Text: HCR00108 Text: HCR00110 Text: HCR00100 - HCR00199 Text: HCR Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN 1 1 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. ___ 1 2 BY COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE 1 3 (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 542) 1 4 (COMPANION TO SCR 104 BY COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE) 1 5 A Concurrent Resolution urging the United States 1 6 Congress provide funding for the modernization of 1 7 lock and dam infrastructure on the Upper Mississippi 1 8 and Illinois Rivers Inland Waterways Transportation 1 9 System. 1 10 WHEREAS, over 360 miles of the Upper Mississippi 1 11 River and 11 navigation locks and dams are contained 1 12 on the border of or in the state of Iowa; and 1 13 WHEREAS, there are approximately 70 manufacturing 1 14 facilities, terminals, and docks on the waterways of 1 15 Iowa, providing thousands of jobs in this state; and 1 16 WHEREAS, the construction of the lock and dam 1 17 system has spurred economic growth and a higher 1 18 standard of living in the Mississippi and Illinois 1 19 river basin, and today supplies more than 300 million 1 20 tons of the nation's cargo, supporting more than 1 21 400,000 jobs, including 90,000 in manufacturing; and 1 22 WHEREAS, more than 60 percent of American 1 23 agricultural exports including corn, wheat, and 1 24 soybeans are shipped down the Mississippi and Illinois 1 25 rivers to foreign markets; and 1 26 WHEREAS, Iowa agricultural producers, industry, and 1 27 consumers rely on efficient transportation to remain 1 28 competitive in a global economy, with efficiencies in 1 29 river transport offsetting higher costs compared to 1 30 those incurred by foreign competitors; and 2 1 WHEREAS, the Upper Mississippi and Illinois lock 2 2 and dam system annually saves our nation more than 2 3 $1.5 billion in higher transportation costs; and 2 4 WHEREAS, approximately 17 million tons of 2 5 commodities and products including grain, coal, 2 6 chemicals, and aggregates are annually shipped to, 2 7 from, and within Iowa by barge, representing $2.7 2 8 billion in value; and 2 9 WHEREAS, shippers moving by barge in Iowa realize 2 10 an annual savings of approximately $170 million 2 11 compared to other transportation modes; and 2 12 WHEREAS, Iowa docks ship commodities and products 2 13 by barge to 14 states and receive commodities and 2 14 products from 18 states; and 2 15 WHEREAS, river transportation is the most 2 16 environmentally benign form of transporting 2 17 commodities and products, creating minimal levels of 2 18 noise pollution, and emitting 35 to 60 percent fewer 2 19 pollutants than trucks or trains, according to the 2 20 United States Environmental Protection Agency; and 2 21 WHEREAS, decreasing river transport capacity would 2 22 add millions of trucks and railcars to our nation's 2 23 transportation infrastructure, dramatically increasing 2 24 air pollution, traffic congestion, and highway 2 25 maintenance costs; and 2 26 WHEREAS, lakes and wildlife refuge created by the 2 27 lock and dam system provide habitat and breeding 2 28 grounds for migratory waterfowl and fish; and 2 29 WHEREAS, the lakes and 500 miles of wildlife refuge 2 30 along the Upper Mississippi and Illinois river basin 3 1 support a $1 billion-a-year recreational industry, 3 2 including hunting, fishing, and tourism; and 3 3 WHEREAS, many of Iowa's locks and dams are more 3 4 than 60 years old and only 600 feet in length, making 3 5 them unable to accommodate modern barge tows of up to 3 6 1,200 feet long, nearly tripling locking times and 3 7 causing lengthy delays and ultimately increasing 3 8 shipping costs; and 3 9 WHEREAS, the use of 1,200-foot locks has been 3 10 proven nationwide as the best method of improving 3 11 efficiency, reducing congestion and modernizing inland 3 12 waterways; and 3 13 WHEREAS, failing to construct 1,200-foot locks will 3 14 force agricultural producers and industry to use more 3 15 expensive alternative modes of transportation, 3 16 including road and rail systems; and 3 17 WHEREAS, according to the United States Army Corps 3 18 of Engineers, congestion along the Upper Mississippi 3 19 and Illinois rivers costs agricultural producers and 3 20 consumers in the basin $98 million per year in higher 3 21 transportation costs; and 3 22 WHEREAS, upgrading the system of locks and dams on 3 23 the Upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers will provide 3 24 3,000 construction and related jobs over a 15-year to 3 25 20-year period; NOW THEREFORE, 3 26 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE 3 27 SENATE CONCURRING, That the General Assembly 3 28 recognizes the importance of the Upper Mississippi and 3 29 Illinois Rivers Inland Transportation System to the 3 30 economic prosperity and ecological vitality of the 4 1 state, the region, and the nation, and urges the 4 2 United States Congress to provide immediate funding to 4 3 modernize its lock and dam infrastructure. 4 4 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Chief Clerk of the 4 5 House of Representatives send copies of this 4 6 concurrent resolution to the President of the United 4 7 States; the Chief of Engineers and Commander of the 4 8 United States Corps of Engineers; the President of the 4 9 United States Senate; the Speaker of the United States 4 10 House of Representatives; the Chair of the Senate 4 11 Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation; 4 12 the Chair of the United States Senate Committee on 4 13 Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; the Chair of the 4 14 House of Representatives Committee on Transportation 4 15 and Infrastructure; the Chair of the United States 4 16 House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture; and 4 17 Iowa's congressional delegation. 4 18 LSB 6010HV 79 4 19 da/pj/5
Text: HCR00108 Text: HCR00110 Text: HCR00100 - HCR00199 Text: HCR Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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