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A Congressional staff on-site tour of the Massena, N.Y.
facilities and lock operations took place in early September. This provided an
opportunity to take a small group of key authorization and appropriations staff
to observe the day-to-day operations of the Seaway System. Participants included
key majority and minority staff from both the House and Senate as well as
individuals from the Office of the Secretary of Transportation who are involved
with Seaway issues.
The briefings included a discussion led by the SLSDC’s Chief Engineer of the
infrastructure projects being funded in FY09 under the Asset Renewal Program.
The group visited one of the rehabilitation projects, the Seaway International
Bridge, as part of the day’s tour. In addition, Seaway Corporation managers
provided attendees a personalized briefing of lock operations and vessel traffic
control procedures. A demonstration of our navigational system, the Automatic
Identification System, took place aboard the Seaway’s workboat, the Robinson
Bay, on which the group had the opportunity to transit Eisenhower lock. A
discussion of the joint ballast water inspection process and a viewing of a ship
transiting through the locks capped off the day. |
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Congressional delegation watches a ship go through the locks. |
