The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is investing $829 million in lock and dam modernization projects along the upper Mississippi River. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says agriculture relies on a functioning and efficient lock and dam system to move goods.
Grassley says the funding was made available through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs act. The funds will help modernize and expand seven outdated locks at the most congested locations along the Upper Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. The Upper Mississippi River System transports more than 60 percent of America’s corn and soybeans.
The Senator says he is also asking the Corps to prioritize funding for the Missouri River.
Enhancing the reliability and capacity of the seven highest-use and most-delayed locks will ensure an environmentally-conscious and safe method for transporting bulk commodities continues well into the next generation. $2.5 billion dollars for inland waterways was provided in the new infrastructure law.
