WASHINGTON – Senator Chuck Grassley today said that the Water Resources Development Act that passed the Senate today authorizes major improvements to the Upper Mississippi River lock and dam system as well as several other projects along the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers and in Iowa. The bill passed 91-4.
"Major improvements to the Mississippi River infrastructure are absolutely necessary if our agriculture producers and manufactures are able to compete in a global market in the future," Grassley said. "Currently every mode of transportation is near or at maximum capacity. If we don't make these investments in our roads, rail, and water, U.S. agriculture, industry, and labor will pay the price."
Last year, Grassley visited Brazil to see the major investments in its transportation systems. He said that Brazil’s surface transportation infrastructure is inferior to the U.S., but Brazil has made significant investments in its river infrastructure.
Grassley said that the bill only authorizes funding, but does not actually provide funding for the projects which will have to be done through the appropriations process. He will work with the appropriate districts of the Army Corps of Engineers for funding through the annual appropriations process.
The bill will now be reconciled with legislation passed by the House of Representatives.
Here are the Iowa projects included in the bill.
Upper Mississippi and Illinois Waterways Modernization – The bill includes authorization to begin modernization of the lock and dam system and enhanced environmental and ecosystem restoration on the rivers.
– The bill includes authorization to begin modernization of the lock and dam system and enhanced environmental and ecosystem restoration on the rivers.
The lock system on the Upper Mississippi River was built in the late 1930s. Many of the lock chambers are only 600 feet long and cannot accommodate 1,100 foot barge-tows. These structures require modern tow configuration to "double lock" to pass. This adds to mounting delay times, increase costs to the shippers, increased harm to our environment by higher emissions and higher sediment suspension in the river channel, loss of jobs, and lower wages.
Rathbun Regional Water Association (South Central Iowa) - This provision gives the Rathbun Regional Water Association the right of first refusal to contract for any increment of the remaining water supply storage allocation at Rathbun Lake under the Army Corps of Engineers’ jurisdiction. The Rathbun Regional Water Association will pay the cost of any water supply storage allocation to be contracted and may purchase the remaining 8,320 acre-feet of storage in total or incrementally as dictated by the demands of their system until the full amount of storage may be purchased.
This provision gives theRathbun Regional Water Association the right of first refusal to contract for any increment of the remaining water supply storage allocation at Rathbun Lake under the Army Corps of Engineers’ jurisdiction. The Rathbun Regional Water Association will pay the cost of any water supply storage allocation to be contracted and may purchase the remaining 8,320 acre-feet of storage in total or incrementally as dictated by the demands of their system until the full amount of storage may be purchased.
Des Moines And Raccoon Rivers, Des Moines - The bill authorizes an estimated $6.8 million of federal money for flood damage reduction on the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers.
The bill authorizes an estimated $6.8 million of federal money for flood damage reduction on the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers.
Missouri River And Tributaries, Mitigation, Recovery And Restoration, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, And Wyoming – The bill authorizes the Corps of Engineers to participate with state and tribal officials and nongovernmental stakeholders in a study of the Missouri River and its tributaries to determine what actions are required to mitigate loss of aquatic and terrestrial habitat, recover Federally-listed species under the Endangered Species Act, and restore the ecosystem.
– The bill authorizes the Corps of Engineers to participate with state and tribal officials and nongovernmental stakeholders in a study of the Missouri River and its tributaries to determine what actions are required to mitigate loss of aquatic and terrestrial habitat, recover Federally-listed species under the Endangered Species Act, and restore the ecosystem.
Missouri And Middle Mississippi Rivers Enhancement Project –The bill extends this program through fiscal 2015. Projects developed under this authority enable states to assemble corridors of environmentally revitalized river channel and adjacent floodplain habitat which would have a complementary and reinforcing effect on similar types of environmental restoration activities accomplished under other Corps authorities. This project also aids in addressing threatened and endangered species issues on the Missouri and Middle Mississippi Rivers.
The bill extends this program through fiscal 2015. Projects developed under this authority enable states to assemble corridors of environmentally revitalized river channel and adjacent floodplain habitat which would have a complementary and reinforcing effect on similar types of environmental restoration activities accomplished under other Corps authorities. This project also aids in addressing threatened and endangered species issues on the Missouri and Middle Mississippi Rivers.