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TRVA News Tennessee River Valley Association Tennessee-Cumberland Waterways Council
Fall 2009 Newsletter
TRVA Hosts 43rd Annual Meeting
The TRVA held it’s 43rd Annual Meeting on October 20, 2009 at the Clarion Inn & Suites Hotel in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. In an opportunity for representatives from related governmental agencies and industries to gather in a comfortable relaxed atmosphere, members and guests were offered presentations of interest to all concerned with the economic health and vitality of the Tennessee and Cumberland River Valleys. Mike Wilson, Deputy District Engineer for Project Management of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District, briefed meeting participants on Corps activities related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. He also reported on the status of work at Wolf Creek Dam, the Kentucky Lock Addition and other important Nashville District projects including the potential suspension of construction and the eventual closing of Chickamauga Lock.
TRVA Board of Directors Member Elaine Patterson Presents U.S. Congressman Zach Wamp of Tennessee with
the 2009 ‘Janice L. Jones’ Friend of the Valley Award
Mitch Laird of the Corps’ Nashville District sought and encouraged participation in providing input related to the Ohio River Basin Comprehensive Study that will seek to identify the priorities and needs of the entire Ohio River System in the future. The Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers are important tributaries and TRVA input will be critical. www.orboutreach.com
Cornel Martin, President and CEO of the Waterways Council, Inc. pointed out the importance of the nation’s entire inland waterway system. Addressing the insolvency of the Inland Waterways Trust Fund, he discussed the progress of the Inland Waterways Users Board partnership with the Corps’ to resolve the funding shortfall that would provide the needed funds to continue the critical projects that are currently ongoing. The joint effort should result in recommendations that will address the crisis and are expected to be released on December 15, 2009 when the Users Board meets in New Orleans. www.waterwayscouncil.org Lance Brown, Executive Director of the Partnership for Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) spoke of the need for a common sense approach to addressing our nation’s energy needs. A policy that includes existing hydro, nuclear and clean coal technologies should be sought to insure our region’s ability to continue to compete in the global marketplace. Wind and solar power generation are not found to be as practical in the Southeast United States as they are in other regions of the country. TRVA along with the other Coalition of Alabama Waterways Associations organizations were among the first to support PACE. www.energyfairness.org
TRVA News
U.S. Congressman Zach Wamp Pledges Continued Support for Chickamauga Lock Project
U.S. Congressman Zach Wamp of Tennessee’s 3rd District and aggressive supporter of the Chickamauga Lock Replacement Project was warmly welcomed in Gatlinburg as the keynote speaker of the TRVA 43rd Annual Meeting. Introduced by retired long time TRVA Director Jan Jones, Congressman Wamp’s presentation centered around the challenges facing completion of the new Chickamauga Lock. “We really have our work cut-out for us, we have come a long way and frankly we have sort of defied the odds in the past through dogged determination and I think effective legislative work to get us this far” according to Wamp.
“I think we have to light a grassroots fire now, like we did years ago when Jan Jones and the TRVA, Miles Minnell and the local governments (ATVG), and Elaine Patterson and the business community, the three women that frankly deserve a whole lot of credit here, reallybuilt a base of grass-roots support not just in the Tennessee Valley, but across the Southeastern United States for the necessity of doing this project. Then we built the kind of legislative teamwork that commenced construction, but we have hit a pretty large wall until the Congress of the United States and the Executive Branch does their job, doing their job means fixing the Inland Waterway Trust Fund.”
TRVA News
Zach Wamp Addresses TRVA’s 43rd Annual Meeting In Gatlinburg, Tennessee
In our legislative process there are about nine ways to skin a cat. “My report for you today though, is that we are down to about three left” according to Wamp, “the first six of the nine ways have not worked. What the outstanding civilian side of the Corps’ has done for us is move this project as absolute far as we could given the constraints of the statutes from which they are working under.” Having used every penny available to this point to prepare for lock construction, the Corps’ will be unable to begin to pour footings in the Tennessee for the foundation due to the insolvency of the Trust Fund.
