March 2015 • Volume 7, Issue #3
OUTREACH for FY 2016
APPROPRIATIONS STILL NEEDED
As the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S.
Senate deadlines for Appropriations requests to the
Energy & Water Development Subcommittees
approach, your outreach is critical!
The committee’s deadline of March 18 means each
House Representative is now assembling their
appropriations requests. WCI has been reaching out
to offices as follow-up from the February 10-12 DC
Seminar with four asks:

$3 billion for the Operations and
Maintenance account;

$360 million - the maximum amount the
Inland Waterways Trust Fund can support
for the Construction account (modernization
and rehabilitation);


$10 million from the Investigations account
to continue pre-construction engineering and
design work for the Navigation-Ecosystem
Sustainability Program (NESP);
$1.25 billion for the Harbor Maintenance
Trust Fund.
A call to action for WCI members to reach out to
Senators and House Members went out March 11.
A pre-written letter is available on our website:
Waterways Council Call to Action on FY16 River
Infrastructure Appropriations
Advocates simply plug in their zip code, identify
and select their elected officials in the House and
Senate, review the letter (with the ability to edit it)
and send the letter via email. The letter can be
forwarded to co-workers or colleagues with a note
to act. Advocates can also sign up to receive future
action alerts.
CORPS of ENGINEERS to KEEP UPPER
ST. ANTHONY FALLS OPEN UNTIL
JUNE 9
Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock (USAF) in
Minneapolis will reopen for the 2015 season and
remain open until its imminent closure as prescribed
by WRRDA.
In a February 25 press release, the St. Paul District
announced the reopening of USAF for the
navigation season. Doubts existed whether USAF
would reopen, given its status to close indefinitely.
The Upper St. Anthony Falls lock was scuttled in
the 2014 Water Resources Reform & Development
Act (WRRDA). The Minneapolis-based lock (mile
854) will close on or before June 10, 2015, as
required in WRRDA.
In a press release, the St. Paul District announced,
“The decision to reopen the lock for approximately
2.5 months was based on our Environmental
Assessment as well as discussions with our partners,
stakeholders and concerned groups. The Corps
considered every opinion and decided to open the
lock to navigation for a brief period this spring to
allow businesses to transport and stockpile materials
prior to the permanent closure.”
The lock closure has significant economic impacts
to the region’s businesses.
Two Minnesota
employers located upriver of the USAF, Aggregate
Industries and Northern Metal Recycling, employ
more than 800 people. In addition to the direct
economic impact to these two employers, the lock
March 2015 • Volume 7, Issue #3
closure will have an effect on Minnesota residents;
as an example, in the case of Aggregate Industries,
switching from barge to truck will require
approximately 20,000 eighteen wheel trucks per
year.
“’We fully recognize that this decision will be
applauded by some and criticized by others,’” said
Col. Dan Koprowski, St. Paul District commander.
“’This is not a decision I made lightly. Certainly
reopening the lock carries some limited risk, but
that risk had to be balanced against the cost to the
businesses that will be forced to transition away
from inland waterway navigation as a result of the
lock closure. After a great deal of consultation and
careful consideration of the potential risks, I
decided to reopen the lock for a brief period this
spring in order to provide those businesses the
opportunity to prepare for that transition.’”
Waterways Council urged its members to weigh in
during WRRDA implementation listening sessions
hosted by the Corps, as well as during a public
comment period specifically related to the USAF
closure, to stave off closure until absolutely the
latest date.
Tied to the closure, as reported in last month’s
Midwest Update, is the January announcement by
the St. Paul District of its intention to reduce service
at two neighboring locks. A single 10-hour shift
each day of the week, spanning 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.,
would replace normal operations at Lower St.
Anthony Falls and Lock and Dam 1.
