Dust-up over Soo Lock expansion

Dust-up over Soo Lock expansion A Michigan Congressman has reacted strongly to what he says is a decision not to build a replacement lock at the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., but a senior official at the Army Corps of Engineers said no decision has yet been made.
   Earlier this week, Bart Stupak, D-Mich., whose district includes the locks on St. Marys River, which connects Lake Superior and Lake Huron, wrote a letter to Carl A. Strock, the commander and chief of engineers at the Army Corps urging him to reconsider the decision.
   'This decision ignores the importance of the Soo locks to our nation's economy and is negligent in protecting our navigation infrastructure,' he said, noting that more than 80 million tons of freight move through the Soo Locks annually.
   But the Associated Press today quotes John Paul Woodley Jr., assistant secretary of the Army for civil works, as saying Stupak was wrong.
   'No decision of any kind has been made,' the AP quoted Woodley as saying. 'This decision appears to exist only in Mr. Stupak’s mind.'
   Stupak said in his letter that 'in 1986, Congress recognized the need for a replacement lock and authorized the construction of a new large lock' to replace the existing Poe Lock.
   The Democrat accused the Bush administration of 'ignoring the intent of Congress and rejecting the construction of a replacement lock.
   'The administration's decision to oppose the construction of a replacement lock raises serious concerns about the administration's judgment and willingness to invest in critical infrastructure necessary to our homeland security and economy,' he added.
   Stupak said 'two-thirds of the carrying capacity of the U.S. Great Lakes fleet is now limited to the 40-year-old Poe Lock. If the Poe Lock was rendered unusable due to age, accidental damage, terrorism, or any other reason, it would disable American industry by halting the shipment of ore, coal, wheat, and other commodities.
   'The steel industry would be especially hard hit as 70 percent of all raw materials used in the steel industry travel through the Soo Locks,' he noted.
   The Woodley noted that Congress ultimately would decide whether to fund the project. The AP quoted him as saying he was waiting to make a recommendation until he studied an Army Corps cost-benefit analysis.