PRINTER'S NO.  3517

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

No.

727

Session of

2012

  

  

INTRODUCED BY MARSHALL, PRESTON, KOTIK, GEIST, D. COSTA, P. COSTA, DeLUCA, MATZIE, RAVENSTAHL, READSHAW AND VULAKOVICH, MAY 10, 2012

  

  

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, MAY 10, 2012  

  

  

  

A RESOLUTION

  

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Commending the Port of Pittsburgh Commission on its 20th

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anniversary for its leadership in advocating for the passage

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of a 20-year capital improvement plan and urging the Congress

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of the United States to support a 20-year capital improvement

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plan which would improve the lock and dam infrastructure of

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the nation's inland waterway system.

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WHEREAS, The General Assembly of Pennsylvania created the

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current Port of Pittsburgh Commission in 1992 to promote the

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rivers of southwestern Pennsylvania as highways of commerce; and

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WHEREAS, The Port of Pittsburgh is the second busiest inland

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port in the nation; and

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WHEREAS, Martin Associates, located in Lancaster, has found

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that more than 45,000 direct jobs and more than 217,000 total

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jobs are maintained in southwestern Pennsylvania by a healthy

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river infrastructure; and

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WHEREAS, The 17 lock and dam structures on the three major

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rivers in southwestern Pennsylvania, which allow for the passage

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of essential commerce, have exceeded their design life by as

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much as 50 years and many are in a severe state of

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deterioration; and

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WHEREAS, The distressed state of the lock and dam structures

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threaten commerce making use of the inland waterway system; and

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WHEREAS, The United States Army Corps of Engineers' Lower

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Monongahela Improvement Project was authorized to construct a

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new dam at Braddock and a new lock at Charleroi and to remove

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the locks and dam at Elizabeth but has been stalled by lack of

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funding; and

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WHEREAS, The Port of Pittsburgh Commission has joined with

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more than 200 industry and port groups throughout the nation to

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urge the approval by the Congress of the United States of a 20-

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year capital improvement plan that would, among other things,

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complete the Lower Monongahela Improvement Plan; and 

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WHEREAS, In order to finance the 20-year capital improvement

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plan, the plan would allow for the increase of user fees from

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20¢ per gallon to as much as 29¢ per gallon for the commercial

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towing industry; and

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WHEREAS, The completion of the 20-year capital improvement

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plan is essential to the economic health of southwestern

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Pennsylvania's coal mining, power generation, steel making and

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petrochemical industries; and

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WHEREAS, The Port of Pittsburgh Commission, along with

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Carnegie Mellon University, the United States Army Corps of

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Engineers and the towing industry, has aggressively pursued

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nonstructural improvements to supplement the needed structural

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improvements; therefore be it 

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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives commend the Port

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of Pittsburgh Commission on its 20th anniversary for its

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leadership in advocating for the passage of a 20-year capital

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improvement plan; and be it further 

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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the Congress

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of the United States to support a 20-year capital improvement

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plan which would improve the lock and dam infrastructure of the

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nation's inland waterway system.

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