The move will begin when the Corps implements
the permanent closure of USAF. In its January
Waterways edition, the Upper Mississippi
Waterways Association pointed out the closure,
purportedly to stem Asian carp migration (though
not mentioned in WRRDA), “was mandated well
before an extensive water sampling program by the
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service” was completed.
The UWFWS results thus far showed “only a small
amount” of eDNA, or environmental DNA, in pools
6, 8, and 9. “Scientists collected more than 500
water samples and found eDNA in only one” of the
samples. The accuracy of eDNA is still up for
debate as a predictor of actual fish presence.
In a January press statement, the St. Paul District
announced the reduced service at the other two
locks, saying, “In the course of making this final
decision, Corps staff evaluated many factors
including a significantly higher than average
number of lock closure days the past two years,
impacts to staff, environmental concerns, navigation
industry concerns and the impending closure of the
Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam to
navigation.”
WCI EDUCATES AG GROUPS at
COMMODITY CLASSIC
A record 7,936 people attended the 20th annual
Commodity Classic, co-hosted by the National Corn
Growers
Association,
American
Soybean
Association, National Association of Wheat
Growers, and National Sorghum Producers.
The total attendance was more than 600 people over
the previous record, 7,325, set in 2014. Other
records broken were the number of growers, at
4,328 (compared to 3,874 in 2014); and the number
of first-time attendees, at 1,409 (compared to 1,261
in 2014).
Waterways Council hosted a breakfast briefing for
its members and prospective members on the
March 2015 • Volume 7, Issue #3
morning of February 27, detailing President
Obama’s FY16 budget, current Appropriations
requests, and the challenges ahead for 2015, as well
as a review of the many highlights from 2014. The
forum offered an opportunity for WCI member
associations and companies to provide feedback for
WCI activities.
"Since first joining the Waterways Council a year
ago, we continue to be impressed by the quality
policy work and issues communication WCI does
on behalf of inland waterways,” said Brent
Burchett, Program Director of the Kentucky
Soybean Association (KSA).
WCI also joined 354 other companies in exhibiting
at the trade show. The WCI booth was wellreceived, with new graphics and banners detailing
the importance of inland river transportation to the
agriculture and agribusiness sectors.
Former NCGA President (and WCI Board Member)
Garry Niemeyer joined WCI staff and members of
the Carpenters’ District Council of Greater St. Louis
and Vicinity in helping with outreach and
networking with attendees.
“The value of its unique membership - barge
operators, labor unions, nature groups, farmer
organizations and others - was evident during our
first Capitol Hill visit with WCI to work on
WRDAA. Efficient river transportation is vital for
Kentucky grain producers, and our partnership with
WCI is a sound investment in the future of our
agricultural economy," he continued.
KSA joined WCI last year as a result of WCI
participation in Commodity Classic 2013 and 2014.
KSA also joined several other agriculture
associations to advocate alongside organized labor
and conservation groups at WCI-led Capitol Hill
fly-ins last year, providing momentum for
WRRDA’s passage.
WCI staff also took advantage of the many coalition
members attending by providing individual
briefings for state delegation meetings.
The
outreach allowed WCI to connect with multiple
boards, committees and association leadership
during the week.
WCI Board member Dale Roth joined Dan Barger, both from
the Carpenters’ District Council of Greater St. Louis and
Vicinity, in outreach during Commodity Classic
The trade show continues to grow. This year’s
170,500 net square feet of booth space set a new
record from 2014 results, with 301 exhibitors using
126,200 net square feet.
"The number of first-time attendees we saw at this
year's Classic was important to us," Commodity
Classic Co-Chair Bart Schott said.
March 2015 • Volume 7, Issue #3
"It shows that growers are spreading the word about
the value of the Commodity Classic experience and that they appreciate how the world-class
educational and networking opportunities help them
back home," he said.
The 21st annual Commodity Classic will take place
March 3-5, 2016, in New Orleans.
