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Barbara Boxer News

10 Dec 2016

WCI Praises Passage of Water Infrastructure Improvement for Nation

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) today commended the work of Congress to pass the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act, of which the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA 2016) is included, by a vote of 78 to 21 during the lame duck session. WIIN/WRDA authorizes Army Corps of Engineers' work on locks and dams, dredging and other water resources projects. WCI applauded the efforts of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, led by Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) and Ranking Member Peter DeFazio (D-OR), along with House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Chairman Bob Gibbs (R-OH) and Ranking Member Grace Napolitano (D-CA).

16 Sep 2016

AAPA Commends Senate Leadership For WRDA Passage

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) today lauded leaders of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) and the Senate’s Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Subcommittee for their success in advancing S.2848, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2016. The Senate passed its version of the legislation today by a vote of 95 to 3. “AAPA commends EPW Committee Chairman James Inhofe (R-OK) and EPW Committee and T&I Subcommittee Ranking Member Barbara Boxer (D-CA), together with T&I Subcommittee Chairman David Vitter (R-LA), for their leadership in moving this crucial, bi-partisan legislation through the Senate,” stated AAPA President and CEO Kurt Nagle.

28 Apr 2016

WCI's Toohey Applauds WRDA 2016 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.

09 Oct 2015

US Senators Introduce Bill to Limit Offshore Drilling

A group of U.S. Senators on the West Coast have introduced a bill Wednesday aiming to prohibit offshore drilling on the outer continental shelf of California, Oregon and Washington.   First introduced in 2010, the West Coast Ocean Protection Act, would amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to permanently block drilling off the U.S. West Coast, stating that "the Secretary of the Interior shall not issue a lease for the exploration, development, or production of oil or natural gas in any area of the outer Continental Shelf off the coast of the State of California, Oregon or Washington."   The legislation was introduced by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.).

23 Sep 2015

Insights: Tracy Zea, Director-Government Relations, WCI

Tracy R. Zea

Washington-based Tracy R. Zea advocates for Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) goals for authorizations and appropriations which support a modern, efficient, and reliable inland waterways transportation system. Zea also works to enhance WCI’s stakeholder relationship with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers while additionally tracking implementation of WRRDA legislation and ensuring that WCI’s views are reflected in the outcomes. Before joining WCI, Zea served on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) for five years.

16 Dec 2014

Meet SFFD’s New Fireboat Technology

(Photo: Jensen Maritime Consultants)

Surrounded on three sides by water with the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Golden Gate Strait to the north, and San Francisco Bay to the East, the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) currently relies on two old and refurbished fireboats, the Phoenix (built in 1954) and the Guardian (built in 1951) to serve as fire protection assets for the waters around the City. San Francisco requires fireboats for a wide range of protective coastal duties. Since San Francisco lies near a major earthquake fault line…

02 Jul 2014

Congress Gets It Done with WRRDA

Michael J. Toohey, President and CEO, Waterways Council, Inc.

On May 22, the Water Resources Reform Development Act (WRRDA) of 2014, containing major recommendations of the Capital Development Plan (CDP), was passed by a vote 91-7 in the Senate. As MarineNews was going to press, President Obama finally signed the bill into law. The conference agreement had passed the House on May 20 by an overwhelming 412-4 vote. The bill contains four key elements of the Capital Development Plan that were included in the House WAVE 4 (H.R. 1149) and Senate RIVER Act (S.

22 May 2014

Waterways Council, Inc. Welcomes WRRDA Passage

Urges President’s Signature into Law. Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) today celebrated the passage of the Water Resources Reform Development Act (WRRDA) of 2014, containing major recommendations of the Capital Development Plan (CDP*). WCI urges the President to sign the bill into law. The conference agreement passed the House on Tuesday by an overwhelming 412-4 vote. Today’s Senate passage by a strong vote of 91-7 underscores the strong bi-partisan effort to enact the critical water resources bill.

