Inland waterways advocates say the Army Corps of Engineers should create a capital development plan with clear priorities to make the most out of scarce funds for improvement of the nation's crumbling locks and dams, the Journal of Commerce reported.
Mike Toohy, president of the Waterways Council, told the House Transportation and Infrastructure water resources subcommittee that prioritization is central to improve waterways infrastructure. The Army Corps needs $8 billion to recapitalize the system but lawmakers are reluctant to spend more from the general revenue fund, which covers half the Inland Waterways Trust Fund.
The rest of the money comes from fuel taxes. But Stephen C. Ellis, vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, said inland water transportation depend too heavily on taxes and operators instead should pay a lockage fee to use the system.
“There is absolutely no recognition of the maintenance costs associated with the inland waterway system,” Ellis said. “There is no market mechanism to suggest that times have changed and certain waterways should no longer be maintained.”
He said Congress and the Obama administration should create a system of metrics for projects to evaluate them on merit.
Mike Toohy, president of the Waterways Council, told the House Transportation and Infrastructure water resources subcommittee that prioritization is central to improve waterways infrastructure. The Army Corps needs $8 billion to recapitalize the system but lawmakers are reluctant to spend more from the general revenue fund, which covers half the Inland Waterways Trust Fund.
The rest of the money comes from fuel taxes. But Stephen C. Ellis, vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense, said inland water transportation depend too heavily on taxes and operators instead should pay a lockage fee to use the system.
“There is absolutely no recognition of the maintenance costs associated with the inland waterway system,” Ellis said. “There is no market mechanism to suggest that times have changed and certain waterways should no longer be maintained.”
He said Congress and the Obama administration should create a system of metrics for projects to evaluate them on merit.
