Michael J Toohey News

Waterways Council, Inc.’s (WCI) Board of Directors unanimously elected Tracy R. Zea as the organization’s new President and Chief Executive Officer. He will assume the new duties effective today.With a broad range of Capitol Hill, policy development and government relations expertise, Zea most recently served as WCI’s Vice President-Government Relations, advocating for WCI’s goals for authorizations and appropriations which support a modern, efficient, reliable inland waterways transportation system.

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) Senior Vice President Deb Calhoun has taken over as Interim President/CEO, effective February 18, 2020, following the retirement of President/CEO Michael J. Toohey.To begin the process to select a permanent President/CEO, an executive search firm will be retained and later announced, WCI said.Calhoun has been with WCI since its founding in 2003, and with its predecessor organization Waterways Work!, and has been instrumental in managing WCI’s overall portfolio and communicating its successes and priorities.

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) President and CEO Michael J. Toohey has revealed plans to retire, the group announced to its Board of Directors and members at its meeting in Washington, DC on Wednesday.“Having turned 71 this month, I believe it is time to focus on my faith, family, my golf handicap and my other interests,” Toohey said. “I remain committed to WCI’s continued achievement now and in the future once a successor is named.”WCI’s Executive Committee will select an executive search firm to begin the process to seek a successor.

The Inland Waterways View.At the start of any new year, we are often asked what our challenges will be or what we are going to do differently in the year ahead. However, in 2019, just like each year since Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) was founded in 2003, we intend to stay the course to advocate for full and efficient funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to continue its Civil Works mission to construct and maintain navigation projects on the inland waterways.The Corps’…

Just before the anticipation of good things to come on Valentine’s Day, on February 12, the inland waterways transportation industry was left feeling disappointed and puzzled after the release of the long-awaited Trump Administration infrastructure principles, and then the release of President Trump’s FY 2019 budget request. During the Presidential campaign, then-candidate Trump said he would undertake a $1 trillion infrastructure initiative that would focus on a wide array of projects, from sewer systems to bridges to Veterans Hospitals to rural broadband expansion.

U.S. Senator and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will receive the 17th Annual Waterways Council, Inc. Leadership Service Award on Wednesday evening, February 14, 2018 at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C. “Waterways Council is so fortunate to have the opportunity to honor Senator McConnell, a great waterways advocate and to thank him publicly for his commitment to America’s critical waterways infrastructure, to jobs, and to competitive access,” said Michael J. Toohey, President/CEO of Waterways Council, Inc.

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) praised today’s passage of the FY 2017 Omnibus Appropriations bill that provides funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017. FY ’17 funding for the Corps’ Civil Works mission totals $6.038 billion, a 0.8 percent increase above the FY ’16 funding level, but almost a 31 percent increase above the Obama Administration requested level. The bill provides full-use of estimated annual revenues from the…

The FY ’17 Energy & Water Development (E&WD) and Related Agencies appropriations bill has been approved by the U.S. Senate in a 90-8 vote, significantly increasing funding in Fiscal Year 2017 for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works Program. The House version of this bill, which passed out of the Appropriations Committee last month, is awaiting floor action. Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) President Michael J. Toohey underscored the work of Chairman Cochran and Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Senate E&WD Subcommittee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and Ranking Member Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), as well as Senate Majority Leader McConnell, that was key to the passage of this strong funding bill.

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) President/CEO Michael J. “We thank Chairman James Inhofe and Ranking Member Barbara Boxer for their collaborative efforts to develop a WRDA 2016 bill that addresses inland waterways system priorities. Particularly, we applaud the Committee’s rejection of lockage fees/tolls to finance Public-Private Partnerships (P3s) on the Nation’s waterways. WCI is also supportive of the Senate bill’s authorization of $16.7 million in modification work for Calcasieu Lock in Louisiana, and for the Brazos Island Harbor project (funded with $116 million Federal and $135 million non-Federal funds). We also applaud the provision to remove Inland Waterways Trust Fund capital projects from the five-year/no funding de-authorization rule until Olmsted is substantially off the books.

The Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) praised the bipartisan leadership of Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Vice Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and Senate Energy & Water Development (E&WD) Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) for the 30-0 vote approving the fiscal year 2017 appropriations bill that increases funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works Program. The Corps’ Civil Works mission funded in the Senate bill is $6 billion, an increase of $11 million above the FY 2016 enacted level, and $1.378 million above the President’s budget request. It restores the 23 percent cut to the Corps’ budget proposed by the Administration for FY ’17.

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) reacted to the FY 2017 budget request made by President Obama earlier today, as detailed below. •  proposes $4.620 billion for the U.S. •  a $1.289 billion inland waterways user fee. •  $986 million be appropriated from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF), down from $1.25 billion in FY 2016. •  is no funding for NESP. Lockport Lock and Dam  (Major Rehab) was awarded $1.4 million for contract modifications to close out the project. •  is no funding for NESP. “The Administration’s FY ’17 budget request for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works mission proposes a 30% cut and is the most disappointing budget to date.

