Benishek pushes for Soo Locks Expansion
Washington, D.C. – In response to efforts by Dr. Benishek and a bi-partisan group of members of the House and Senate, the Army Corps of Engineers has agreed to perform an Economic Impact study on the Soo Locks. This study is critical to the effort to increase the priority of the construction of a replacement Lock in the Army Corps’ list of authorized projects.
The funds for this study were being held by the Office of Management and Budget due to a technicality. Following a letter sent by Dr. Benishek to the OMB, the reprogramming request will be completed, and the funds will be released to begin the study.
“Ever since I came to Congress, I have been fighting to see a replacement lock built in the Soo. An anticipated shutdown of the locks would be crippling to the economy, not just here in Michigan, but across the country. This study by the Army Corps is an important step in the process, and I am pleased to see that it is moving forward,” said Dr. Benishek, Michigan’s only member of the Natural Resources Committee.
This summer, Dr. Benishek led a bipartisan delegation of officials from Michigan, Minnesota, and Canada to the Locks for an update from the Army Corps on the efforts to create a replacement Lock. Additionally, he offered an amendment to the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill to emphasize the importance of completing this project.
(Information Courtesy of Dr. Dan Benishek’s office)