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WASHINGTON - Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-Flint), working with Congressmen Dave Camp (R-Midland) and Bart Stupak (D-Menominee), announced today that $3,642,000 has been secured for critical dredging in the Saginaw River between Bay City and the City of Saginaw. Kildee’s full funding request was included in the House Energy and Water Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2007 which passed the House of Representatives late yesterday.
“This funding is vital to the economic stability and prosperity of the region because it will help preserve the integrity of our shipping routes,” said Kildee. “The Saginaw River is an essential transportation link in our state and without regular dredging, our local businesses, farmers and families could be severely affected. Representatives Dave Camp and Bart Stupak know how important this project is to our area and we will continue to work together in Congress to ensure that our community’s economic and workforce needs can be met.”
"Congressman Kildee has been a real leader on this issue and I am proud to have worked closely with him to secure additional federal funds that will keep commerce flowing on the Saginaw River,” added Representative Camp. “With ships literally stuck in the mud this year, it is clear that we must get the river dredged or risk losing even more jobs. I know the Congressman Kildee, Congressman Stupak and I will continue doing everything we can to make sure this critical project is funded."
“The Saginaw River plays a critical role not only for Saginaw, but for Bay City and all of Bay County,” Stupak said. “I was pleased to work with Congressman Kildee in securing this funding so that the Saginaw River can remain a vital transportation link for the region.”
The Saginaw River acts as drainage for all or part of 22 counties in the State of Michigan and there is an essential need for maintenance. The river has been a shipping channel providing vital services to many communities in the region since the early 1900’s and today is a transportation artery that carries anywhere from four to six million tons of cargo a year into mid-Michigan.
Dredging of the river is now more critical than ever. Earlier this year, two ships ran aground short of Saginaw on trips upriver. Dock owners say without the efficient river traffic dredging provides, commercial shipping could be slowed, or even blocked indefinitely, threatening up to 280 jobs tied directly to river commerce.
The funding in the FY07 Energy and Water bill will provide for continued dredging of the Upper Saginaw River. Working with Representatives Camp and Stupak, Kildee has been able to secure over $10 million in funding for dredging and disposal over the last four years.
“Passage of this bill is one more step in the legislative process to ensure that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will continue to have the ability to perform this much needed service to keep the channel open,” Kildee said. “River freight is crucial to area businesses, farmers and communities in the Tri-Cities area and mid-Michigan.”
The Senate will take up its version of the FY07 Energy and Water bill later this summer. |
