Congressman Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) joined the United States Army Corps of Engineers this afternoon in announcing emergency funding to dredge the St. Joseph harbor. The harbor, which is essential to jobs and economic activity in Southwest Michigan, has become inaccessible to commercial traffic on account of severe sand build up, or shoaling. Upton has been in close contact with local dock owners and Berrien County officials concerning the issue, and recently sat down with the Army Corps in his Washington, DC office to work toward a solution.
“Our Great Lakes harbors are gateways of economic opportunity, providing good-paying jobs as well as vital resources for economic activity in our region and beyond,” said Upton. “Whether for commercial or recreational traffic, it is critical that our local harbors are well maintained and remain open for business. The Army Corps recognizes this and their Detroit and Grand Haven offices been tremendous partners for all involved here at the local level. The regular commercial disruptions caused by seasonal shoaling underscore the importance of ensuring that that the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund is properly used for its intended purposes: maintaining our nation’s harbors. The continued misallocation of Trust Fund dollars have left our nation’s ports and waterways seriously underfunded.”
Keeping the St. Joseph harbor open to commercial traffic has long been a top priority for Upton, as our Great Lakes harbors are essential to economic growth, infrastructure development, and countless local jobs. From emergency dredging to maintaining standard operations, Upton has fought to keep these vital resources open.
"Lafarge North America is appreciative of Congressman Upton's leadership in securing the funding for the harbor dredging project,” stated Rick Moore, Senior Terminal Manager for the Lafarge St. Joseph cement terminal. “Having the dredging project completed prior to the 2013 Great Lakes shipping season is critical to ensuring a ready supply of cement for roads and bridges, area homebuilders, and construction projects throughout Southwest Michigan and Northern Indiana."
Upton is also a strong supporter of the bipartisan Realize America’s Maritime Promise (RAMP) Act (H.R. 335), which would ensure that all federal revenues collected for harbor maintenance through the Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) are fully used and not left unspent in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF). Revenue in the HMTF has increased over the past decade, with a current surplus of more than $7 billion. Because the HMTF is not a separate account within the federal budget, many of the HMT revenues paid by users have been left unspent as a budgetary gimmick to offset other federal spending.
