Funding Proposed to Expand Locks on Mississippi
View Source$75 million in bill
More money has been proposed in the Federal budget to help expand several area locks and dams along the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers.
Illinois Congressman Darin LaHood and Missouri 6th District Congressman Sam Graves Tuesday announced that $75 million has been included in the Fiscal Year 2024 House Energy and Water Appropriations bill to upgrade navigation infrastructure for both the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. Graves, a Tarkio Republican, said in a statement that "funding for the bi-partisan project to upgrade these locks and dams is a big deal." The money will go to support the Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program, or NESP. That's a program of navigation improvements and ecosystem restoration for the Upper Mississippi River System. That plan calls for building new 1,200 foot locks at six locks on the Mississippi River, including Lock and Dam 20 at Canton, Lock and Dam 21 at Quincy and Lock and Dam 22 at Saverton. The plan also includes updating the LaGrange locks on the Illinois River.
The funding now heads to the Full Appropriations Committee for approval, and then to the House floor.