When the cofferdam contract that is scheduled for completion in the spring of 2010 is complete, the water will be pumped out, thestructure will be tested for integrity and thenwill have water returned to it and construction
will be suspended until Trust Fund resources become available. According to Gary Lowe of the Corps Headquarters in Washington, suspension of construction at Chickamauga and Kentucky Locks will last more than a decade without a meaningful solution to the Trust Fund’s insolvency. Efforts by Wamp and Congressman Lincoln Davis of Tennessee’s 4th District to include FY2010 funding to continue construction at Chickamauga failed in the House and Senate Energy and Water Conference Committee earlier this year. The President’s Budget included only $1 million in funding for Chickamauga, that allows the Corps’ to finish FY2009 work on the cofferdam, testing and related work already under contract. With the door closed on opportunities in the FY2010 Budget, the three options remaining to skin this cat, as Wamp put it, are 1) to include funding in a supplemental spending bill, 2) to include in a potential second stimulus bill that he would oppose but Congressman Davis would likely support and possibly assist in including funding for Chickamauga construction, or to 3) attach language to some other unrelated legislation. “One of these three cats skinned, and we’re back in business” Wamp stated, “but it has got to be done now, this is not a 2011 issue.” Reliability studies have found the risk for a possible catastrophic failure of the existing lock increases significantly beyond 2010. TVA
TRVA News
has been instructed by the Corps’ to begin planning for the eventual closure of the existing lock at Chickamauga. “It would make no sense, it would be asinine, surely not in the greatest nation in the history of the world, surely not, they (the Congress and Administration) would not let this happen,” Wamp said.
“The first major system in the country
that could shut down if we are negligent as a nation is the Chickamauga Lock, on the Tennessee River. This is not one man’s fight, this is not my project, this is America’s project and we have to make the case, and we have to light this fire all over again, and we have got to do it quick.”
Congressman Wamp informed Senator
Lamar Alexander of the Corps’ notification to TVA and the critical nature of this situation. Alexander could become the Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Water Committee and be in a position to have influence needed to complete the Chickamauga project. “He now knows the urgency because of TVA’s notification from the Corps’ to begin that process of the preparation, because if it closes for more than five weeks, all of those products go somewhere else, probably to stay,” according to Wamp.
“It is a challenge that we should rise to
meet, all of us together, so lets light the fire again and make this a major issue.” He called on participants to encourage support from across the Southeast and Eastern United States
in Congress to support his efforts to continue funding for construction at Chickamauga Lock. As a candidate for Governor in the State of Tennessee who will leave the House in early 2011 Wamp stated, “It is important that Senator Alexander lead this effort in the Senate and that over the next fourteen months I ramrod the House side.” Wamp also said, “a House Member can’t really hold up the trains like a Senator can, but I am going to do everything that I can, including laying down in front of this train over the next fourteen months to get these footings poured in the middle of the Tennessee River. We are going to move this as far as we can down the road before I leave, because it has to be done.” At the conclusion of his remarks, TRVA Board of Directors Member Elaine Patterson presented the TRVA 2009 ‘Janice L. Jones’ Friend of the Valley Award to Congressman Wamp (see photo on page 1). The Friend of the Valley Award is presented annually to honor an individual’s commitment and contributions to the economic health and vitality of the Tennessee and Cumberland River Valleys. TRVA is honored to have Congressman Wamp receive the prestigious award for 2009, and shares his commitment to the continued construction through completion of the Chickamauga Lock Replacement and will actively support his efforts in Congress and across the Southeastern United States. See this online video from House floor: www.house.gov/wamp/videos/100109video.wmv
TRVA News
Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner Gerald Nicely
Gerald Nicely, Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner addressed the TRVA Annual Meeting during the Luncheon held at the Clarion Inn & Suites Hotel in Gatlinburg on October 20th. Commissioner Nicely is the new Chairman of the Standing Committee on Water Transportation for the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials who will meet November 18-20 in Washington. Replacing Butch Brown of Mississippi, Nicely briefed TRVA and guests on his new responsibilities with AASHTO. TRVA met with Commissioner Nicely and Paula Shaw of TDOT, who was elected to the TRVA Board of Directors for 2010, in March to discuss Tennessee’s waterway resources and ways to make efficient use of these transportation assets. Ron Coles, a TRVA Vice President for 2010, has assisted the
Commissioner in his preparations to lead the Water Transportation Committee in AASHTO. Ron, who also briefed TRVA and guests on the progress of efforts to develop a container-on-barge market in the southeast, has availed his many years experience in inland river port and economic development projects to help Commissioner Nicely better develop a national waterway perspective that will serve him in his new capacity. Nicely was appointed Commissioner of Transportation by Governor Phil Bredesen and assumed the position in January 2003. Commissioner Nicely had the distinction of serving simultaneously in two state cabinet posts following his December 2005 appointment by the Governor to oversee the restructuring of the Tennessee Department of Safety. TRVA was honored to have Commissioner Nicely travel from Nashville and adjust his schedule to accommodate last minute changes in the program to participate in the Annual Meeting where his message and leadership in the region are very much appreciated. Tennessee, the Nation and TRVA are fortunate to have such a dedicated professional committed to the future of transportation serve in valuable leadership roles within Tennessee and in AASHTO. We look forward to supporting Commissioner Nicely in his efforts to seek efficient solutions to our nation’s transportation systems challenges.
