WASHINGTON – Today, during consideration of the successful Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Menominee) offered an amendment that would make the new Army Corps of Engineers guidelines for determining the eligibility of maintenance dredging more flexible by not limiting the criteria to tonnage alone.  

Stupak withdrew the amendment after the Chairman of the Appropriations subcommittee on Energy and Water committed to work with Stupak and the Army Corps of Engineers toward a more flexible policy.

“At this point, the Army Corps of Engineers defines a harbor as high-use if it moves at least one million tons of cargo per year,” said Stupak. “If that one criteria is not met, the result will be that small town, rural America will suffer more job losses, businesses will struggle, and infrastructure could be damaged.”

The new guidelines set by the Army Corps of Engineers are for Fiscal Year 2006 and 2007. The criteria determine whether a harbor is considered high-use and therefore eligible to be considered to be funded for dredging in the President’s budget. Several small harbors in northern Michigan would not be eligible for funding in the President’s budget because of this new criteria.

“Without this yearly dredge, these communities are subject to harsh floods and are unable to receive the goods they need through these harbors,” said Stupak. “For example, Ontonagon Harbor’s local economy would be at risk. Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation would not be able to receive limestone and White Pine Power would not receive coal for power production. Shipments like these may not be considered high-traffic by national standards but it is a major part of the future of these local, rural economies.”

Below is the list of projects Stupak secured in the Energy and Water Appropriation Bill for the First District.  This is a critical first step in these projects receiving funding in the final appropriation bills. The bill must now go to the Senate and eventually to the President for his signature.

List of First District Projects

Sault St. Marie Replacement Locks                              $2,000,000

Mackinac Island Harbor Breakwater                            $50,000

Ontonagon Harbor Channel Extension               $184,000

Marquette Shoreline Protection                         $139,000

Charlevoix Harbor                                                        $89,000

Grand Marais Harbor                                                   $14,000

Keweenaw Waterway                                                  $370,000

Menominee Harbor                                                      $400,000

St. Mary’s River                                                           $17,134,000

###