Completion of Kentucky Lock and Dam, expansion of Asian Carp control efforts, and authorization that will lead to the expansion of the Eddyville Riverport are included in the Water Resources Development Act of 2022 that was finalized by the United States Senate.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell says this legislation authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to carry out projects across the country that invest in ports, harbors, and inland waterways, build resilient infrastructure, and help preserve the natural environment. A House/Senate conference committee negotiated the legislation based on the two previous bills the Senate and House passed separately. This bill now goes to the President for his signature.
Senator McConnell says the legislation includes language instructing the Corps of Engineers to expedite the completion of the Kentucky Lock addition project in Livingston County, Kentucky. The bill also includes language pausing appropriations limits on projects, which will allow construction to continue even with possible cost increases.
The Minority Leader says he has used his leadership role in the United States Senate to advocate for the completion of the long-awaited Kentucky Lock and Dam project. More than $1 billion has been secured for this project, including over $465 million last year through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The language in this year’s Senate water infrastructure bill will help that project stay on track, even if it is hit by cost overruns driven by inflation. McConnell adds when finished, the new Kentucky Lock and Dam will allow the Commonwealth to take full advantage of our prime location at the heart of America’s inland waterways system.
Each year roughly 25 million tons of product pass through Kentucky Lock, supporting jobs and commerce across the Commonwealth and neighboring states. Completion of the current Kentucky Lock expansion project is paramount to optimizing this critical transportation corridor, and the language in the Senate Water Resources Development Act of 2022 is a much-needed step in the right direction.
The legislation also contains language that expands the effort to control and prevent the spread of Asian Carp. Senator McConnell says invasive Asian Carp have already wreaked havoc on Kentucky’s inland waterways and disrupted the recreation and tourism industries that rely on them. The Senator made this issue a priority in the Senate and helped mobilize the federal government to eradicate this destructive fish.
The legislation provides authorization for the sale of a US Army Corps of Engineers owned parcel of land to the adjacent Eddyville Riverport facilities on Lake Barkley, allowing the riverport to expand its capabilities. The Eddyville Riverport is part of Kentucky’s large and growing network of inland waterways facilities and requires new land to expand their capabilities. In this year’s Senate water infrastructure bill, McConnell helped the Eddyville Riverport team cut through red tape and expedite the process required to acquire land from USACE. This will help the riverport expand and bring new economic opportunity to surrounding communities.
