works mission. The $1.3 billion above the Administration’s request for the Corps’ overall funding will help to modernize our

Photo: Weeks Marine nation’s waterways infrastructure, facilitate exports, create jobs, make more ef? cient the

Duffy said. “Many of the problems encountered by today’s s s transportation supply chain, and increase

U.S. navigation industry are because of inadequate alloca- - - tions from the HMTF.”

American competitiveness in world markets.”

Lower Mississippi Likely To Be Deepened – Mike Toohey, WCI President/CEO

At the Port of New Orleans, spokesman Matt Gresham m m said that dredging is vital to international trade and that t deepening of the lower river to accommodate larger Pan- with a draft likely this fall, he said.

ama Canal vessels is being considered. “The lower river is “We have lots of dredging needs to go around in Loui- much deeper than its authorized draft of 45 feet, and talk siana,” Gresham said. “The Calcasieu River port of Lake is of deepening it in two phases,” he said. Phase one would Charles, the Atchafalaya River port of Morgan City, Port deepen Southwest Pass to Venice, La., or mile 10 above Fourchon serving offshore energy, and Terrebonne port in

Head of Passes, covering a 30-mile stretch. That phase Houma all require dredging.” South Louisiana port of? - would open 175 miles to a 50-foot channel because of cials and industry members meet regularly to discuss fund- the river’s natural depth. Phase II would begin at Belmont ing needs, he said.

Light at mile marker 152.9 and would dredge several river At Louisiana’s Department of Transportation and Devel- crossings to Baton Rouge harbor at mile 232. opment, spokesman Rodney Mallett said his agency and

Gresham cited a 2013 study, done by former University the Army Corps are working on a re-evaluation of the 2013 of New Orleans chancellor Tim Ryan and commissioned river-deepening study and that it should be ? nished by 2018. by the Big River Coalition and Louisiana’s Department of DOTD, however, doesn’t contribute ? nancially or participate

Transportation and Development, estimating that a deep- in any way in the Corps’ maintenance dredging of the lower er channel with bigger vessels carrying more cargo would Mississippi, which is considered a federal waterway, he said.

expand U.S. economic output by $11.49 billion, create 16,991 permanent jobs and increase American worker Dredging for Coastal Restoration incomes by $849.5 million. That study is being updated, It is also important to remember that dredging isn’t just 35MN www.marinelink.com

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