TRVA News
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Announces Closure Schedule for 2010 and Proposed 2011
During his presentation to the TRVA Annual Meeting, the Chief of the Nashville District’s Navigation Branch, Jeff Ross updated TRVA and guests on maintenance plans for the Tennessee and Cumberland River Systems locks in 2010-2011. The schedule follows: Calendar Year 2010 Chickamauga Lock is scheduled for closure to navigation traffic from 6:00AM on 13 April 2010, through 6:00PM on 11 May 2010. Melton Hill Lock is scheduled for closure to navigation traffic from 6:00AM on 8 June 2010, through 6:00PM on 29 June 2010. Fort Loudoun Lock is scheduled for closure to navigation traffic from 6:00AM on 20 July 2010, through 6:PM on 10 August 2010. Watts Bar Lock is scheduled for closure to navigation traffic from 6:00AM on 12 October 2010, through 6:00PM on 2 November 2010. Calendar Year 2011 (Proposed Dates) Chickamauga Lock 19 April through 10 May Wheeler Auxiliary 7 June through 28 June Wilson Auxiliary 26 July through 23 August
TRVA Gratefully Appreciates These Companies That Served as
Sponsors of the TRVA 43rd Annual Meeting
Cherokee Equity Corporation
Ingram Barge Company
Ingram Materials Company
Olin Chemical Corporation
Tennessee Valley Towing
TPG Green Solutions
Volunteer Barge & Transport
W.R. Coles & Associates
TRVA is proud to Announce that the new
Tennessee River Valley Association Tennessee-Cumberland Waterways Council
Website is now Online. The new web design will improve our ability to communicate our message and share information of importance to our Membership and those
who share similar interests. Updates will be available related to upcoming events, news, links, newsletters and related
information.
The new Website address is the same as before:
www.trva-tcwc.org
TRVA Elects Board of Directors and Officers for 2010
During the Membership Meeting portion of the Annual Meeting in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, the TRVA membership elected the following Board and Officers for 2010: President: Mark Hommrich, Volunteer Barge & Transport, Nashville, TN Chairman of the Board: Joe Vancil, Ingram Barge Company, Paducah, KY Vice Presidents: Ron Coles, W.R. Coles and Associates, Nashville, TN Tim Culp, James Marine, Inc., Paducah, KY Alex Nelson, Nelson Services Group, Florence, AL Elaine Patterson, Olin Chemical Corporation, Chattanooga, TN Ronnie Pritchard, RP Consulting, Brentwood, TN Buddy Sanders, Ingram Materials Company, Nashville, TN Returning Board of Directors Members: Robert Brewer, Crounse Corporation, Paducah, KY Ray Burkhart, Burkhart Enterprises, Knoxville, TN Ken Canter, Paducah-McCracken Riverport Authority, Paducah, KY Kenny Gillum, Kentucky Cumberland Coal Company, LaFollette, TN Glenn Hendon, Hunter Marine, Nashville, TN Don Lee, Fort Loudoun Terminal, Lenoir City, TN Mark Mayfield, Tennessee Valley Towing, Paducah, KY Frank McKee, University of Tennessee CTAS, Nashville, TN Tim Parker III, Parker Towing, Tuscaloosa, AL Peter Serodino, Jr., Southern Marine Construction, Chattanooga, TN Jim Sweeney, Cherokee Equity Corporation, Nashville, TN Newly Elected Board of Directors Members: Hal Greer, Florence Port Authority, Florence, AL Michael McQuillen, DiMatter & Associates, Sugar Land, TX Laurence Secrest, Basic Resources, Knoxville, TN Paula Shaw, Tennessee Department of Transportation, Nashville. TN
TRVA News
TRVA News
TRVA Adopts Resolution Related to Energy Legislation
The TRVA Membership voted to adopt a resolution encouraging inclusion of all forms of clean, renewable energy in any legislation adopted by Congress. Existing hydro, nuclear and clean coal technologies should be included along with wind, solar and biomass energy generation to prevent our region from being unfairly punished by legislation in its current form. The resolution in its entirety is available on the new TRVA-TCWC Website under the news tab at:
www.trva-tcwc.org
The Great Loop Cruisers’ Association Fall Rendezvous on
Tennessee River
The Great Loop Cruisers’ Association met in October at the Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville, AL on the Tennessee River. The annual event has been held at the State Park Marina in recent years bringing approximately 70 boats with over 100 “Loopers” that travel the Inland Waterway System in a “Great Loop” of the Eastern United States. Loopers from across America enjoy the beauty and calm waters of the Tennessee River in the fall and look forward to returning in years to come. See photo below.
TRVA News
Tennessee River Valley Association
Tennessee-Cumberland Waterways Council
Contact: Cline Jones, Executive Director
P.O. Box 1745 Decatur, AL 35602 256-355-4660 Office 256-394-3433 Cell
www.trva-tcwc.org
TRVA is a not-for-profit 501© (4) public interest organization
