Contact: Rob Ostrander 202.224.7627 Shana Stribling 202.224.0309
Saturday, February 25, 2006

COLUMBIA, MO – U.S. Senator Kit Bond and Congressman Kenny Hulshof today addressed the Missouri Levee and Drainage District Association annual meeting. Bond provided an update on Senate activities which impact Missouri waterways and his ongoing efforts to protect the state’s interests in the Missouri and Mississippi River battles.

“The big problem with the spring rise is that it is not justified, it will not work, and before the government officially recognizes that, we will see larger and longer rises proposed and there will be flood and interior drainage damage,” said Bond.

Bond first expressed his frustration over plans to move forward with the spring rise and the Administration’s unwillingness to stop this flawed plan. Bond reiterated that the plan for the spring rise will fail because the value to fish habitat is dubious while its risk, in loss of life and property due to floods, to people is very real.

The legislation making the spring rise possible is fundamentally flawed, Bond also pointed out. Despite overwhelming opposition to the plan at public meetings the law that gives total power to a handful of unaccountable bureaucrats. These bureaucrats have power over their elected, appointed and accountable leadership in the Administration and over the citizens and their federal, state and local elected officials, said Bond.

Bond also expressed concern over the Administration’s funding for “Missouri River Recovery,” which the Senator compared to blackmail. Last year, $54 million was provided for these recovery efforts, this year, the Administration asked for $85 million. Bond pointed out that previously the Administration has dictated that if this money is not provided for Fish and Wildlife Service objectives, the state will find itself in “jeopardy” of a summer low flow and spring rises.

Mississippi River locks modernization continues to be on the top of Bond’s priority list. As Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Transportation and Infrastructure subcommittee, Bond is the author of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which authorizes 1,200 foot locks. This bipartisan plan was adopted by the House with 406 votes. Also, the plan was adopted by the Senate Committee by voice vote and a letter Bond sent to the Senate Leader was signed by 80 Senators, demonstrating the broad bipartisan support for the legislation.

Bond countered recent attacks that this modernization is not needed, pointing out that during the FDR Administration the Corps also then determined locks were not necessary. However, Congress disregarded this advice and built today’s existing locks, which now carry two-thirds of the nation’s grain for export. Unlike highway and rail, locks have room for dramatic growth in capacity and one barge-tow carries the same freight as nearly 900 trucks, making water transportation more efficient and lesser pollution.

Bond told the Levee and Drainage District Association officials that he will continue the fight to modernize the nation’s system of locks. He expressed hope that the Administration, which refuses to support lock modernization in the United States but is backing locks modernization in Panama to aid the flow of Chinese exports, will recognize the importance of this nation’s waterways.