RE-OPENING of NAV SEASON
DELAYED
The St. Paul District announced the delay in
reopening Lock and Dam 5A this month, based in
part because “thick ice conditions indicate that
navigation will not begin on the Upper Mississippi
until later than originally anticipated.”
The original March 9 date for the site, located at
Fountain City, WI, has now been changed to March
23 in part to accommodate work crews completing
scheduled maintenance. Industry was consulted on
the ice conditions and its impact to operations.
L/D 5A was closed for renovation and maintenance
on December 1, 2014. During the closure, the lock
is dewatered to perform the work. Scheduled
maintenance includes repairing concrete; repairing,
sandblasting and painting the miter gates and
replacing the bubbler system.
CORPS to CONGRESS: SKY ISN’T
FALLING REGARDING ASIAN CARP
The commanding general of the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers testified to Congress on February 11
that Asian carp aren’t advancing toward Lake
Michigan.
Lieutenant General Thomas Bostick said the
presence of adult fish remain about 55 miles away
from Lake Michigan, south of the electric barriers.
The carp's spawning area is 62 miles from Lake
Michigan.
“Established populations” of the
invasive carp remain 143 miles from the lake.
The reason, it would appear, is the success of the
electric barriers installed in the Chicago Sanitary
and Ship Canal (CSSC) near Romeoville, IL. The
CSSC is the man-made hydrologic connection
between the Mississippi River basin and the Great
Lakes. Allowing the reversal of the flow of the
Chicago River, it was originally constructed for
flood control and to address early 20th century
sanitation needs for the rapidly-growing Chicago
area.
During the Waterways Council Capitol Hill fly-in,
LTG Bostick informed the U.S. House
Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water
Development that carp haven’t moved north of the
electric barriers. The first of three barriers were
constructed in 2002.
"The point is, the leading edge of the Asian carp has
not changed movement since 2006," LTG Bostick
said in response to a question from Rep. Marcy
Kaptur (D, OH-09). "We don't know why they
haven't moved" further upstream, he said. You can
view a 3-D model of the barriers here.
Rep. Kaptur, from the Toledo area, began the
discussion of Asian carp, inquiring “I’m curious as
to how many years it would take to have the
operational barrier completed at the Brandon Road
Lock and Dam…and what can be done to speed up
the process, if it’s going to languish out there.”
March 2015 • Volume 7, Issue #3
MG John Peabody responded that a review at
Corps’ headquarters would occur in March on the
regional proposal to “execute the feasibility study”
for the Brandon Road lock project, and a
determination for what “the appropriate funding
allocation” would be at the Des Plaines River site,
just south of Joliet, IL.
The study reveals for “particularly Minnesota,
Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota..the
farmers in that region have limited local markets for
the products, less access to barge or other
transportation alternatives, and more limited crop
storage relative to the recent expansion of corn
production.”
Rep. Kaptur also hinted at a request for a “special
briefing” for legislators impacted by the threat of
the invasive species.
The brief carp discussion was part of the larger
hearing on the entire Army Corps of Engineers
2016 fiscal year budget. You can view the entire
hearing here – Asian carp discussion begins at 1
hour, 59 minute, 20 seconds.
View Rail Service Challenges in the Upper
Midwest: Implications for Agricultural Sectors –
Preliminary Analysis of the 2013-2014 Situation
here.
NEW USDA REPORT: RAIL
CONGESTION LEFT GRAIN SHIPPERS
HIGH & DRY
A newly-released U.S. Department of Agriculture
study highlights, among other things, the effect of a
lack of reliable river transportation. The record
2013-2014 harvest, combined with limited rail
capacity to move the grain, resulted in many Upper
Midwest grain-producing states with no options but
to put it in storage.
The study, requested by Sens. John Thune (R-SD)
and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), reveals that states
were left with storage of grain and oilseed stocks of
up to 40 percent higher than in previous years.
This storage resulted in less-than-optimal storage
options for the 2015 harvest. According to the
study, production and stocks exceeded permanent
capacity by over 900 million bushels for the 20142015 harvest.
