Approved _________, 2004

Black Belt Action Commission Meeting
Montgomery, Alabama

Whereas, the nation is served by thousands of miles of federally maintained commercial waterways and ports that provide millions of jobs, and trade utilizing waterways, including international trade with Latin America, is predicted to grow considerably over the next decade;

Whereas, the Alabama River navigation channel was authorized by the U.S. Congress in the River and Harbor Act of 1945;

Whereas, the Alabama River is geographically and strategically positioned to potentially capture an increasingly larger share of future growth in trade and is the only waterway link between Alabama’s capital city of Montgomery and the Gulf of Mexico;

Whereas, the Alabama River is a critical component of the State of Alabama’s infrastructure that supports commerce and development throughout a number of Alabama’s economically distressed Black Belt counties;

Whereas, waterway channels, such as the Alabama River, require regular maintenance dredging and other improvements to compete for domestic and international trade;

Whereas, the three locks on the Alabama River – Claiborne, Millers Ferry, and Robert F. Henry – operated as part of a federally authorized navigation channel by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers since 1972, are critical to the economic utilization of the Alabama River in the Black Belt and other Alabama communities;

Whereas, the hydroelectric generation facilities at Millers Ferry and Robert F Henry dams provide over $11 million in annual revenue to the federal government through their operation;

Whereas, the FY 05 President’s Budget proposal, currently pending in Congress, would eliminate funds for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to operate and maintain the three Alabama River locks and to dredge the navigation channel such that the locks will be shutdown and the Alabama River rendered unusable with federal recreation sites closed for a large part of the year;

Whereas, the federal government currently spends only $2.25 million annually to operate the locks at the three dams on the Alabama River, resulting in numerous economic benefits to the Black Belt region, including the $11 million deposited in the federal treasury annually from the sale of hydroelectric power;

Whereas, on August 14, 2004, Alabama Governor Bob Riley created the Black Belt Action Commission to be comprised of a broad, cross-section of Alabamians and to identify opportunities for supporting the development of the Black Belt, to “develop better intergovernmental and private/public coordination and to seek out opportunities for new partnerships to achieve Black Belt development goals” and “to foster coordinated approaches to Black Belt improvements and development that support local initiatives.”

Whereas, the Coosa-Alabama River Improvement Association has polled Alabama River stakeholders and found that eliminating the relatively small U.S. Army Corps of Engineers funding for the Alabama River locks will have a negative economic impact in the tens of million, if not billions, of dollars including industrial operation shutdowns and retrofits, decreased tourism and recreational activities, jeopardizing planned “riverfront” developments, diminished agricultural productivity, inoperable local water systems, and diminished tax revenues.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT

Resolved, That the Congress should ensure that funding is provided to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the operation of the Alabama River’s three locks and to maintain the navigability of its channel in FY05 and in future years; and,

Resolved, That the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) should ensure that the critical role played by the Alabama River and its three locks in the economy of this region along with its the fiscal impact should be taken into account in developing future budgets; and,

Resolved, That the Members of the Alabama Delegation to Congress are applauded for their efforts to restore funding to support the Alabama River locks and channel and are encouraged to continue their work to see that such funding is restored in FY05 and included in budget planning for future years; and,

Resolved, That the members of this Commission will work individually to communicate with local, state, and national officials, including writing letters to federal officials, regarding the critical need to maintain appropriate funding for the Alabama River in order to provide for the economic development of the Black Belt and the State of Alabama; and,

Resolved, That the members of this Commission will work within their respective communities and organizations to raise awareness of the critical need to maintain appropriate funding for the Alabama River in order to provide for the economic development of the Black Belt and the State of Alabama; and,

Resolved, That the members of this Commission are encouraged to write “letters to the editor” to publications in their respective communities to raise awareness regarding the need to maintain appropriate funding for the Alabama River in order to provide for the economic development of the Black Belt and the State of Alabama; and,

Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution will be sent to each Member of the Alabama Congressional Delegation; and,

Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution will be sent to each county, municipality, and known chamber of commerce or business league within the twelve-county Black Belt area along with both houses of the State Legislature and the Office of the Governor to raise awareness regarding the need to maintain appropriate funding for the Alabama River; and,

Resolved, That a copy of this Resolution will be sent to Congressional Appropriations Committee leaders and officials in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) by the Coosa-Alabama River Improvement Association whose efforts at raising public awareness regarding the needs of the Alabama River are hereby recognized by this Commission; and,

Resolved, That the members of this Commission, particularly the members of the Infrastructure Committee, will continue to seek to identify other opportunities to support the Alabama River and the other waterways that are intertwined with the development of Alabama’s Black Belt.

Passed this _______ day of October, 2004.

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Co-Chair

Black Belt Action Commission

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Co-Chair

Black Belt Action Commission

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Executive Director

Black Belt Action Commission

Attested:

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