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24 MN October 2010 INLAND REPORT Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) and its more than 200 members were sur- prised and disappointed with President Obama’s announcement on September 6 that he intends to ask Congress for at least $50 billion in funding for infra- structure but made no mention of waterways infrastructure projects. The White House press statement said, “The goals of the infrastructure plan include: rebuilding 150,000 miles of roads; constructing and maintaining 4,000 miles of railways, enough to go coast-to-coast; shorter, high speed rail projects; and rehabilitating or reconstructing 150 miles of airport runways, while also installing a next gen- eration air navigation system designed to reduce travel times and delays.” Roads, rails and runways — why not rivers? WCI issued a press statement reacting to the Obama announcement: “While the nation celebrated Labor Day and all that the workforce has done to make America great, the waterways transportation industry was left dis- appointed and puzzled about why the President’s announcement earlier this week to fund at least $50 bil- lion in infrastructure projects over the long term does not include any waterways or port projects. Our inland water- ways not only support people who work on our rivers, but workers in our agricultural community and the many industries who rely on our waterways for affordable trans- portation of their goods, both domestically and for world markets. To not include and dismiss our nation’s most environmentally sound, energy efficient and congestion- relieving mode of transportation, when its lock and dam infrastructure consistently earns a ‘D’ grade, is unreason- able and unacceptable. “For all these reasons and more, the inland waterways industry remains a solution for the future and its infra- The waterways transportation industry was left disap- pointed and puzzled about why the President’s announcement to fund at least $50 billion in infrastructure projects over the long term does not include any waterways or port projects. In Obama’s Plan, Where are the Rivers & Ports By Cornel Martin, President/CEO, Waterways Council, Inc. One of the two miter gates of the auxiliary chamber close behind the M/V Sir Robert at Locks 27 in Granite City, Ill. Photo cour tesy USACE
