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Press Release

For Immediate Release
Contact: Sean Bonyun
202-225-3761
March 27, 2009

Upton Works with Army Corps of Engineers to Promptly Dredge St. Joe Harbor
Soundings have revealed significant shoaling with depths of only 51/2 feet near portions of Center Dock – Upton worked with Army Corps to begin dredging next week

BENTON HARBOR, MI – Standing on Central Dock this morning, Congressman Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) announced that there has been significant shoaling over the winter months, but that dredging will be underway next week to clear the harbor. Last year, shoaling in the federal shipping channel required Upton to secure an emergency $1.8 million project to remove the more than 170,000 cubic yards of material that had filled the harbor. Although shoaling has occurred again this year, it is not as severe as 2008, and a ship with hydraulic dredging capability is currently in the region and will be on site next week. The harbor is of utmost priority for Upton, who has delivered millions of dollars for seasonal dredging of St. Joe Harbor, including $793,000 in the omnibus spending package that the President recently signed into law.

"Although Mother Nature has not been very cooperative to commercial shipping as of late, we've got the Army Corps of Engineers committed to ensuring the viability of our harbor and its importance to our economy," said Upton. "Thousands of jobs depend on the ability to move cargo on the Great Lakes and the St. Joseph port is an integral part of that system. With major infrastructure projects on I-94, U.S. 31, and I-96 this year, materials delivered to the St. Joe Harbor will save taxpayers millions of dollars, which in turn means more money for job creation and repairing critical infrastructure. The ability to get these materials swiftly to the work site means jobs for our region and jobs for our state."

Just over one year ago on March 24, 2008, a tug and barge was unable to reach the commercial docks. Upton immediately called the Army Corps of Engineers and soundings revealed that the water level was at an unprecedented depth of six feet in places. The normal depth for commercial shipping is 21 feet. Upton called on the Army Corps of Engineers to designate an emergency dredging situation for the harbor. Working closely with the Army Corps of Engineers, Upton delivered $1.8 million in funding for the emergency project.

The St. Joseph Harbor is an integral cog in the region's economic engine. A recent study by Purdue University gauged the harbor's economic impact at more than $5.5 million dollars more than 35 local jobs. The inner harbor is a key port for raw materials such as limestone, sand and gravel for state highways - major road projects along Interstate 94 and Interstate 196 are served by the port, and the loss of shipping could triple the cost of those projects. The St. Joseph Harbor is among the top 50 in commercial activity among Great Lakes Harbors.

Working cooperatively with the Corps of Engineers and our commercial shippers, Upton was able to reallocate resources, mobilize the dredge boat faster, have contracts amended and get work started sooner. Upton is confident that the Harbor will be open for commercial activity in a matter of weeks as opposed to the several months that it took last year.

Freighters on the Great Lakes save industries $3.6 billion a year in transportation costs. A freighter on the Great Lakes can travel 607 miles on gallon of fuel per ton of cargo – that is 10 times farther than a semi truck, and three times farther than a freight train.

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