OHIO STEEL INDUSTRY ADVISORY COUNCIL RESOLUTION REGARDING RESTORATION OF ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR GREAT LAKES DEEP-DRAFT PORTS AND WATERWAYS
Passed June 8, 2010
WHEREAS, cargo movement on the Great Lakes drives both the region’s and the nation’s economies; and WHEREAS, the Great Lakes’ annual iron ore shipments for the steel industry exceed 60 million tons and sustain more than 400,000 jobs in the Great Lakes basin; and WHEREAS, there are annual iron ore shipments of nearly 18 million tons to Ohio’s Lake Erie ports in Toledo, Huron, Lorain, Cleveland, Ashtabula and Conneaut; and WHEREAS, the Great Lakes’ iron ore shipments are essential to many of Ohio’s steel producers; and WHEREAS, cargo shipped on the Great Lakes is taxed to pay for dredging of deep-draft ports and waterways and the tax revenue is deposited in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (“HMTF”); and WHEREAS, the HMTF currently has a surplus approaching $5 billion and receives annual tax revenues of approximately $1.6 billion; and WHEREAS, insufficient use of the HMTF for Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) operations and maintenance (O&M) dredging of the Great Lakes has resulted in a growing backlog of dredging, which reduces authorized deep-draft port and waterway navigation dimensions, thereby reducing shipping efficiency and negatively impacting the competitiveness of many Ohio steel producers. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Ohio Steel Industry Advisory Council calls upon all Ohio members of the United States House of Representatives and Senate to work to pass H.R. 4844 and S. 3213 requiring the full and complete use of the HMTF for its intended purpose of funding USACE O&M dredging of the Great Lakes deep-draft ports and waterways; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Ohio Steel Industry Advisory Council urges the Ohio General Assembly to call upon the United States Congress and the President of the United States to enact legislation and establish administrative policy to ensure the full and sufficient use of the HMTF for the regular dredging of Great Lakes deep-draft ports and waterways to ensure their depths and widths are maintained at full authorized dimensions; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution shall be sent to each member of the Ohio Congressional delegation, the Governor of Ohio, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate of the Ohio General Assembly. | 
