New waterway bill

addresses critical needs

The recently introduced Waterways are Vital for the Economy, Energy, Efficiency and Environment Act of 2013 (WAVE 4) will address the critical needs of the inland waterways system, create American jobs, foster growth in U.S. exports and continue to encourage the economic benefits that the nation's waterways generate, according to Farm Bureau.

"Construction, dredging and repairs to our locks and dams will help ensure the reliability of the most affordable, energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable mode of transporting agricultural products," said American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman.

Forty-one states, including all states east of the Mississippi River and 16 state capitols, are served by commercially navigable waterways.

Further, more than 60 percent of America's grain exports and many other important commodities such as fuel, coal and agricultural inputs also move through the U.S. inland waterway system.

Reps. Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) are original sponsors of the bill.