Bart Stupak asks for Soo Locks funding. Doesn't get it

NEWS RELEASE

US CONGRESSMAN BART STUPAK

**************************** Corps of Engineers announces $7.78 million for Northern Michigan projects

Stupak disappointed with lack of additional funding for Soo Lock construction

WASHINGTON - (April 28) - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released on Tuesday the list of projects that will be funded with the $4.6 billion appropriated to the Corps through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). 

U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) announced that $7.87 million will be spent on operations and maintenance projects in Northern Michigan, bringing the total the First Congressional District has received from the ARRA to more than $115 million.

“Northern Michigan’s lakes, rivers and harbors are vital to our local economies,” Stupak said. “An investment in our waterways is an investment in our tourism, shipping, fishing and recreation industries. While this money is just a fraction of what is needed in Northern Michigan to properly maintain our harbors and waterways, I am pleased the Corps has made this investment and will soon be awarding contracts to begin these projects.”

Of the $4.6 billion provided to the Corps for projects nationwide, $23 million was awarded for projects in Michigan, including $7.87 million for projects in the First Congressional District. 

Those projects are:

- $4 million to complete repair of the Petoskey breakwater in order to restore safe navigation into and out of harbor. The $2.989 million appropriated for the project in fiscal year 2008 was provided to the Army Corps to begin repairs of the breakwater.

- $3 million to perform maintenance and upgrades to the Soo Locks, including the fabrication of Emergency Stop Logs for the Poe Lock.

- $548,000 to perform condition surveys and issue contracts for dredging of Inland Route. The Inland Waterway is the longest navigable link between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, nearly connecting the two Great Lakes from Cheboygan to Petoskey. 

- $322,000 to perform condition surveys and issue contracts for dredging of Little Lake Harbor. The harbor is located on Lake Superior in a very remote area of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Due to the rough water conditions that occur at this location sediment builds up rapidly necessitating frequent dredging.

“Completion of these projects has been long anticipated by our Northern Michigan communities,” Stupak said. “The Petoskey breakwater project in particular will bring closure to a project that has been a top priority for the community.”

While Stupak was pleased to see funding provided to four Northern Michigan projects, he was concerned with a lack of economic recovery funds for a top priority for Michigan and the Great Lakes region: construction of a new Soo Lock to replace the aging Sabin and Davis locks.

“I met with White House officials this morning to discuss the absence of additional construction funds for the new Soo Lock from the Corps of Engineers economic recovery project list,” Stupak said. “Ultimately the Corps of Engineers has decided to spend its money where it believes it will have the greatest economic impact. I conveyed my concern to the White House that the full impact of the new Soo Lock might not have been considered.”

Stupak noted that although no construction funding for the new lock will be provided through ARRA, $17 million was recently appropriated and signed into law through the fiscal year 2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act to begin building the coffer dams necessary to construct the replacement lock.

“The Soo Lock project will move forward,” Stupak said. “I and many other members of Congress across the region had hoped that this shovel-ready project would receive additional funding from the recovery act, but the Corps of Engineers decision will in no way delay the work set to begin this year and their decision is not final.”

Construction of the new Soo Lock would be the largest public works navigation project on the Great Lakes in a generation and would generate nearly $500 million annually in economic activity. 

The Corps of Engineers estimates that full funding for the project would create at least 15,000 jobs.

The complete list of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Projects funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act can be found here http://www.usace.army.mil/recovery/Pages/Projects.aspx

****************************