of inter-modal investment techniques at the federal level. Considering the importance of the waterway to Minnesota's economy as well as the legitimate environmental and economic concerns regarding waterway projects, the Mondale proposal represents a reasonable compromise. Mondale's proposal would authorize construction of a new dam and a single 110 by 1200 foot main lock two miles downstream from Alton. Although it permits the Corps to build a new, larger lock, the bill would severely limit the Corps' ability to act unilaterally in the future and would mitigate environmental impacts. The following items are called for in the bill: (1) replacement of wildlife habitat lost through construction acre (2) for acre. revocation of all existing authority to study feasibility of a (4) development by the Commission of a system to facilitate analysis (5) prohibition of any new construction on the Upper Mississippi conducted. (6) prohibition of any new construction that is not consistent with (7) the Master Plan. (The Plan has to be approved by Congress.) tons annually (the capacity of the current facility) pending Mn/DOT considered other positions but after a thorough review, rejected them. One proposal involved building a two-lock replacement facility with a 9 foot channel. The Mn/DOT study, however, found that 2 locks were not justified at this time. Additional environmental and economic analysis is required not only to determine the need for a second lock but also its intermodal impacts. The study also showed that engineering considerations argued against rehabilitating the present lock. In addition to engineering considerations, the report also stated that the agricultural sector could be seriously. impacted if the Alton facility had to be closed while rehabilitation was proceeding. Mn/DOT also decided against recommending further studies before any action is taken. Action is required in the near future since the facility will need to be repaired if it is not going to be replaced. Mn/DOT also considered recommending that a replacement facility be built only if user charges are instituted on waterways. While Mn/DOT is concerned about deviations in transportation user charges among the modes, it is taking no position on the question of initiating user charges on waterways at this time. Since this subject will undoubtedly be part of the "issue identification and discussion" stage of the State Transportation Plan, it would be premature to come out with a position prior to completion of the Plan. sides studying inter-modal impacts, the effects on agricultural exports also need to be considered in greater depth. Be SENATORS, REPRESENTATIVES, INTERESTED PERSONS, GUESTS: Lock and Dam 26 at Alton, Illinois has the backing of all the Farm organizations, all regional cooperatives, all supply and marketing cooperatives including Midland Inc., the Minnesota Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts and the Minnesota and National Association of Farmer Elected Committeemen. During the last Presidential Election we all heard about grain embargoes. To me a grain embargo is very small compared to Lock & Dam 26. Embargoes can be stopped by an injunction, a comparatively small amount of dollars would be lost. However, if the Lock & Dam became inoperable all thru barge traffic on the river ceases. It won't be for a week, month, or a year but many years as it is estimated to take from seven to ten years to complete. Energy is one of this nation's greatest problems. We import over 40% of the crude oil used in the United States. Who is paying for this energy? Farmers through their grain and commodity exports. It is imparative that we maintain a good transportation system in this country to move our commodities. This includes railroads, highways both interstate, state and rural and water barge lines where the most tonnage can be moved at the lowest cost per ton. We move fertilizer, gasoline and oil, coal, farm and industrial machinery upstream to generate electricity, fertilize our crops, heat our homes, provide energy for industry and create jobs. If we can not deliver cur exports at a reasonable cost, we may be priced out of the world market. Who then will pick up the tab for our 40% crude oil imports, all the consumers. I understand we have some problems with the environmentalist. they wrong when they are opposed to dredging and filling? Maybe not. Do we as farmers practice acceptable conservation practices to keep our top soil in place? Do we use pollution abatements to correct our barnyard runoff? Incorporate our liquid manure into the soil for maximum nutrient value? Use chisel plowing, liming, fertilizer to keep erosion to a minimum? Use no till planting? Or do we spread manure on the hills all winter, flush our feed lots with spring runoff, plow up and down hills and rip out field windoreaks? I believe we should put more emphasis on good ACP practices through the ASCS to correct this situation. Congress will have to fund ACP at the full 500 million dollars as authorized by congressional action of 1935-6. However, We hear alot of talk on public work projects. Most are short term and don't really solve many problems. I believe Lock & Dam 26 would be a good public works project. It would give long term jobs, a worthwhile project to benefit not only People in Alton but all Americans because of the amount of energy saved by moving products by barge. and Dam 26 is a sound investment of American tax dollars. Gery Martens Yes, Lock Rules, Teller, Credentials Midland District 6 President, Minnesota Association Farmer Elected Committeemen Senator ANDERSON. Is Senator Bartlett here? Is Congressman Volkmer here? Would you like to come up, Congressmen? STATEMENT OF HON. HAROLD L. VOLKMER, A REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF MISSOURI Mr. VOLKMER. Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. I would like to introduce myself. I am Congressman Harold Volkmer of the Missouri 9th District. I am most grateful for this opportunity to testify before this distinguished committee and express my support for the replacement of locks and dam 26 at Alton, Ill. I have personally introduced H.R. 4053, which would authorize the Corps of Engineers to replace locks and dam 26 by constructing a new dam and one 110-foot by 1,200-foot main lock and auxiliary locks for a maximum 9-foot channel. To me, that is very important. We have only a 9-foot channel and not a 12-foot channel, which is something I want to stress. The importance of locks and dam 26 to the economic well-being of our Nation cannot be overstated. The poor physical condition of the existing facility and the inability of the locks to handle even current traffic without costly delays make replacement imperative. Barges wait an average of 18 to 21 hours to pass through the locks and during busy months, the wait can last even longer. Consequently, these delays increase transportation costs and raise consumer prices. In April 1976, when one of two locks at the dam had to be closed for emergency repair, more than 900 barges were tied up above and below the facility. Fertilizer and fuel shipments coming up the river were delayed for days and grain prices in the upper Midcontinent dropped because grain could not be moved down-river to market. Even when it is operational, the old lock and dam is a bottleneck in the river transportation system. The Corps of Engineers has recommended a replacement dam and one 110-foot by 1.200-foot main lock. While remedial measures have corrected the more serious and immediate deficiencies, permanent repair is impractical because of engineering and cost considerations. Action this year is of utmost importance considering the time. which it takes to construct the dam. Since past delays have already cost consumers millions of dollars, Congress must guarantee that there will be no interruption of commerce which would adversely affect the entire Midwest's economy. The new, larger lock will greatly reduce this waste of time and money. As we all know, the longer we delay the construction, the costs thereof increase. In other words, if we delay another year or 2 years or 3 years, I am sure it is going to cost considerably more. So I would like to urge this committee's support of legislation which will authorize the corps to begin construction of this muchneeded facility. Before I finish, in regard to user charges, I have not directed myself to that in the prepared statement, but I would like to say that I support users' fees so long as they are reasonable. I believe, however, as the previous witness has testified, Senator Danforth, that it should be separate legislation. It should be thoroughly studied. I believe that it should affect all commerce where there are locks and dams throughout this Nation, and that the barge lines should be obligated to support the maintenance of their facilities. The truck lines do the same and so do railroads. Although they have subsidies, they also have fees and licenses they must pay. I have a rural district. Ninety percent of the geographical area is rural. I have a major large farm advisory committee. We have discussed user fees. Ninety percent of those agree that user fees would be reasonable. They realize they would be paying, because most of our grain is shipped down that Mississippi River for export. However, again, they feel as long as it is reasonable it would be acceptable. I would like to conclude with perhaps an example of, should we continue repairing the existing lock or should we replace it? There comes a time when repairs to something that is old becomes selfdefeating. When I campaigned this last time, the first time for Congress, I used a 1968 Plymouth stationwagon. That is all I could afford. By the end of the campaign, I had 160,000 miles on it and it needed a lot of work. I had to face a question: Do I keep repairing it, keep fixing it up, or do I get a different one, a newer one? I came to the conclusion that with all the money that was going in on repairs, that I was a lot better off getting a new one, which I did. The old one has gone down the drain. So, in my opinion, we are faced with the same thing with locks and dam 26. We can keep on fixing it up. We are still going to have an old one after 10 years. It is going to have a lot of miles on it. Or we can have a brand-new one that will face a lot more years of continued performance. Thank you very much. Senator ANDERSON. Any questions? Thank you very much. Senator BURDICK. Just a minute. Your wheat goes in halfway down the river. My wheat goes in at Minneapolis and St. Paul. Can you give any thought to what kind of a rate you are going to charge my farmers against your farmers in user fees? Mr. VOLKMER. No. I believe it needs thorough study. That is why I, too, feel we should keep the two matters separate. Senator BURDICK. I understand that. But do you have any idea of having a per lock charge or postage rate charge, or anything like that? Mr. VOLKMER. To be honest with you, Senator, I hadn't given that serious consideration. I will be honest with you. I say it needs it. I can see if we charge it per lock the same thing. it would cost your farmers perhaps more. The ones in South Dakota, to move that wheat it would be almost prohibitive. That would have to be taken into consideration, yes. I wouldn't want that prohibited. We need the export. Senator BURDICK. Thank you for that. |