Rivers may be in peril if tide doesn't turn

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | Friday, May 28, 2004 | Ron DaParma

[Willie Green]

The jobs of hundreds of workers who oversee operation of the region's river system for the U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers could be in jeopardy if a shortfall in federal funds to upgrade the rivers' aging lock-and-dam system continues, officials warned Thursday.

Operation of the river system itself could also be in peril, along with the millions of dollars worth of commerce that are shipped annually.

"While we are here to celebrate a really striking development in the dedication of the Braddock dam ... we have some problems because of the perilous condition of our locks and dams," said James McCarville, executive director of the Port of Pittsburgh Commission, at a news conference.

[gcruse]

the millions of dollars worth of commerce that are shipped annually.

That's all?  How many billions does the ACOE spends annually to make that commerce possible?

[Willie Green]

That's all?

LOL! I'm certain that's either a typo or a misstatement.
Page 10 of this PDF file, The U.S. Inland Waterway Transport System: Multipurpose and Integrated Uses on North American Rivers, says that in 2001, we shipped over 500 million metric tons of cargo (worth $112 billion) from 31 states through our inland and intracoastal waterways.

[Willie Green]

How many billions does the ACOE spends annually to make that commerce possible?

The helluvit is: they've ALREADY COLLECTED the funding from user fees. They just won't release the funds.

Palmer said the organization is pushing for release of additional funds from the Waterways Trust Fund, which receives half of its annual revenues from a 20-cent-per-gallon diesel fuel tax paid by commercial users to maintain the waterways.
The fund has a $400 million surplus, he said.

Barge owners press Congress to allocate funds for improvements