16 May 2014

AWO Praises Final WRRDA Agreement

Tom Allegretti, AWO President & CEO

AWO President & CEO Tom Allegretti issued a statement on behalf of U.S. tugboat, towboat and barge operators praising House and Senate leaders for their work in forging “critically needed” waterways infrastructure legislation and urged Congress to quickly pass the Water Resources Reform and Development Act and send it to the President to be signed into law. “AWO is very pleased to see that the comprehensive legislation includes a number of important provisions of the Inland Waterways…

15 May 2014

WRRDA Conference Report Released

The Conference Report to H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA), was filed in the U.S. House of Representatives today, introduced in the House by Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), Committee Ranking Member Nick J. Rahall, II (D-W.Va.), Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Bob Gibbs (R-Ohio), and Subcommittee Ranking Member Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.). H.R. 3080 passed the House by a vote of 417 to 3 on October 23, 2013. House and Senate conferees reached agreement on a final measure last week, and now both Houses of Congress must approve the Conference Report in order to send it to the President to be signed into law.

13 May 2014

AAPA Applauds Senate's MAP-21 Freight Focus Bill

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) says it praises the leadership of the U.S. Senate’s Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee for releasing the six-year MAP-21 Reauthorization Act (S. 2322) that puts a high priority on freight movement investments. “We commend Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA and Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee), Senator David Vitter (R-LA and Ranking Member of the Committee), Senator Tom Carper (D-DE and Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee) and Senator John Barrasso (R-WY and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee) for introducing the MAP-21 Reauthorization Act…

21 Mar 2014

AAPA Upcoming Spring Conference: Ex-Im Bank Chairman to Speak

Image courtesy of Port of New Orleans

The American Association of Port Authoritiesred (AAPA) informs that Fred. P. Hochberg, chairman and president of the U.S. Export-Import Bank, has agreed to serve as the luncheon presenter on Tuesday 25, March at its 2014 Spring Conference in Washington, D.C. Mr Hochberg's presentation will follow a number of other high profile speakers, including U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee; U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure; Canadian Transport Minister Lisa Riatt; M. Gen. John W.

22 Jan 2014

Boxer, Shuster to be AAPA’s 2014 ‘Port Persons of Year’

U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster  (R-PA) have been jointly selected to receive the American Association of Port Authorities’ (AAPA) 2014 “Port Person of the Year” award. The bi-partisan nomination for AAPA’s most prestigious annual award was submitted by the California Association of Port Authorities (CAPA). Marking its 102nd year as the Western Hemisphere’s leading trade association representing port authorities, AAPA selected Sen. Boxer and Cong. Shuster based on their dedication to improving America’s water resources, infrastructure and freight transportation policy. Their work toward reforming federal water resources development legislation…

06 Jan 2014

What Will WRDA Legislation Bring?

Mike Toohey

On November 8, speaking at the Port of New Orleans, President Obama said “… corn and wheat is coming down from my home state of Illinois down the river, ending up here and then going all around the world. This was a victory for the inland waterways industry because while the President has recognized ports, dams, levees, trains, trucks and other transportation infrastructure, he has not, heretofore, underscored the value of the inland waterways. The President’s recognition of the…

03 Jan 2014

U.S. Port Security and the Impact of Sequester & Budget Woes

Coast Guard transportable port security boats attached to Port Security Unit 308 and riverine command boats from Riverine Squadron (RIVRON) 2 practice maneuvers together in the Intracoastal Waterway in North Carolina. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Richard Brunson)

This article describes the impact of the “sequester” and budget showdowns on ports and port security, and also gives a preview of the House-Senate Conference on the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). On the one hand, ports and port security have been severely hampered by the ongoing budget battles, as has the rest of the U.S. Government and economy. On the other hand, Congress appears to be on the brink of reauthorizing the Water Resources Development Act for the first time in six years.

