THE RIVERS
FarmWeek Page 12 Monday, August 19, 2013
Water bill key to farmers, ‘coal mining families’
Davis touted measures he has spearheaded with East Moline Democrat Ag/Transportation Committee colleague Cheri Bustos that would encourIllinois’ long-suffering coal industry is one more age public-private waterway improvement partnerpotential casualty of Congress’ farm bill stalemate, ships “that would allow us to really move on according to Taylorville Republican U.S. Rep. Rodupgrading our infrastructure.� ney Davis. He recognizes a push by barge and shipping Appearing at the Illinois State Fair, Davis interests to raise their own barge fuel taxes in told FarmWeek that had lawmakers been able ‘We need that river to keep coal min- an effort to replenish the Inland Waterways to pass original House Ag farm bill proposals, Trust Fund (IWTF) — currently, the waning “we probably could have marked WRDA (the ing families employed.’ repository for cost-share funding of lock federal Water Resources Development Act) up improvements. At the same time he appreciin July.� ates that voluntary industry gesture, Davis Pushing WRDA debate into September — U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis maintained shippers want assurance through increases the threat of continued waterway infraTaylorville Republican WRDA reforms that both waterways and harstructure decline not only for exporting grain bor maintenance trust funds are used for their farmers but also for Illinoisans dependent on coal intended purpose. Gibbs, R-Ohio, to move “good long-term reforms� mining and shipping, Davis said. Davis noted federal use of trust fund monies in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers navigation “They don’t burn that coal in Illinois. They don’t “to prolong projects that have been overwhelmingimprovement/operations policies in September, burn the coal in America as much as they do in ly expensive,� such as long-delayed Olmsted Lock said Davis, a member of both House ag and transAsia,� he said in an onstage RFD Radio interview. and Dam improvements marked by billions in cost portation committees. “We need that river to keep coal mining families overruns. WRDA proposals would relieve the IWTF of future funding for Olmsted work, freeing barge tax revenues to “move the infrastructure forward,� he said. “It’s unacceptable to me as an American and as a congressman that the Corps, even if fully funded today, would take 40 years to upgrade our locks and dams,� Davis said. He also has partnered with Belleville Democrat and Ag Committee member William Enyart to upgrade river forecasting and weather-related response capabilities and thus get ahead of events such as this past winter’s low-water conditions south of St. Louis. BY MARTIN ROSS FarmWeek
employed in Macoupin, Montgomery and other counties.� House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Schuster, R-Penn., is “working diligently� with Water Resources Subcommittee Chair Bob
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