Emsworth Dam News

The Port of Pittsburgh’s state-of-the-art wireless network will eventually allow a myriad of users to collaborate, improve operations, maritime safety, security and a host of other tasks. Really: the cloud is the limit. This story weaves technology, leadership and innovation – all of it happening on the waterfront. The inland waterfront. If this sounds like something more closely associated with bluewater container shipping logistics, then you can be forgiven for getting lost in the moment.

The Port of Pittsburgh Commission Executive Director, James R. McCarville, praised the announcement from Senators Specter and Casey that additional funding was included for the locks and dams in the Port of Pittsburgh District. These funds included $25m for rehabilitation of the Emsworth Dam; $21.4m for maintenance on the Ohio River; $16.8m for maintenance on the Mon; and $9m for maintenance on the Allegheny River and $1.75 for the important study of the navigation needs of the Upper Ohio River at Emsworth, Dashields and Montgomery, all in southwestern Pennsylvania. Not as sufficient, however, was the $6.2m for the rehabilitation of Locks and Dams 2-3-4 on the Lower Monongahela river, near Pittsburgh.

“Fantastic”, was the response that James R. McCarville, Executive Director of the Port of Pittsburgh Commission, had to the announcement that the US Army Corps of Engineers planned to spend over $110m in Stimulus funding for navigation in southwestern Pa. Specifically, the $84m scheduled for Charleroi Lock in the Lower Mon 2-3-4 project, rescues a billion dollar project that otherwise might have had to go on to life support/shutdown. Those funds will be used to complete the construction of the river wall, and construct a new Upper Guard Wall and a new Lower Guard Wall to safely guide vessels in and out of the chamber. Thirteen million will be added to the $25.8m in the FY09 budget for repairs to the Emsworth Dam and $285…

Released on February 7, President Bush's FY 2006 proposed budget requests the highest funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works program in many years. It demonstrates the Bush Administration's increasing understanding of the myriad benefits of the nation's inland waterways system and the need to nurture, not neglect, this critically important transportation system. The budget request underscores the President's goal to keep the Nation economically strong and competitive. This budget request of $4.513 billion proposes FY '06 spending of $184 million from the dedicated Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF) for the modernization of priority, Congressionally-approved locks and dams on the inland system.

Although it represents a decrease from the FY 2007 spending level President Bush’s FY 2008 proposed budget nonetheless requests the highest level of funding ever included in any President’s budget for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers water resources projects and programs, a total of $4.871b. Last year’s (FY 07) budget request was $4.733 billion. This budget request also proposes FY ’08 spending of $418 million for Inland Waterways Trust Fund financed projects, of which one-half will come from the dedicated Inland Waterways Trust Fund. The remainder would come from general treasury funds, as required under current law. The FY 2008 Civil Works Budget notes that…

As the inland waterways industry looks back on 2006 and forward to 2007, Waterways Council, Inc. • President Bush’s FY 2007 proposed budget requested a record level of federal funding for 11 Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF)-financed projects. The budget request proposed FY ’07 spending of $394 million for Inland Waterways Trust Fund financed projects, of which $197 million would come from the dedicated Inland Waterways Trust Fund. The remainder would come from general treasury funds, as required under current law. The President’s FY ‘07 budget request is the highest funding recommendation for IWTF funded projects since cost-sharing legislation was enacted into law in 1986.

President Bush’s FY 2007 proposed budget requests a record level of new federal funding for 11 Inland Waterways Trust Fund (IWTF)-financed projects. The budget request proposes FY ’07 spending of $394 million for Inland Waterways Trust Fund financed projects, of which $197 million will come from the dedicated Inland Waterways Trust Fund. The remainder would come from general treasury funds, as required under current law. The President’s FY ‘07 budget request is the highest funding recommendation for IWTF funded projects since cost-sharing legislation was enacted into law in 1986. The proposed FY 2007 budget also requests record level federal funding for the entire U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works program of $4.733 billion.