October -31, 1969 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 32615 EXTENSIO ~ NS OF REMARKS THE GULF INTRACOASTAL WATER­ way of progress is the Gulf Intracoastal rivers serving industries and households with WAY-THE SOUTH'S HIGHWAY TO Waterway which has almost doubled its tremendous savings from low-cost and effi­ tonnage in the last 10 years from 46,007,718 cient barge transportation. PROGRESS tons to 87,850,332 tons. This massive and Mid-west grain is barged down the Missis­ continuous movement of basic raw materials sippi River and from Texas ports to overseas for production of fuel oil, gasoline, building markets; from the coast comes oyster shells HON. JACK EDWARDS materials and steel products along this wa­ and from the rivers and bays comes sand, OF ALABAMA terway has resulted in the construction of gravel and clam shells for building and high­ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES new and modern terminals for the handling way construction; timber from the forest of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida for the Friday, October 31, 1969 of freight and bulk cargoes. The river and channel improvements by the Corp of Engi­ South's large pulp and paper mills; coal Mr. EDWA.RDS of Alabama. Mr. neers combined with a modern interstate barged down the Warrior-Tombigbee Water­ Speaker, one of the most energetic young highway system, the spread of jet airports way of Alabama for the steam generating men in my district is Mr. Charles Steiner and a more competitive rail rates gives this plants of the South; iron and bauxite for the Gulf Coast area exceptional transportation steel and aluminum mills of Birmingham, III. He has for some time been involved in advantages for industry. This deVelopment Alabama and Baton Rouge, Louisiana and a study of the waterways of the gulf and increased shipment of materials to all other steel mills in the South; limestone, coast area. He has traveled on tugboats ports of the nation and the world is helping sand and gravel from Alabama for the high­ and barges; he has studied statistics as the growing South to become the new indus­ way construction along the Gulf Coast; phos­ well as the waterways themselves. He has trial and financial center of our nation phate from Florida for local plants and over­ written several articles concerning the through the tremendous activity and growth seas markets; sulfur and salt from the mines waterways, the most recent of which ap­ that has taken place on this particular wa­ of Louisiana for the upstream Mississippi peared in the Mobile Press Register on terway and its connecting river systems. River ports and large volumes of oil from the Rapid growth of this waterway extends Gulf and Southwest oilfl.elds for the petro September 28, 1969. At my request he has all the way from the Gulf Coast areas of chemical industry of the nation. summarized this article so that all Mem­ Texas and Louisiana up the lower Mississippi Along the Gulf Coast is the nation's largest bers may have the benefit of his work. I River region eastward through Alabama and petro-chem1cal industry with hundreds of include Mr. Steiner's summary at this Georgia and down into Florida. Serving this plants that are linked together by both a point in the RECORD: area of growth and expansion is the Gulf 1100 mile network of pipes and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, a water highway of Intracoastal Waterway. It is an industry that THE GULF INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY-THE involves 6 blllion dollars of investments and SOUTH'S HIGHWAY TO PROGRESS progress and profit that extends 1113 miles from its eastern terminal at Carrabella, Flo­ that contrtbUJted 40.2 percent of domestic AMERICA'S WATERWAYS rida on the St. Marks River to Brownsville, commerce and shipped 33,770,009 tons of The influence of the waterway industry on Texas across the Rio Grande River from Mex­ crude petroleum on the GIWW out of the national transportation and on the economy ico. Eventually this waterway will be inter­ national tonnage of 179,670,885 tons on our of the United States grows each year as ton­ national in scope. The Mexican government waterways. Millions of gallons of gasoline, nage mounts over our country's 25,260 miles plans a protected intercoastal waterway from fuel oil and jet fuel are moved by barge of commercially navigable rivers, canals, bays Tampico to the terminal of the Intracoastal annually from coastal refineries in Texas, and harbors. Over 10 percent of the nation's Canal at the Texas Border. Plans are under Louisiana, and Alabama to canning plants freight is transported over these waterways. way to complete the missing link in the in the nation. Because of the low-00\St barge In 1967, the last year that we have complete waterway from St. Marks, Fla., to Fort Myers. transportation and the competition of the commercial tonnage statistics, the g-rand total Also the Cross Florida Barge Canal, when many independent distributors who have of all waterborne commerce shipped in the completed, will provide an even shorter pro­ been attracted to this area--the farmer, the United States was 1,336,606,078 tons; of this, tected link between the Gulf Intracoastal motorist, the householder and the industries iron and concentrates accounted for 123,265,- Waterway and Atlantic Coast waterways sys­ are greatly benefited. 