From the 4/12/06 Enquirer:

 

 

River study flawed, groups say

Army Corps of Engineers proposes lock fixes

BY DAN KLEPAL | ENQUIRER STAFF WRITER

 

Two environmental groups accused the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Tuesday of overestimating the amount of goods being moved up and down the Ohio River in order to justify an expansion of the lock system, which could cost taxpayers as much as $2 billion.

 

The corps is in the midst of a $51 million study that is looking at long-term maintenance and expansion of the 20 locks along the 981-mile river from Pittsburgh, Pa., to Cairo, Ill. Two projects - expansions of locks near Portsmouth, Ohio, and Evansville, Ind., totaling more than $350 million - have been authorized by Congress.

 

...

 

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060412/NEWS01/604120372/1056/rss02

 

They don't describe in what way the Portsmouth locks will impact recreational uses in Cincinnati...anyone have any idea?

^---- I assume they are forecasting more tows or larger tows, which compete for space with recreational traffic.

 

 

From the 4/18/06 Pomeroy Daily Sentinel:

 

 

Corps defends lock system improvement data

By Kevin Kelly

Tuesday, April 18, 2006 5:17 PM EDT

 

GALLIPOLIS - Projected Ohio River traffic data was not exaggerated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in calling for improvements to locks and dams along the river, the corps said.

 

Instead, information used in the corps' soon-to-be-released Ohio River Mainstem River Study (ORMSS) “keeps a system, one that has been in place a long time, operating properly so we are able to deliver coal to heat homes and goods to businesses to benefit the national economy,” said Carol J. Labashosky of the corps' public affairs office at Louisville, Ky.

 

...

 

http://www.mydailysentinel.com/articles/2006/04/18/news/local_news/news04.txt

 

From the AP, 6/22/06:

 

 

Aging river locks need replacement

Corps of Engineers preparing $2B plan

By Tim Huber

Associated Press

 

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is close to completing a road map of $2 billion worth of expansion projects for its Ohio River lock system.

 

The corps said the plan will lay out what needs to be done to improve a system that is aging rapidly - and poorly. Five locks on the Ohio have exceeded their life expectancy and more than half of the 20 locks will have done so within a decade, making it more likely they must be closed for repairs, which can delay commercial shipping traffic, the corps said.

 

...

 

http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060622/NEWS02/606220374/1014

 

From the 6/28/06 Marietta Times:

 

 

Opinions sought on Ohio River project

By Paul Kita, [email protected]

 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers visited Marietta last week to elicit public response on a multi-billion-dollar, long-term plan for the economic and environmental development of the Ohio River.

 

The study, which began in 1996, plans to repair locks and dams along the entire 981-mile-long stretch of the Ohio River from Pittsburgh to Cairo, Ill., as well as simultaneously foster ecological accountability.

 

...

 

http://www.mariettatimes.com/news/story/new88_628200680030.asp

 

Public airs Ohio River concerns

By Kevin Eigelbach

Post staff reporter

 

Russell Schwenke remembers 1963, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers raised the level of the Ohio River behind the Markland Dam near Warsaw.

 

His family farm, which lies on the Ohio in Boone County, Ky., a few miles west of Big Bone Lick State Park, lost several acres of good farmland in the process.

 

Since then, he's always concerned when he hears that the corps is about to do something.

 

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http://news.cincypost.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060630/NEWS01/606300368