Realize America’s Maritime Promise (RAMP) Coalition Update
February 26, 2010 —
To All Members:
Currently the Corps’ New Orleans District (NOD) is in need of an estimated additional $97 million in their budget to restore and maintain authorized channel dimensions on the Lower Mississippi River (LMR). As a member of the RAMP Executive Committee, the undersigned participated in the latest telecon to discuss the current status of this effort to secure full appropriations from the monies collected via the Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT). GSMA issued several circulars over the last few years regarding the RAMP Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) initiative. This initiative, if successful, would roughly double the Corps’ national budget for dredging and harbor maintenance projects. The Corps’ NOD budget for Fiscal Year 2010 is $97 million below the estimate to fund dredging and restore the LMR to authorized dimensions. Since November 2009, extended high water levels and the interrelated, excessive shoaling on the LMR have both been at historical levels.
The Corps’ NOD expects to successfully reprogram $30 million from other projects over the next few days, but an urgent need exists for the additional $67 million. Because of the shoaling in the area below Mile 10 Above Head of Passes (AHP), the Crescent River Pilots recently enforced two draft limitations in this lower end of their route. The Pilots on the LMR will have no other option other than to implement more stringent draft recommendations/restrictions if additional monies are not appropriated for dredging. There have already been three draft restrictions imposed below Mile 10 AHP over the last two months.
GSMA is currently requesting support from the Louisiana Congressional Delegation to seek the estimated $67 million in supplemental funding to maintain the LMR. Attached for your reference is the support letter sent to Senator Vitter. The need for additional funds for maintenance dredging on the LMR occurs almost every year, and it is directly related to the under appropriation of the HMTF monies. Through the efforts of local maritime entities, and also because Congress understands the importance of the world’s busiest waterway, supplemental funds are usually made available. However, as in the current case, the LMR is not always fully maintained to authorized dimensions.
The members of RAMP have made significant progress. There will soon be a final version of the Stupak-Boustany HMTF Bill, and there is also a great deal of support for including similar language in the 2010 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) legislation. The Executive Committee members of RAMP are determined to garner additional support for these efforts on Capital Hill over the next few months. The recent telecon was held to prepare a unified effort to demonstrate support for both the stand alone and WRDA version of the language and to establish a legislative firewall around the HMTF. If successful, there is no doubt this effort will, overtime, re-establish our nation’s waterways to authorized dimensions while also stimulating international trade and creating new jobs.
GSMA requests the widest distribution of this circular to emphasize the importance of securing the estimated $67 million that is urgently needed for dredging the LMR and the urgency of the full use of the HMTF. GSMA staff will continue to pursue increased funding by remaining in contact with the Administration in the state of Louisiana; in meetings in Washington, DC (focusing on members of the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Environment & Public Works and the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure); environmental groups; the Corps; and key maritime partners.
Sean M. Duffy, Sr.
President and CEO