24 Jun 2013

WRDA to the Wise

May 15, 2013 was a very good day for the nation’s barge and towing operators, as well as shippers of grain, coal, chemicals, petroleum products, aggregate materials, and agri-input products. It was also a good day for our nation’s economy and for its consumers. The Senate passed, by a vote of 83-14, a long-overdue Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), last reauthorized in 2007. Six years may not seem like a long time to await action on Capitol Hill. But since 57% of the locks and dams on the nation’s inland waterways system have exceeded their economic design life expectancy of 50 years…

16 May 2013

WCI Applauds Senate for WRDA Bill

In a news press release yesterday, Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) expressed its gratitude to Senate Environment & Public Works Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Ranking Member David Vitter (R-LA) for their collaborative efforts to draft, manage and pass a long-overdue Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), S. 601. WCI said it was also grateful for the inclusion of several provisions of the RIVER (Reinvesting In Vital Economic Rivers and Waterways) Act, S. 407, introduced by Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), and cosponsored by Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), and Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS).

15 May 2013

AAPA Commends Senate Passage of WRDA Bill

AAPA President and CEO Kurt Nagle (Photo: AAPA)

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) lauded Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and David Vitter (R-La.), chairman and ranking member, respectively, of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, for their leadership in advancing S. 601, the Water Resources Development Act of 2013 (WRDA), through the Senate. The legislation was passed by a vote of 83-14. “AAPA commends Senators Boxer and Vitter on their leadership in advancing this legislation to spur vitally needed maintenance and improvements in America’s seaport related infrastructure and waterways…

16 Apr 2013

U.S. Navy Names Research Vessel to Honor Sally Ride

Sally Ride (Photo: Scripps)

U.S. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the nation's newest research vessel will be named R/V Sally Ride, in honor of the former UC San Diego faculty member who was the first American female astronaut and the youngest American to fly in space. The ship is owned by the U.S. Navy, will be operated by Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego, and will have its home port at the Scripps Nimitz Marine Facility in Point Loma on San Diego Bay. "Sally Ride's career was one of firsts and will inspire generations to come," said Mabus. Dr.

20 Mar 2013

Waterways Council Reacts to WRDA Bill

Photo:  Waterways Council, Inc.

Waterways Council, Inc. (WCI) President/CEO Michael J. “We thank Chairwoman Barbara Boxer and Ranking Member David Vitter for their collaborative efforts to develop a long-overdue WRDA bill that addresses the needs of the inland waterways system. We applaud the WRDA bill’s elements that address navigation project delivery reforms, streamlining of Inland Waterways Users Board appointments, and investments made in inland waterways projects across all geographic areas. We look forward to working with Senators Boxer and Vitter…

26 Nov 2012

Building Momentum for America

In Washington, DC, success is often measured in the smallest of increments, especially when we have gridlock in Congress like we have seen this past year. But when it comes to bringing attention to the importance of the inland waterways system to America’s current – and future – prosperity, progress is being made. On September 21, Midwest Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Mark Kirk (R-IL), and Roy Blunt (R-MO) sent a letter to Senator Barbara Boxer…

10 Nov 2011

AAPA Lauds Focus of Senate Transportation Proposal

AAPA President and CEO Kurt Nagle

Senate EPW’s 2-year reauthorization proposal includes much of AAPA’s platform. The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) supports a number of the provisions included in legislation marked up today by the U.S. Senate’s Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee. S.1813—Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century or MAP-21— would fund highway programs at $85.3 billion over two years, contains no project earmarks, adds mechanisms for performance measurements, accelerates project delivery and streamlines the environmental review process.

19 May 2008

A Tidal Wave of New Regulations

The management ballast water discharges began with the enactment of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 (NANPCA) as an effort to prevent the introduction of additional invasive species into the Great Lakes. Since then, NANPCA was amended by the National Invasive Species Act of 1996 and the issue has progressed over the intervening years to a much larger campaign to regulate all vessel discharges into U.S. waters. Ballast water management has been the subject of litigation, regulation, and legislation at the state and federal level.