Bush supports deepening of Columbia River shipping channel

Bush supports deepening of Columbia River shipping channel    President Bush told representatives of the shipping industry Friday he’s submitting a $15 million budget amendment to Congress to fund the beginning stages of the Columbia River navigation channel dredging project.
   The project involves dredging 104 miles of the Columbia River, from Portland, Ore. to Vancouver, Wash., from an average depth of 40 feet to 43 feet.
   “With fewer ships coming into the Columbia River ports, farmers and growers are forced to pay higher transportation costs,” Bush said in Portland.
   “Deepening the channel by three feet might not sound like a big change to some folks, but the people here know what it means,” he said. “The people who are the experts understand what that extra three feet means for this mighty river. See, cargo ships will be able to load 300 more containers than they can now. If they’re shipping grain, they’ll be able to carry an extra 6,000 tons.”
   Bush said the channel deepening in the Columbia River should save manufacturers and growers about $68 million a year in the cost to ship containerized freight.