WCI and the Illinois Corn Marketing Board have undertaken a campaign with Google and YouTube to raise public awareness about the critical importance of inland waterways transportation to production agriculture. The goal of the campaign is to have more than one million people view WCI’s 30-second video, “Inland Waterways Are Critical to Agriculture!”  The campaign began August 10 and, to date, more than one million people (1,064,882) have viewed the entire video about the importance of efficient, modern waterways to the transport of agriculture products. There has been a corresponding increase in first-time visitors to WCI’s web site, with a 77% increase in new sessions/new visitors in one month since the campaign began. The campaign will continue until October 10.

Today WCI applauded the leadership of Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Senate Energy & Water Development (E&WD) Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) for the 26-4 vote approving the FY 2016 appropriations bill that increases funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works Program. The overall size of the Corps’ Civil Works mission portion of the Senate bill is $5.499 billion and adds $768 million to the Administration request. “Important to (the) American commerce and public safety, the committee rejects the President’s budget recommendation to cut Army Corps of Engineer(s)…

Today the House Appropriations Committee, led by Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY), approved by unanimous voice vote the FY ’16 Energy & Water Development (E&WD) and Related Agencies appropriations bill, significantly increasing funding in Fiscal Year 2016 for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works Program. The overall size of the Corps’ Civil Works mission portion of the bill is $5.597 billion and more than restores cuts to the program as recommended by the Administration, adding $864.75 million to the Administration request and increasing the FY 2015 appropriated amount for the Corps by $142.25 million. The bill increases the President’s proposed Construction account funding level by 39.9% to $1.631 billion.

WCI today praised the leadership of House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) and Energy & Water Development (E&WD) Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Mike Simpson (R-ID) that led to unanimous approval of a bill that will significantly increase funding in FY 2016 for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works Program. The FY ’16 E&WD and Related Agencies appropriations bill, marked up today in the E&WD Subcommittee, was approved by unanimous voice vote with no amendments. It will head to the full Appropriations Committee next week. The overall size of the Corps’ Civil Works mission portion of the bill is $5.597 billion and more than restores cuts to the program as recommended by the Administration…

The U.S. House Appropriations Committee, led by Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY), today approved by unanimous voice vote the FY ’16 Energy & Water Development (E&WD) and Related Agencies appropriations bill, increasing funding in Fiscal Year 2016 for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works Program. WCI President Michael J. Toohey expressed thanks to House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers and Ranking Member Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), and House Energy & Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Mike Simpson (R-ID) and Ranking Member Marcy Kaptur (D-OH).

U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Congressman Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.) will receive the 13th Annual Waterways Council, Inc. Leadership Service Awards on Wednesday evening, February 12, 2014 at the St. Regis Hotel in Washington, D.C. Senator Casey has served the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the Senate since 2007. He is a member of the Senate Finance Committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth. He also serves on the Senate Committees on Health…

Upon review of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014, Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) is pleased with the FY 2014 Energy & Water Development Appropriations funding level of $5.467 billion, a $748 million increase over the FY 2013 post-sequester enacted level. Within the Civil Works budget, the Construction General Account receives $1.656 billion and provides $163 million for the Olmsted Lock and Dam project. The legislation also establishes a cost-sharing formula for FY14…

Michael J. Toohey, President and CEO of Waterways Council, Inc. Waterways Council, Inc. and its members applaud President Obama’s urging of Congress to pass a Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) this year, and his connecting the nation’s waterways to jobs in the State of the Union address last night. In the address, the President remarked, “Moreover, we can take the money we save from this transition to tax reform to create jobs rebuilding our roads, upgrading our ports…

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) President and CEO Michael J. Toohey today praised the leadership of House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) for inclusion of a recommendation to increase, by six cents per-gallon, the 20-cent-per-gallon user fee paid for by inland waterways towboat operators into the Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF). The IWTF funds new construction and major rehabilitation of priority navigation projects on the nation’s inland waterways system. The recommendation was included in Chairman Camp’s discussion draft of the Tax Reform Act of 2014, released today.

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) and its members and stakeholders tonight applauded the Senate’s passage, by a vote of 76 to16, of a 9-cent increase to the barge diesel fuel user fee. The provision was a part of tax extenders legislation that was combined with the “Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE)” Act that establishes tax-favored savings accounts for individuals with disabilities. The ABLE Act that included the provision to increase the user fee by 9 cents passed the House on December 3 by a vote of 404-17. The user fee – currently 20-cents-per-gallon of fuel used while operating on the inland system – will be increased to 29-cents-per-gallon, effective April 1, 2015.

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) and its members and stakeholders applauded the Senate’s passage, by a vote of 76 to16, of a 9-cent increase to the barge diesel fuel user fee. The provision was a part of tax extenders legislation that was combined with the “Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE)” Act that establishes tax-favored savings accounts for individuals with disabilities. The ABLE Act that included the provision to increase the user fee by 9 cents passed the House on December 3 by a vote of 404-17.

Waterways Council, Inc., a national advocacy group for ports and inland waterways, expressed "disappointment" today in the Obama administration's proposed FY 2016 budget. “Given recent austere budget proposals for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it is not surprising that the Administration has slashed FY ’16 transportation infrastructure funding," said Michael J. Toohey, the President and CEO of Waterways Council, Inc. The group highlighted the new budget's  13.25% cut in funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works program and a 28.5%  reduction to the construction account as particularly problematic. They also noted that the new budget proposes $2.710 billion for the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) account…