800 tons; crude petroleum for 179,670,885 tems. The GIWW has the most active ports This water-borne commerce and the rapid tons; coal for 214,153,740 tons and marine in the nation. industrialization of the Gulf Coast is a true shells for 23,365,232 tons_ New Orleans is rivaling New York for the indicator of the strength of America's eco­ The record total of 281.4 billion ton-miles nation's number one shipping center with nomic future. For example; along the GIWW, were shipped along our waterways. This in­ 111,491,062 tons shipped through its 125 the interllial freight traffic between Apalachee, cluded 114.6 billion ton-miles on the Missis­ mile long port area; Houston is the financial Florida and Mobile, Alabama covered gasoline, sippi River System and 60.0 billion ton-miles and trade center of the Southwest with asphalt, iron pipe, marine shells and jet fuels. on the coastal waterways of which the Gulf 58,305,362 tons of products mostly grain, ma­ From Apalachee Bay to Panama Olty, Fla., Intracoastal Waterway accounted for 13.926 rine shells, petroleum, gasoline and Sul­ the tonnage for the last 11 years rose from billion ton-miles. This is proof, to our na­ phuric acid shipped through its Ship Chan­ 1,377,549 to 1,418,936 tons; between Panama tion's industries and to the general public, of nel with over three-fourths of this to foreign City and Pensacola. Fla., the tonnage rose the valuable economical asset that they have countries; Galveston with 41,137,933 tons of from 2,839,511 to 4,136,342 tollB and between in their waterways and reason why they cotton, sugar, wheat, grain and fertilizer Pensacola and Mobile, the tonnage rose from should continue to be developed and im­ shipped through this Southwestern agricul­ 3,156,867 to 4,989,500 tons. proved. Due to improved navigation and tural center's Galveston Wharves; and the From the Mexican Border eastward to New modern facilities on our waterways built petroleum centers of the West such as Beau­ Orleans, the principal commodities shipped since 1940, the total domestic freight carried mont with 31,001,800 tons and Port Arthur, along the waterway covered crude petroleum, on our nation's waterways rose from 496.6 Texas with 23,104,204 tons of cargo with over marine shells, basic chemicals, gasoline million tons of cargo to $870.6 million tons in half of that tonnage being petroleum oil and and grains. From the Mexican border to 1967; of this, the total barge traffic amounted its by-products; and Mobile, which is at the Corpus Christi, Texas, the tonnage rose from to 502.4 million tons. crossroads of this dynamic waterway and a 1,025,268 to 1,671,623 tons. Between Corpus You have · to travel these waterways to future hub for the interchange of traffic on Christl and Galveston, Texas, the tonnage really see just. what has taken place in the the Ohio, Tennessee and Mississippi River rose from 7,830,234 to 15,462,366 tons; from last 20 years. There is a fantastic growth of Systems once the Tennessee-Tombigbee Galveston and Sabine River, Texas, the ton­ new industries, hydro-electric power plants, Waterway is built, had 22,326,318 tons of nage rose from 20,698,161 to 38,332,179 tons and building growth taking place along the cargo pass through its port area. and from SaJbine River to the Gulf Intra­ canals, industrial parks and ports along our This waterway is by far one of the most coastal Waterway, Mississippi River, the ton­ waterways. Our nation benefits also from important links in America's network of nage increased from 31,200,435 to 58,722,476 man-made lakes for boating, fishing and navigable channels because it connects the tons. other water recreation sports; modern locks, industrial and agricultural heart of the na­ Between the Port of Mobile and New Or­ dams, and improved navigation channels for tion and South with the growing ports and leans the tonnage for the last 11 years over faster shipping, flood control and electric cities along the Gulf and with the abundant this 134 mile stretch of the GTWW rose from power; and better irrigated pasture and farm sources of raw materials that this area offers.