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Locking down money for locks and dams
The new barge user fee to fund improvements on the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers is going to move things along, says Illinois Corn Growers President Kenny Hartman. He tells Brownfield Ag News, “I know there was some projections of maybe trying to get a lock started in maybe 2040, 2050, where this should significantly increase the possibility in the next couple of years versus waiting for many, many years in the future.”
And Hartman says they’ve waited many, many years already – with Congress passing – but not funding – Water Resources development legislation. Hartman says this will greatly improve conditions for grain shipments, “Everybody’s very happy that they’re actually going this route. Hopefully, we can get some infrastructure things done on the rivers and, basically, modernize our lock and dam system.”
The provision was part of the spending bill signed by President Obama – and increase the fee from 20 cents to 29 cents a gallon for diesel fuel used to power barges. The law goes into effect April 1, 2015.
AUDIO: Interview with Kenny Hartman (5:00 mp3):
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