Appendix G5a – Public Comments - Coastal Protection and ...

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the State of Louisiana’s 2012-2017 Comprehensive MasterPlan for a Sustainable Coast (the “Master Plan”). The following comments are submitted on behalf ofCanal Barge Company, Inc.BackgroundCanal Barge Company, Inc. (“CBC”) is one of the largest privately owned inland marine transportationcompanies in the United States, employing 32 towing vessels and over 850 barges in the InlandWaterways and the Gulf of Mexico. Our area of operations stretches from Brownsville, TX to Pittsburgh,PA, and CBC employes over 580 personnel across 20 states.CBC is a family-owned business headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana. Our executive team is activein both national and regional efforts to develop a systematic approach to water management; bothPresident/CEO Merritt Lane and Vice President – Risk Management Spencer Murphy were members ofthe Master Plan’s Framework Development Team (“FDT”) and Spencer Murphy also participated in theNavigation Focus Group. Our presence in New Orleans means we understand the need for coastalrestoration and flood protection in order to protect our Gulf Coast communities; our presence across ournation’s waterways means we understand the importance of navigation to our regional and nationaleconomy. We support efforts for coastal restoration and flood protection that can co-exist with and evenbolster our nation’s vital marine highways, and as further described below, CBC sees the Master Plan asan important step forward in those efforts.Marine HighwaysThe Master Plan has the potential to impact two of our nation’s most important commercial waterways:the Mississippi River and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (“GIWW”). According to the State ofLouisiana, over 450 million tons of waterborne commerce (20% of the nation’s total) travels throughLouisiana each year on these waterways. The Mississippi River is one of the key economic engines ofour nation and provides the most efficient means for American farmers and manufacturers to get theirgoods to market. For example, over 60% of our country’s grain exports move through Louisiana on theMississippi River.Less well known than the Mississippi, but equally important, the GIWW is the nation’s third busiestwaterway – only the Mississippi River and Ohio River carry more goods each year than the GIWW. TheGIWW is a 1300 mile system of channels and tributaries that runs from Brownsville, TX to St. Mark’s,FL and connects the Gulf Coast to the Mississippi River. It provides a vital link between the Gulf Coast’spetrochemical refineries and the rest of our nation, and directly and indirectly supports tens of thousandsof jobs.What makes navigation particularly relevant to the State is that the maritime industry provides one out ofevery 8 jobs in Louisiana (as found in a study by Dr. Tim Ryan of University of New Orleans), andfurther, water transport is by far the most fuel efficient and environmentally friendly mode oftransportation. A 2009 study by the Texas Transportation Institute found that relative to truck or rail,barge transportation: