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The modernization of the Soo Locks is set to be fully funded after the Senate passed the legislation Wednesday.
US Senator Debbie Stabenow’s bipartisan bill calls for nearly $1 billion to construct another Poe-sized lock, as part of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018.
Earlier this year, Senator Stabenow successfully called on the Army Corps of Engineers and the Adminisration to complete a critical economic analysis that accurately reflects the importance of this project to our economy and national security.
Stabenow said, “After a hard-fought effort, the Senate passed my bipartisan bill greenlighting the nearly $1 billion needed to modernize the Soo Locks. In Michigan, we know how vital the Locks are to our economy and our national defense. We also know that we are on borrowed time until something happens that shuts them down. This is a significant win that will help ensure this vital gateway for commerce and jobs stays open.”
US Senator Gary Peters then called on the Trump Administration to include the necessary funding in their annual budget request.
“Our national economy depends on the Soo Locks to transport millions of tons of raw goods every year. However, some of the pumps that operate the locks are over 100 years old, and while that’s a testament to the work of the Army Corps of Engineers who have kept the locks operational, it is simply not sustainable for the future,” said Peters.
“I thank Senator Stabenow for her leadership in securing the authorization of full federal funding for a much-needed replacement lock in the Senate WRDA bill, and I was proud to work with her in support of her efforts in the Senate. Now we need the Trump Administration to do its part and include the necessary funding for this essential project in their annual budget request because we cannot build our future on the infrastructure investments our grandparents made in the past.”
