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Feb
25
Written by:
news editor
2/25/2009 1:00 AM
02/25/09 Appropriation will improve economic development, sedimentation issues in Ohio and other Great Lake state
ODNR Advocates for Release of Harbor Maintenance Funds
Appropriation will improve economic development, sedimentation issues in
Ohio and other Great Lake states
COLUMBUS, OH - Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Sean Logan yesterday urged a panel of Great Lakes leaders to champion a sustainable funding mechanism for the Great Lakes, including Lake Erie.
Director Logan encouraged the Great Lakes Commission to ask Congress and the administration to appropriate the full annual revenue from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) and invest it in the maritime transportation system that supports trade and manufacturing throughout the Midwest. Shipping interests pay into the HMTF, which is designated for maintaining open waterways for shipping, primarily dredging. However, Congress has not fully appropriated the annual revenue since 2003.
"If Congress would spend the full amount from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, it would stimulate economic development and job creation throughout the region," said Logan. "Investing in the Great Lakes in this way will improve the Great Lakes navigation infrastructure and benefit the health of our freshwater resources through proper disposal of dredge material."
Efficient shipping on the Great Lakes is critical to Ohio's economy. James H.I. Weakley, president of the Lake Carriers' Association, the association that represents U.S. Flag vessel operations on the Great Lakes, said that shipments to and from Lake Erie ports top 50 million tons each year.
"Ohio's ports could handle more cargo if they were dredged to project dimensions, but decades of inadequate funding has left them clogged with sediment," said Weakley. "The Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund has a surplus of nearly $5 billion. It's time to put the Trust back in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund and use those tax dollars for their intended purpose - dredging our nation's ports and waterways."
The Great Lakes Commission is a binational agency that promotes the integrated, comprehensive development, use and conservation of the water and related natural resources of the Great Lakes basin and St. Lawrence River. Acting on behalf of the Great Lakes states, the Commission will present its annual federal legislative priorities to Congress on Feb. 25 at Great Lakes Day in Washington, D.C.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www.ohiodnr.com.
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For further information, contact:
Cathryn Loucas, ODNR Deputy Director
614. 265. 6888
Beth Ruth, ODNR Media Relations
614. 265. 6860
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