State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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92_HJ0054

 
                                               LRB9211165DHgc

 1                       HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, The State of Illinois borders or  contains  over
 3    1,000 miles of the inland waterway system; and

 4        WHEREAS,  Many  of Illinois' locks and dams are more than
 5    60 years old and only 600 feet long, making  them  unable  to
 6    accommodate  modern  barge  tows  of  1,200 feet long, nearly
 7    tripling  locking  times  and  causing  lengthy  delays   and
 8    ultimately increasing shipping costs; and

 9        WHEREAS,  The  use  of  1,200-foot  locks has been proven
10    nationwide  as  the  best  method  of  improving  efficiency,
11    reducing congestion, and modernizing  the  inland  waterways;
12    and

13        WHEREAS,  The construction of the lock and dam system has
14    spurred economic growth and a higher standard  of  living  in
15    the  Mississippi and Illinois river basin, and today supplies
16    more than 300,000,000 tons of the nation's cargo,  supporting
17    more  than  400,000  jobs, including 90,000 in manufacturing;
18    and

19        WHEREAS, More than 60% of American agricultural  exports,
20    including,  corn,  wheat,  and soybeans, are shipped down the
21    Mississippi  and  Illinois  rivers  on  the  way  to  foreign
22    markets; and

23        WHEREAS, Illinois farmers, producers, and consumers  rely
24    on efficient transportation to remain competitive in a global
25    economy,  and  efficiencies  in river transport offset higher
26    production costs,  compared  to  those  incurred  by  foreign
27    competitors; and

28        WHEREAS,  The Upper Mississippi and Illinois lock and dam
29    system saves our nation more than  $1,500,000,000  in  higher
30    transportation  costs  each  year,  and  failing to construct
31    1,200-foot locks will cause farmers  to  use  more  expensive
 
                            -2-                LRB9211165DHgc
 1    alternative  modes  of  transportation,  including trucks and
 2    trains; and

 3        WHEREAS, According to the U.S. Army Corps  of  Engineers,
 4    congestion along the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers is
 5    costing  Illinois  and  other  producers and consumers in the
 6    basin $98,000,000 per year in  higher  transportation  costs;
 7    and

 8        WHEREAS, River transportation is the most environmentally
 9    friendly form of transporting goods and commodities, creating
10    almost  no  noise  pollution  and  emitting  35% to 60% fewer
11    pollutants than either trucks or  trains,  according  to  the
12    U.S. EPA; and

13        WHEREAS,  Moving  away  from  river  transport  would add
14    millions  of  trucks  and   rail   cars   to   our   nation's
15    infrastructure, adding air pollution, traffic congestion, and
16    greater wear and tear on highways; and

17        WHEREAS,  Backwater  lakes  created  by  the lock and dam
18    system provide breeding grounds for migratory  waterfowl  and
19    fish; and

20        WHEREAS,  The lakes and 500 miles of wildlife refuge also
21    support  a   $1,000,000,000-a-year   recreational   industry,
22    including hunting, fishing, and tourism jobs; and

23        WHEREAS,  Upgrading  the  system of locks and dams on the
24    Upper Mississippi and  Illinois  rivers  will  provide  3,000
25    construction and related jobs over a 15-20 year period; and

26        WHEREAS, In 1999 Illinois was the leading shipping state,
27    with   more   than  66,000,000  tons  of  Illinois  products,
28    including  grain,  coal,  chemicals,  aggregates,  and  other
29    products, representing a value of more  than  $8,000,000,000;
30    and
 
                            -3-                LRB9211165DHgc
 1        WHEREAS, 109,000,000 tons of commodities including grain,
 2    coal,  chemicals, aggregates, and other products were shipped
 3    to,  from,  and  within  Illinois  by   barge,   representing
 4    $16,000,000,000 in value; and

 5        WHEREAS,  An  additional  136,000,000 tons of commodities
 6    pass Illinois' borders on the Mississippi  and  Ohio  rivers,
 7    representing a value of more than $43,000,000,000; and

 8        WHEREAS,  Shippers moving by barge in Illinois realized a
 9    savings of approximately $1,000,000,000,  compared  to  other
10    transportation modes; and

11        WHEREAS,  Illinois  docks shipped products by barge to 20
12    states and received products from 18 states; and

13        WHEREAS, Barges moving to and from Lake Michigan use  the
14    O'Brien  Lock,  with  the  Chicago  Lock  passing over 36,000
15    recreation vessels and over 410,000 passengers on over 13,000
16    commercial passenger vessels; and

17        WHEREAS,  There  are  approximately   364   manufacturing
18    facilities,   terminals,   and  docks  on  the  waterways  of
19    Illinois,  representing  thousands  of  jobs  in  the  State;
20    therefore be it

21        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES   OF   THE
22    NINETY-SECOND  GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
23    SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we recognize the importance of
24    inland waterway transportation to Illinois agriculture and to
25    industry in the State, the region, and the nation,  and  that
26    we urge Congress to authorize funding to construct l,200-foot
27    locks on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois River System; and
28    be it further

29        RESOLVED,  That  suitable  copies  of  this Resolution be
30    delivered to the President Pro Tempore and the  Secretary  of
31    the  United  States  Senate, the Speaker and the Clerk of the
 
                            -4-                LRB9211165DHgc
 1    United States House of  Representatives,  the  Chair  of  the
 2    Senate  Committee  on  Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
 3    the Chair  of  the  House  Committee  on  Transportation  and
 4    Infrastructure, and to the Illinois congressional delegation.

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