JOURNEY of EXPLORATION of
AMERICA’S WATERWAYS OPENS with
RECEPTION for INDUSTRY, ELECTED
OFFICIALS
RiverWorks Discovery returned to the Midwest this
month with an opening reception to celebrate the
commerce, culture and conservation of America’s
inland rivers.
St. Louis’ historic Union Station is hosting Journey
of Exploration of America’s Waterways now
through May 3. The exhibit provides hands-on,
interactive displays, designed to teach the
importance of commerce, culture, and conservation
on America’s inland waterways. The exhibit was
designed with a focus on children but is a fun
experience for all ages.
View a local St. Louis television news feature about
Journey of Exploration of America’s Waterways
here.
RiverWorks Discovery supporters helped host a
reception March 4 at St. Louis Union Station, in
conjunction with the Inland Waterways Conference.
Mayor Tom Thompson of Grafton IL did the
March 2015 • Volume 7, Issue #3
ribbon-cutting honors to open the exhibit to the
public in the venerable train station hall.
Staff members from the offices of Sen. Roy Blunt
(R-MO), Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL), Rep. Rodney
Davis (R, IL-13), Rep. John Shimkus (R, IL-15),
Rep. Mike Bost (R, IL-15) and Rep. Ann Wagner
(R, MO-02) were also in attendance.
You can find event photos on the RWD Facebook
page here.
The first field trip toured the exhibit on March 6, as
the third grade class of Immacolata Catholic School
from Richmond Heights, MO visited Journey of
Exploration of America’s Waterways.
Representatives, sworn in on February 17. The
Republican from Glenwood, Iowa has been a longtime
advocate for river transportation through Iowa
agriculture associations. He won a special election on
February 10 with 73 percent of the vote.
Sieck is a past-president of the Iowa Corn Growers
Association and has been active in the National
Corn Growers Association, as well as the U.S.
Grains Council. In 2008 he was appointed to the
Missouri
River
Recovery
Implementation
Committee.
Sieck and his brother manage their family’s fourthgeneration farm, which sits along the Missouri
River and extends near Maryville, Missouri. They
also own a farm in Kansas.
COALITION to PROTECT the
MISSOURI RIVER DIRECTOR to RUN
for MISSOURI GOVERNOR
Randy Asbury, Director of the Coalition to Protect
the Missouri River, announced on February 12 his
candidacy for Missouri Governor in 2016.
Students from the third grade of Immacolata Catholic School
in Richmond Heights, MO enjoyed learning about how locks
and dams work.
View more photos of the field trip on WCI's
Facebook page.
LONGTIME RIVER ALLY ELECTED to
IOWA LEGISLATURE
Congratulations to State Representative David
Sieck, the 100th member of the Iowa House of
Asbury's background includes farming, small
business owner, Missouri State Representative,
Executive Director of the Coalition to Protect the
Missouri River and Principal and CEO of Principled
Solutions and Strategies, LLC.
Congratulations and best of luck to Randy, his wife
Connie, sons Tristan and Eli, and daughters
Kiersten and Mandi!
March 2015 • Volume 7, Issue #3
AUDUBON EVENT on BIRD
MIGRATION, IMPORTANCE of UPPER
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY
The Audubon Center at Riverlands is hosting a
Migration Family Bird Walk at its West Alton, MO
center, 301 Riverlands Way, on March 28 from
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Come learn about the amazing journeys of some the
birds of the Mississippi Flyway. The program will
begin inside with an introduction to migration and
some of the species in the sanctuary. Guided walks
will then commence to find some of the migratory
birds. The event, part of their educational
programming and outreach, is free and familyoriented, but please RSVP by emailing Julie Watson
at jwatson@audubon.org or calling 636-899-0090.
The Center is open year-round from 8:00 a.m. to
4:00 p.m. every day.