SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 44
WHEREAS, the state of Missouri borders 488 miles of the Mississippi River; and
WHEREAS, many of Missouri's locks and dams are more than 60 years old and only 600 feet long, making them unable to accommodate modern barge tows of 1,200 feet long, nearly tripling locking times and causing lengthy delays and ultimately increasing shipping costs; and
WHEREAS, the use of 1,200-foot locks has been proven nationwide as the best method of improving efficiency, reducing congestion and modernizing the inland waterways; and
WHEREAS, the construction of the lock and dam system has spurred economic growth and a higher standard of living in the Mississippi and Illinois' river basin, and today supplies more than 300 million tons of the nation's cargo, supporting more than 400,000 jobs, including 90,000 in manufacturing; and
WHEREAS, more than 60 percent of American agricultural exports including corn, wheat, and soybeans, are shipped down the Mississippi and Illinois rivers on the way to foreign markets; and
WHEREAS, Missouri farmers, producers, and consumers rely on efficient transportation to remain competitive in a global economy, and efficiencies in river transport offset higher production costs compared to those incurred by foreign competitors; and
WHEREAS, the Upper Mississippi and Illinois lock and dam system saves our nation more than $1.5 billion in higher transportation costs each year, and failing to construct 1,200-foot locks will cause farmers to use more expensive alternative modes of transportation, including trucks and trains; and
WHEREAS, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, congestion along the Upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers is costing Missouri and other producers and consumers in the basin $98 million per year in higher transportation costs; and
WHEREAS, river transportation is the most environmentally friendly form of transporting goods and commodities, creating almost no noise pollution and emitting 35 to 60 percent fewer pollutants than either trucks or trains, according to the U.S. EPA; and
WHEREAS, moving away from river transport would add millions of trucks and rail cars to our nation's infrastructure, adding air pollution, traffic congestion, and greater wear and tear on highways; and
WHEREAS, backwater lakes created by the lock and dam system provide breeding grounds for migratory waterfowl and fish; and
WHEREAS, the lakes and 500 miles of wildlife refuge also support a $1 billion-a-year recreational industry, including hunting, fishing, and tourism jobs; and
WHEREAS, upgrading the system of locks and dams on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers will provide 3,000 high-paying construction and related jobs over a 15-20 year period with health benefits, which will benefit, not only those directly employed, but the local health care systems and economies of the communities in which these individuals live and work; and
WHEREAS, in 1999 the state of Missouri shipped 18.8 million tons of commodities including grain, coal, chemicals, aggregates, and other products; and
WHEREAS, 38.6 million tons of commodities including grain, coal, chemicals, aggregates, and other products were shipped to, from, and within Missouri by barge, representing $4.2 billion in value; and
WHEREAS, shippers moving by barge in Missouri realized a savings of approximately $380 million compared to other transportation modes; and
WHEREAS, Missouri docks shipped products by barge to 18 states and received products from 17 states; and
WHEREAS, the Port of Metropolitan St. Louis shipped and received 32.6 million tons of commodities in 1999 worth over $5 billion and is the second busiest inland port in the United States, linking rural Missouri and St. Louis with world markets; and
WHEREAS, there are approximately 183 manufacturing facilities, terminals, and docks on the waterways of Missouri, representing thousands of jobs in the state; and
WHEREAS, the Missouri General Assembly recognizes the importance of inland waterway transportation to Missouri agriculture and industry in the state, the region, and the nation:
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the Missouri Senate, Ninety-First General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the House of Representatives concurring therein, hereby urge the Congress of the United States to authorize funding for modernization of lock and dam infrastructure in order to construct 1,200-foot locks on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers' Inland Waterways Transportation System; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Missouri Senate be instructed to prepare properly inscribed copies of this resolution for the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, the Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the members of the Missouri Congressional delegation.