Weekly News Summary For September 28 - October 4, 2009:

Corps To Begin Study Of Missouri River Uses

The Corps of Engineers will hold two meetings early next month to begin a first-ever review of the authorized purposes in the legislation that created the system of dams on the Missouri River.
In the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009, Congress directed the Corps to conduct a review of the original project purposes established by the 1944 Flood Control Act. The goal is to determine whether changes in these purposes and the existing federal water-resource infrastructure managed by the Corps and Bureau of Reclamation may be warranted, the Corps said in an announcement last week.
The eight authorized purposes for the main stem projects are flood control, hydropower, water supply, irrigation, navigation, recreation, water quality and fish and wildlife. Numerous tributary projects operated by both agencies also have multiple purposes, but individual projects may not include all eight.
“The Missouri River Authorized Purposes Study is not a continuation of the Missouri River Master Manual Review and Update that was completed in 2004,” said Lynn Heng, co-project manager. “That study looked only at the operation of the main stem dams and reservoirs.
“This study is also not part of the several habitat recovery and restoration efforts now underway,” he added. “We’re going to be working hard to avoid confusion with this other work.”…

Entrepreneurs To Reopen Port Of Louisville

“At the end of the day, economics rule,” said Greg Cantrell, half of a team that is reopening the former Louisville-Jefferson Riverport Authority as the Port of Louisville, located at Mile 618 on the Ohio River. Cantwell and his partner Joe Tegart see economics, environmental regulations and logistics providing a tempting opportunity to revitalize this facility profitably.
Cantwell comes from the energy world, having been a fuel buyer and director of corporate fuels and byproducts for LG&E Energy. He has also been involved in coal ventures.
Tegart is a former transportation manager for Zeigler Coal Company and former senior vice president of sales and marketing for Mammoth Marine, among other stints on the inland rivers, including with American Commercial Lines and Ohio River Trading Company.
Whatever happens with energy bills now pending in Congress, Cantrell says the country cannot afford to dispense with cheap coal—currently about $40 a megawatt hour when profit and distribution costs are added in—as a key energy source.
“With all the unemployment we’ve had, people just can’t afford to pay higher energy rates right now,” he said….

Fertilizer Plant To Open At New Madrid

The New Madrid (Mo.) County Port Authority is adding one new tenant, and expects to add another by February.
Crop Production Services Inc. will stage a grand opening of its new fertilizer facility at New Madrid “sometime in the next few weeks,” according to Timmie Lynn Hunter, the port’s executive director. (The original target date was September 15.) Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon is expected to give a keynote talk.
The facility includes a 51,000-ton dry fertilizer warehouse with two tanks that can hold 3 million gallons of liquid fertilizer, and a third that can hold 500,000. CPS is expected to add 10 full-time jobs to the port. Hunter told the South East Missourian in June that each job could create up to 12 “ripple effect” jobs in the local economy.
An enclosed maintenance shop will be able to wash off vehicles to avoid runoff—one of many environmental measures at the expanded facility.
The $15 million port expansion has been under construction since February. The port has completed a warehouse and new truck scales, and is paving a concrete road extension. It is also adding four mooring dolphins and a rail spur to accommodate the extra traffic….

Terral RiverService Adds New Boat To Growing Fleet

Terral RiverService christened it August 12 in a ceremony at Lettsworth.
Designed by Tommy Parfait, the mv. Anna Marie measures 58 by 26 feet with an eight-foot draft. It is powered by twin Cummins QSK-19 diesels, each rated 600 hp. at 1,800 rpm.
The engines, supplied by Cummins Mid-South, turn 60- by 48-inch, four-blade Work Horse propellers through Twin Disc 516 reduction gears, from Sewart Supply. The gears have a 5:1 reduction ratio. The wheels are mounted on five-inch steel cold roll shafts with stainless journals….

WJ Editorial: Has Dorgan’s Folly Triggered A Gem?

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