9-26 IAN Waterways
The Port of Lewiston Web site says: "Take advantage of the Columbia-Snake River system for import/export bulk cargo & container shipping connecting to Portland, Oregon or Vancouver, Washington to destinations around the world." We all know how much the port is used for moving giant amounts of grain ultimately to consumers domestically and around the world. However, not everything is rosy when it comes to our domestic waterways. Farmers and ranchers held Congress' feet to the fire with their "Bring the Heat" August recess campaign. And it appears all those meetings, emails, phone calls and tweets have gotten lawmakers moving on a key bill to upgrade U.S. locks, dams and ports. AFBF transportation specialist Andrew Walmsley explains why the nation's aging waterways infrastructure is not floating agriculture's boat. "It is all interconnected, especially with our ports so that the two big issues with our waterways is the proper timeline and completion and funding of inland waterways projects along with being able to utilize our ports for export markets. There is potential for failure and that is the great concern. If the waterway system were shut down, then the billions of dollars the transport on that system would not reach the markets. This is something that we send folks to Congress to do. This is the idea of keeping commerce flowing." It seems as though house lawmakers have been listening, especially those on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. They have produced a bill in hopes that lawmakers from both chambers can come together and hammer out one bill to send to the president for signing.