Whitfield Secured Funding for Hickman Harbor | News | Congressman Ed Whitfield

News | Congressman Ed Whitfield | United States Representative

Whitfield Secured Funding for Hickman Harbor August 24, 2007 U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield secured $366,000 from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to dredge the Elvis Stahr Harbor in Hickman, KY. These funds were made available after Whitfield wrote the Corps asking for funds to help with the much needed dredging of the Harbor, which will help to ensure the economic development of western Kentucky continues to thrive.

"The Hickman Harbor serves as a vital component of the agricultural industry in western Kentucky," said Whitfield. "Without access to the Harbor, farmers will face storage shortfalls, quality damage to crops and ultimately lost revenues."

The Hickman Harbor has become filled with sediment and silt due to a lack of maintenance and past dredging. In September of 2006, major rainfall totaling 14-16 inches in less then 24 hours resulted in extensive damage upstream, which caused additional depositing of sediment and trees along the entire length of the Harbor. The recent drought has also worsened conditions at the Harbor.

The Elvis Stahr Harbor handles 375,000 tons of cargo annually shipping directly to and from Western Kentucky manufacturers.

"We greatly appreciate the work of Congressman Whitfield in securing the funds to dredge the Elvis Stahr Harbor," said County Judge David Gallagher. "The importance of the Elvis Stahr Harbor to the region is significant. The potential for the future growth is evident as barge traffic, both nationally and internationally, increases along the Mississippi River."

Since coming to Congress in 1995, Whitfield has secured over $4.5 million in federal funds to Hickman Harbor. In addition to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers funding, Whitfield has requested $1.8 million from the House Energy and Water Spending bill, which passed the House last month.

"In addition to farmers, manufacturers throughout western Kentucky depend on this harbor to ship their goods," continued Whitfield. "I will continue my work to help ensure the Harbor remains open and operating in a capacity to meet the needs of all businesses in western Kentucky."

Back to headlines