Corn Growers Laud Passage of River Bill

August 11, 1999

Congress gave final approval last week to flood control, navigation, and environmental restoration, among other issues, in a bill that the National Corn Growers Association believes is an important piece of legislation.

The bill includes a 10-year $333 million Environmental Management Program reauthorization. The U.S. Army corps of Engineers has called the program "the single most important and successful program authorized by the federal government for the purposes of understanding the ecology of the Upper Mississippi and sustaining its significant environmental resources."

Sen. Christopher Bond (R-MO) says the program is credited with restoring more than 28,000 acres of habitat along the river since 1986. When current projects are completed, 97,000 acres should be restored.

Of importance to the NCGA is a provision in the bill to modernize several locks on the Upper Mississippi river. Pre-construction design and engineering would take place at locks 20, 21, 22, 24 and 25 on the river and the LaGrange and Peoria locks on the Illinois river.

"This legislative provision is important, because it directs the Army corps of Engineers to expedite the navigation study and preparation of the final report," says Glen Moeller, chairman of the NCGA Production and Stewardship Action Team. "It also places on record Congress' direction that these seven locks be considered in the fnal report."

In recent years, many farm groups have expressed concern that deterioration of the lock and dam system on U.S. rivers could adversely affect the nation's grain transportation system, potentially widening basis levels and thus reducing farmers' prices.