ASKS ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS TO ALLOCATE $14.7 MILLION TO COMPLETE DREDGING AT JAXPORT

Washington, Mar 9, 2009 - Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Sixth) asked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to allocate $14.7 million to complete the final component of the federal navigation project at the Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT). Stearns pointed out that completion of the project could increase container traffic at JAXPORT twofold and produce 5600 jobs. “JAXPORT yields $2.7 billion in economic activity in northeast Florida and generates about 50,000 jobs,” said Stearns.

Stearns wrote to John Woodley, Jr., Assistant Secretary of the Army, Civil Works, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, Robert Orszag; requesting that this allocation be made under the Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the recently enacted Stimulus Bill. Stearns noted that this funding would meet the “criteria established by the Act and will have both an immediate and sustained impact on the economy of northeast Florida.

In addition, he stated, “completion of this project will assure that JAXPORT can accommodate the needs of modern vessels which require deeper draft to assure cost efficiencies in the movement of commodities to the American consumer.” Stearns helped with other members from Duval County to secure $3.3 million for current dredging at JAXPORT and is seeking this funding to complete the project. Added Stearns, “I look forward to working with my colleagues Rep. Ander Crenshaw and Rep. Corrine Brown in enhancing the capabilities of JAXPORT and creating new jobs in our area.”