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March 11, 2013
Time to Update Our Waterways
For more information on Newsline, contact: Johnna Miller, Director of Media Development, American Farm Bureau Federation johnnam@fb.org
You may not ever see one of the nation’s locks, may pay no attention to our inland waterway system, but American Farm Bureau transportation specialist Andrew Walmsley says they’re more important to you than you probably realize. AFBF’s Johnna Miller has that story.
| Miller: | Those who work on and depend on the nation’s waterways are so desperate for improvements to that aging infrastructure they’re willing to pay higher fees to make that happen. American Farm Bureau transportation specialist Andrew Walmsley says the Reinvesting in Vital Economic Rivers and Waterways Act – known as the RIVER Act – would help to make that happen. |
| Walmsley: | Part of this plan is an increase in a user fee. This is basically a fee on the barge industry and customers like farmers and ranchers. So the industry itself is saying, We’re willing to put a little bit more money in, hoping that the federal government matches us with that.” |
| Miller: | The RIVER Act preserves an existing 50 percent industry/50 percent federal cost-sharing formula for new lock construction and rehabilitation projects. It would also prioritize projects throughout the waterways system to get the most bang for the buck. |
| Walmsley: | It’s one of the most cost-competitive, fuel-efficient ways to move freight across the country. But we’re getting to the point that we’re really concerned that there could be a significant lock failure. We’re seeing the system deteriorate. A portion of it was built when there were Model Ts on the road and been operating since. The Army Corps is doing an amazing job with what they have, but we need to start thinking about how we can not only keep them running, but start improving them and keep them competitive going forward. |
| Miller: | And why should you care? Because moving goods by barge saves you money. |
| Walmsley: | When you look at what one 15-barge tow can carry: the equivalent of 216 railroad cars or a little over 1,000 semi-trucks and these barges are carrying goods we need in our everyday lives. They help keep them affordable, because it’s the cheapest form of transportation. If there were to be a significant failure on our locks and dams, you’re looking at material not getting moved, not only because it’s more expensive. We just don’t have the added capacity of those railcars that would be needed or those trucks or the roads. Think about if there was 1,000 more trucks on the road every day just because one tow was out of service. That’s the impact. |
| Miller: | And, of course, if a lock is out of service, much more than just one barge would be out of service. That would mean hundreds more trucks on the roads, which means higher transportation costs. And who would pay those costs? You. Johnna Miller, Washington. |
| Miller: | Newsline is updated Mondays and Thursdays by 5pm Eastern. Thank you for listening. |