October 22, 2019

Duckworth Meets with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rock Island District Commander

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) today met with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rock Island District Commander Colonel Steven M. Sattinger to discuss the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP), a long-term ecological restoration and navigation program for the Upper Mississippi River System, as well as the Brandon Road Lock and Dam project as priorities for the upcoming Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) Reauthorization that will be considered by the Senate. A photo from today’s meeting is available here.

“Colonel Sattinger and I had a good discussion about the importance of efficient navigation on the Upper Mississippi and Illinois rivers, protecting the Great Lakes from invasive species like Asian Carp and how Congress can help the Corps achieve these goals,” Duckworth said. “Federal infrastructure investments are critical to the safety of our communities and businesses, and essential to protecting the environment and improving water quality.”

As a member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, Duckworth oversees issues related to the nation’s waterways and infrastructure and works to ensure Illinois receives adequate funding and other support from the federal government to rebuild and modernize our infrastructure and transportation systems. In the upcoming WRDA Reauthorization negotiations, one of Duckworth’s top priorities is increasing inland waterways cost-share for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, increasing the federal share to 75 percent from its current 50 percent for construction and major rehab projects on inland waterways systems.

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