Barge Transportation Could Stop on Critical Mississippi River in
December
Preventative Measures Must Be Taken Now to Avoid National
Economic Consequences
AWO & WCI News Release
8 November 2012
PRESS CONTACTS: Ann McCulloch, AWO, 703-373-2252 - Debra
Colbert, WCI, 703-373-2278
[The Upper Monongahela River Association has memberships in
Waterways Council and National Waterways Conference.]
ARLINGTON, VA – The American Waterways Operators (AWO) and
Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) are calling upon Congress and the
Administration to address a developing situation on the
Mississippi River which could effectively bring commerce on the
Mighty Mississippi to a halt in early December.
Water releases from dams on the upper Missouri River are planned
to be significantly scaled back later this month and these
reductions are expected to negatively impact the Mississippi River
water level between St. Louis and Cairo, IL beginning December 1.
Of particular concern are hazardous rock formations near Thebes
and Grand Tower, IL, which threaten navigation when water levels
drop to anticipated, near historic lows. The rock formations,
combined with the reduced flows from the Missouri River, will
prohibit the transport of essential goods along this critical
point in the river, effectively stopping barge transportation on
the middle Mississippi River around December 10.
“Congress and the Administration need to understand the immediate
severity of this situation,” said Tom Allegretti, AWO’s President
& CEO. “The Mississippi River is an economic superhighway that
efficiently carries hundreds of millions of tons of essential
goods for domestic use as well as national export. We need to
address this situation swiftly, cut through bureaucratic red tape,
and prevent the closure of the Mississippi.”
AWO and WCI are urging Congress and the President to direct the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expedite the removal of the rock
formations near Thebes and Grand Tower before the Mississippi
River reaches critical low water levels in December. The groups
stated that additional measures should also be explored to
preserve water levels that support navigation on the Mississippi
through the winter months.
“Along with 150 million tons of agricultural products, nearly 180
million tons of coal, 150 million tons of petroleum, and all of
the associated manufacturing jobs those and many other commodities
support, the effects of stopping commerce on the Mississippi River
will be felt harshly across the country,” said Michael J. Toohey,
President & CEO of WCI. “We need to find a way to keep
commerce moving, and I am confident the government can do so
without having a significant impact on the many other
beneficiaries of our inland waterways system whose need for water
we recognize,” he continued.
ABOUT AWO
The American Waterways Operators is the national trade association
representing the nation’s tugboat, towboat and barge industry
which operates along the rivers, coasts, Great Lakes and harbors
of the United States. Barge transportation serves the nation
as the safest, most environmentally friendly and most economical
mode of freight transportation. For more information about
AWO, please visit http://www.americanwaterways.com
ABOUT WCI
Waterways Council, Inc. is the national public policy organization
advocating for a modern and well-maintained national system of
ports and inland waterways. Its members include shippers and
receivers of bulk commodities, waterways carriers, ports, shipping
associations, agriculture groups, organized labor, advocacy
groups, and environmental and conservation organizations.
For more information on WCI, please visit http://www.waterwayscouncil.org