Below there is an article, then a letter to congress about the Authorized Purposes Study. I don't think we need the Iowa Chapter to sign on to that letter. Rather we need to educate our Iowa representatives about the stranglehold the state of Missouri has on efforts to restore the Missouri River to health. The barge channel from Sioux City to Kansas city is a failed economic enterprise. Just think of the billion dollars in infrastructure/engineering used to float a barge or two up to Sioux City. Restoring the habitat along the river corridor will not only save money but generate recreational revenues that will dwarf other purposes/uses of the reiver. Without a healthy, resilient river we will continue to waste federal money on a business project that never succeeded in fifty years of coming close to a profit. It would be different if we were asking a thriving business to stop operation to save a single habitat. Here many in the barge industry have already given up on the channel. Farmers are one group that has never supported the barges with their business, only with their words. Although this is a complicated issue, I encourage you to read the article and then the letter from Izaak Walton/Nebraska Wildlife Federation. Thank you, Jim Redmond ________________________________________ From: Paul Lepisto [[log in to unmask]] Sent: Friday, February 11, 2011 2:14 PM To: [log in to unmask]; Paul Lepisto; [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]; [log in to unmask]; Redmond, Jim; [log in to unmask] Subject: MRAPS - Funding letters FYI - Terry's organization sent this around the other day.... Taxpayer Dollars Down The River F rom the Farm Progress--Missouri Ruralist In an effort to halt wasteful government spending and protect the flow of the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9th District) is leading an effort in Congress to convince federal budget writers to strike funding for a redundant $25-million Missouri River study that already has cost American taxpayers $7.6 million. In two letters to key members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and the House and Senate committees with relevant jurisdiction over the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Luetkemeyer and other members of Missouri's congressional delegation joined with members from Illinois and Iowa to call for the elimination of funding for the $25-million Missouri River Authorized Purposes Study. MRAPS follows in the wake of a comprehensive, 17-year, $35-million study completed by the corps just seven years ago. Congress has already appropriated $7.6 million for MRAPS. "It is wasteful to conduct another multi-year, multi-million dollar study at taxpayer expense, particularly given the dire state of our nation's economy," Luetkemeyer said in the letter to key House leaders, including Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers of Kentucky and Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman John Mica of Florida. "At a time when all Americans are being forced to curtail spending, the U.S. Congress should lead by example and terminate funding of this duplicative study." Luetkemeyer pointed out in his letter that the Missouri River authorized uses study completed in 2004 involved hundreds of public meetings, a biological opinion, and extensive litigation. He also reinforced the importance of the current authorized purposes of the Missouri River, which provides water for navigation not only throughout the entire Missouri Basin but also on the Mississippi River. Members of Missouri's congressional delegation signing the Luetkemeyer letter included Sen. Roy Blunt, Sen. Claire McCaskill, Rep. Sam Graves, Rep. Todd Akin, Rep. Billy Long, and Rep. Vicky Hartzler. Also signing are Illinois Reps. Adam Kinzinger, Aaron Schock, John Shimkus, Bobby Schilling; and Iowa Reps. Leonard Boswell, Bruce Braley, Dave Loebsack and Steve King. With that out there I have drafted this letter that we hope will get a lot of groups to sign on to... Re: Missouri River Authorized Purposes Study (MRAPS) Funding We, the undersigned groups, support continued full funding for the Missouri River Authorized Purposes Study (MRAPS). MRAPS is a broad-based congressionally authorized study that will, for the first time, review the eight authorized Missouri River project purposes established by the Flood Control Act (FCA) of 1944. This study will analyze the purposes in terms of what is best for the American taxpayer, the people within the entire basin, fish and wildlife, and today's economic values and priorities, rather than those of nearly 70 years ago. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working collaboratively on the study with Tribes, Federal and State agencies, and other Stakeholders within the Missouri River Basin and also along the Mississippi River. In the MRAPS process people in the basin have had, and will continue to have, input into how the Missouri is managed in the future. That's what makes this study historic - this has never happened before. The eight purposes: flood control, hydropower, recreation, fish and wildlife, irrigation, water supply, water quality, and navigation have not been reviewed since the FCA was written in 1944. The Missouri, the longest river in America, in essence is operating on a 67 year old business plan. This review is urgently needed and long overdue. The Missouri River basin is very different today than what was envisioned when the 1944 FCA was passed. Some of the authorized purposes meet or greatly surpass the FCA's expectations. Recreation today exceeds original FCA estimates by more than 10 times. Others purposes have fallen way short. Navigation on the Missouri today is less than one tenth what the FCA estimated it would be. This dramatically demonstrates why this five year review has to be fully funded, completed, and its recommendations sent on to Congress. Continued full funding of MRAPS is a smart investment. A comprehensive review and accompanying changes will streamline future Corps operational expenses. This will save tax dollars and will bring Missouri River management into the 21st century. We strongly urge you to support full funding for the Missouri River Authorized Purposes Study. If you have questions please contact Paul Lepisto with the Izaak Walton League of America or Dr. Marian Maas with the National Wildlife Federation. Paul Lepisto Izaak Walton League of America 605-224-1770 [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> Dr. Marian Maas National Wildlife Federation 402-293-9235 [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> We can discuss on the call at 2:30.... Paul Lepisto Regional Conservation Coordinator Izaak Walton League of America 1115 South Cleveland Avenue Pierre, SD 57501-4456 605-224-1770 office 605-220-1219 cell [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To unsubscribe from the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask] Check out our Listserv Lists support site for more information: http://www.sierraclub.org/lists/faq.asp