Senate Great Lakes Task Force Co-Chair Sen. Carl Levin is currently leading a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) urging that a significant portion of funds provided for the Corps' FY2013 Operations & Maintenance be directed to Great Lakes navigation projects. The recently passed FY2013 Continuing Appropriations Resolution provides FY2012 funding levels through March 27, 2013, at $2.4 billion on an annual basis for USACE to operate and maintain a variety of navigational infrastructure across the country. With Great Lakes water levels significantly below average and three Great Lakes - Michigan, Superior, and Huron - expected to reach all-time record water level lows, the dredging needs of Great Lakes harbors and channels have increased significantly, with impacts to commercial shipping, recreational boating, and to the more than 26 million people who rely on the Great Lakes for their drinking water. The USACE weekly tracks water levels, available here. 

For more information contact Kate Ostrander or Mike Gaffin, Legislative Directors of the Northeast-Midwest Congressional and Senate Coalitions, respectively. 

At three Mississippi River-focused meetings, member mayors outlined Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative (MRCTI) priorities for the waterway and informed attending organizations of their intention to meet in Washington with members of Congress this coming March. On September 26, Mayor Slay of St. Louis, the newly selected Chair of MRCTI, spoke to the America's Great Watershed Initiative Summit in St. Louis. On September 27, Mayor Case of Wickliffe, KY spoke to the Mississippi River Parkway Commission annual meeting in Louisville, KY. Finally, on September 28, the mayors of Grafton, IL, Moline, IL and Davenport, IA presented at the Upper Mississippi River Conference in Moline, IL. 

For more information contact Colin Wellenkamp, Director of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative at the Northeast-Midwest Institute. 

Senator Boxer plans to introduce a new Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), the largest legislative vehicle for water infrastructure in the nation, likely in the next Congress. At a Senate Environmental & Public Works hearing on September 20, the Chair pledged that a new draft of WRDA would be completed over the coming months. Senator Inhofe stated at the hearing that for every $1.00 spent on water infrastructure, $2.00 in economic activity is generated. Senator Vitter of Louisiana took the opportunity to reiterate that a new WRDA bill should include reform of the USACE. Senator Boozman of Arkansas offered that any WRDA bill should also include changes to the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund. 

For more information contact Colin Wellenkamp, Director of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative at the Northeast-Midwest Institute.