Reschenthaler, Casey, Fetterman, Thompson Advocate for Allegheny River Valley’s Maritime Economy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Chief Deputy Whip Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA), Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Senator John Fetterman (D-PA), Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA), and members of the Pennsylvania congressional delegation sent a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) outlining concerns for commercial and recreational access to the Allegheny River – specifically the lock and dam system.

 

Currently, Locks 2 and 3 on the Allegheny River operate at levels of service (LOS) 2, which allows for two 10-hour daily shifts. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, these locks conducted 803 and 799 commercial lockages. Under the USACE service level metrics, these lockages face future cuts to operational hours and may force many commercial operators to choose alternative means of transport, further decreasing the number of lockages and, subsequently, the LOS.

 

In the letter, the lawmakers wrote:

 

“Any cuts in service [to lockages] will impact commercial and recreational boaters' ability to move up and down the Allegheny River and prevent future economic development throughout the corridor. While many of us are seeking a solution to the lockage hour issue through the Water Resources Development Act process, we respectfully request that USACE ensure the service levels remain unchanged in the short term. Pausing any action that would reduce access and stymie growth will help our region maintain a robust and diverse economy centered on our river system.”

 

“The future success of Southwestern Pennsylvania’s economy is intrinsically tied to our river system,” said Mary Ann Bucci, Executive Director of the Port of Pittsburgh. “Allowing any cuts in services to the lockages would be detrimental to the business community and would directly impact the livelihood of many residents. Our region is incredibly grateful for Congressman Reschenthaler and Senator Casey’s efforts to fix this issue.”

 

The Allegheny River is over 315 miles long and includes a watershed area of 11,747 square miles. In August, the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers were designated as a new Marine Highway Route by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration. The M-79 route is critical to our nation’s domestic manufacturing, supporting barge traffic of raw materials, including steel, aggregates, and metallurgical coal.

 

Reschenthaler has led multiple previous efforts in Congress addressing the greater Pittsburgh region’s lock and dam systems. This year, he secured $41 million for the Monongahela River Project in the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (H.R. 4394).

 

Additional signers of the letter include U.S. Representatives Mike Kelly (R-PA), John Joyce, M.D. (R-PA), Chris Deluzio (D-PA), and Summer Lee (D-PA).

 

Read the full letter here.