Locks and Dams Matter
Improving the Illinois, Mississippi, and Ohio River system has been an Illinois Corn Growers Association priority for over 20 years. Waterways infrastructure gives Illinois farmers and other Illinois industry a competitive advantage over other states for transportation of grain and other agricultural products. However, in the last 50 years, these locks and dams have become dilapidated and outdated. The crumbling lock and dam system costs Illinois corn farmers every day in lost efficiency getting their product to global marketplaces.
Improving our lock and dam system NOW is critical not only for Illinois farmers but also for all Illinois citizens and our country and world as a whole.
Ensuring Cleaner Air: Inland waterways transport generates fewer emissions than rail or truck. The emission comparison between inland towing, rail and truck transportation shows that fewer air pollutants are generated by moving products on American’s inland navigation system.
Saving Energy: Transporting freight by water is the most energy-efficient choice. The most energy-efficient way to move commodities such as coal, grain, iron, steel, aggregates, petroleum and chemical products is to use the nation’s navigable rivers. Barges can move one ton of cargo 576 miles per gallon of fuel. A rail car would move the same ton of cargo 413 miles, and a truck only 155 miles.
Protecting Communities: Inland waterways transport moves hazardous materials safely. All transport modes work hard to prevent accidents, human errors and other causes of spills, including groundings in the case of barge transportation. Overall, spill rates are very low – with trucks losing only 6.06 gallons per one million ton-miles, rail cars only 3.86 gallons and barges 3.6 gallons per one million ton-miles.
Want to see the potential impacts of a lock or dam failure on the Missisippi or Illinois River? Look no further than a case study on the very close Ohio River at Lock 52. Broken wickets that can...
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Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) studied the condition of Locks and Dam #15 at Rock Island on the Mississippi River while aboard an educational barge tour sponsored by the Illinois Corn Growers...
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President Trump’s focus on investing and rebuilding infrastructure in America has brought new focus to the dilapidated locks and dams on the Mississippi and Illinois River. Check out this recent...
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The need for an improved infrastructure is an issue that has received serious attention in recent months. When President Donald Trump spoke on June, 7th in Cincinnati, Ohio on the subject on...
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill.— Illinois Corn Growers Association President Justin Durdan, a farmer from Utica, issued the following statement regarding President Donald Trump’s comments in support of...
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill.— Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA) appreciates Senator Tammy Duckworth’s (IL-D) outspoken support for investments in our waterways infrastructure systems, especially the...
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The Illinois Corn Growers Association, through its partnership and coalition work with UnLock Our Jobs, sent a letter to key Members of Congress urging funding for the Great Lakes Restoration...
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Farmers need upgraded locks and dams on the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers and your Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA) has continually fought to elevate the visibility and awareness of that...
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