MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN LOCK AND DAM LEGISLATION

Tricia Braid

Mar 28, 2014  |  Today's News

A Water Resources Development Act has passed both the House and the Senate. Differences are now being debated in conference committee and your Illinois Corn Growers Association advocated for final passage when they were there in Washington DC recently.

Your action is also needed to ensure the vitality of our inland rivers for transporting your crops to export markets.

If you’d like to get engaged, the Waterways Council, Inc.- IL Corn’s partner in the effort to modernize and expand our locks and dams- has an easy online opportunity to send your Congressman and Senators a letter. Click here!

We are specifically asking for language that supports the following three priority Corps of Engineer issues:

1)            Restrictions on the use of Inland Waterways Trust Fund monies to complete Olmsted Lock and Dam modernization and maintenance;

2)            Appropriations of $380 million that allow for the maximum federal match to the income from the inland waterways diesel tax, which in turn maximizes the Inland Waterways Trust Fund; and

3)            Maintain or increase FY 2015 appropriations to the Corps O&M account.  The FY 2015 budget request of $2.6 billion is 9% lower than the FY 2014 enacted level of funding.

If you choose to make a call or send a letter, the deadline to do so is April 2, 2014.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. Our waterways allow the nation’s critical commodities – grain, coal, agricultural inputs, steel, petroleum products, chemicals, and aggregate materials – to be used domestically and to reach the export market in the most cost-competitive, socially unobtrusive and environmentally sustainable way. We appreciate your support of this important infrastructure to keep America’s products moving.