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PAG LIN
1 1 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO.
1 2 BY FRAISE
1 3 (COMPANION TO HCR 26 BY GREINER)
1 4 A Concurrent Resolution in support of maintaining the
1 5 Mississippi River as a major transportation route
1 6 for various products shipped into and out of the
1 7 Upper Mississippi region.
1 8 WHEREAS, barges operating on United States inland
1 9 waterways are the dominant carriers of United States
1 10 grains to export port facilities; and
1 11 WHEREAS, the barge share of grain movement to
1 12 export ports increased from 43 percent in 1974 to 54
1 13 percent in 1991 and the majority of this barge grain
1 14 traffic is on the Mississippi River system; and
1 15 WHEREAS, the Upper Mississippi River is the
1 16 dominant originator of grain barge traffic for export;
1 17 and
1 18 WHEREAS, 95 percent of the world's population live
1 19 outside the United States; and
1 20 WHEREAS, economies and populations continue to grow
1 21 worldwide and these agricultural export markets are
1 22 essential to the economic future of the upper Midwest
1 23 including Iowa; and
1 24 WHEREAS, barriers to increased international trade
1 25 continue to decline making export markets even more
1 26 likely to grow; and
1 27 WHEREAS, international markets are very competitive
1 28 and opportunities can be gained or lost based on very
1 29 small differences in price; and
1 30 WHEREAS, the United States Army Corps of Engineers
2 1 projects Upper Mississippi River barge traffic to
2 2 double between 1987 and 2020; and
2 3 WHEREAS, increased barge traffic will continue to
2 4 place a burden on the river transportation system
2 5 which is more than 50 years old; and
2 6 WHEREAS, the original design specifications for the
2 7 locks and dams have been surpassed by modern barge
2 8 technology resulting in delays because tows must be
2 9 broken down to move through the locks; and
2 10 WHEREAS, delays now costing $35 million per year
2 11 are projected to rise as high as $200 million per
2 12 year; and
2 13 WHEREAS, shipping products by rail or truck would
2 14 significantly increase costs and consumption of fuel
2 15 and the emission of pollutants into the atmosphere;
2 16 and
2 17 WHEREAS, a consistent, economical, and reliable
2 18 inland waterway system is critical to our economy; and
2 19 WHEREAS, the national economic and public benefit
2 20 of the Upper Mississippi River system is more than $1
2 21 billion per year and the maintenance costs are only
2 22 $130 million; NOW THEREFORE,
2 23 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, THE HOUSE OF
2 24 REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, That the maintenance of
2 25 the Upper Mississippi River system is essential to the
2 26 economic well-being of Iowa and the Midwest; and
2 27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Congress should
2 28 continue full funding for the Upper Mississippi River
2 29 &endash; Illinois Waterway Navigation Feasibility Study;
2 30 provide adequate funding for major rehabilitation
3 1 efforts on the Upper Mississippi River; clearly
3 2 recognize that transportation activities on the river
3 3 must continue; and expedite the current study process
3 4 being undertaken by the United States Army Corps of
3 5 Engineers regarding the system's use through the year
3 6 2050; and
3 7 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this
3 8 Resolution be sent to the President of the United
3 9 States; the Chief of Engineers, United States Army
3 10 Corps of Engineers, North Central Division; the United
3 11 States Secretary of Transportation; the Speaker of the
3 12 United States House of Representatives; and the
3 13 members of Iowa's congressional delegation.
3 14 LSB 2048SS 76
3 15 da/sc/14.1
Text: SCR00104 Text: SCR00106 Text: SCR00100 - SCR00199 Text: SCR Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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