In an article yesterday in The Maritime Executive, an article was offered talking about progress on the Senate side to fund $6B for improvements to the navigable waterways in the US and also in the bill $1.3B for the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund.  This still needs to move through the House, but good progress.  Some celebrations may be deserved for about this, so good work to all involved.

That said, we all know this is not enough to do what needs to be done, especially if we’re thinking about a step-change kind of thinking in terms of the US inland waterway system.  Some thoughts that we think related and pertinent:

  • The infrastructure need at and connecting to US ports (coastal and inland) is quite substantial, still underfunded and still a haphazard quilt of federal, state and local investment planning.  For a 21st century globally competitive economy, this is far from acceptable.  Yes we’ve made progress, but we’re far from getting there.
  • So this is about money, yes.  But it’s also about the right hand and the left hand working together, a lot better.
  • The (public) money would flow more easily if these were more than “infrastructure maintenance” kinds of conversations.  Who in the their right mind gets excited about maintenance of infrastructure?  Not too many people, and frankly politicians are people and we like joined-up things that are wrapped in some sexy gift box.  Investments in locks on the Ohio River or in the St Lawrence Seaway aren’t sexy.  At all.
  • But economic development that takes advantage of these investment is very sexy.  And in this case sexy can be very substantive too. But we’re still a long way off from that it seems.  When was the last time that the International Economic Development Council focused with the American Association of Port Authorities on these fundamental issues at a joint national conference?
  • Some states are trying to make progress in weaving together transport investment and economic development, but largely it’s been very high-level thinking without much in the way of teeth, funding or commitment. We can do a lot better. There has been some effort to join-up thinking along the Great Lakes on a multi-state (and Province) basis and even along the inland waterways, but still we need to do a lot more.
  • Our work with manufacturing companies suggests that there is a hunger for some fundamental product integration, matching-up transportation infrastructure planning, land development and investment incentives. This is critical – that we comprehend what industry needs and work to merge the silos of government. This is not occurring today.

The article from The Maritime Executive follows:

 

Senate Passes Funding For Waterways and Ports

On Thursday, the U.S. Senate passed the FY2017 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill by a wide margin of 90 to eight. It is the first appropriations legislation to pass the Senate this year, and it incorporates $6 billion in funding for the Civil Works Program of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the agency charged with maintenance and improvements to navigable waterways.

For ports, the bill includes $1.3 billion for Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund work, more than last year and about ten percent higher than the target established under previous legislation. The House version of the bill is awaiting floor action, after which the legislation will be reconciled in conference and sent to the president for signature.“This is extremely important legislation that will aid our economy and environment, and the ability of America’s ports to handle increasingly larger cargo and passenger ships,” said American Association of Port Authorities President and CEO Kurt Nagle. “It reflects substantial advocacy by AAPA and our member seaports to appropriate crucial funding to maintain and improve our nation’s navigation infrastructure and provide more donor equity. We now look to the House leadership to bring this bipartisan bill to the House floor for a vote soon.”

In addition to harbor provisions, funding for the Corps of Engineers’ operations & maintenance account was set at a record $3.2 billion, almost half a billion dollars above the administration’s request. Its construction account was funded at $1.8 billion, up by more than $700 million.

“Strong, effective leadership was demonstrated today in negotiating and passing this important appropriations bill that offers record funding to modernize our Nation’s inland waterways transportation system.  Recapitalizing this critical link in the transportation supply chain enables the U.S. to be prepared for expected export growth,” said Waterways Council (WCI) President Michael J. Toohey.