ENROLLED
Page 1 of 2
Regular Session, 2013
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 109
BY REPRESENTATIVE BURFORD AND SENATORS ADLEY, ALARI O, APPEL,
BROWN, CLAITOR, CORTEZ, CROWE, GALLOT, LONG, MARTINY, MILLS,
MURRAY, PEACOCK, GARY SMITH, JOHN SMITH, TARVER, THOMPSON,
AND WALSWORTH
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON
To urge and request that the United States Army Corps of Engineers maintain, through its
dredging process, a minimum nine feet deep by two hundred feet wide channel to
allow safe and reliable barge transportation on the J. Bennett Johnston Waterway on
the Red River and to maintain such navigability on the Red River twenty-four hours
per day, seven days per week, three hundred sixty-five days per year, as required by
Section 101 of the River and Harbor Act of 1968, P.L. 90-483 and to urge and
request that the United States Army Corps of Engineers operate all lock and dam
facilities on the Red River twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week, three
hundred sixty-five days per year.
WHEREAS, in 1968 the United States Congress authorized the Red River Waterway
Project; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the project was to enable year-round navigation on the
Red River by straightening the river, stabilizing its banks, and constructing five locks and
dams; and
WHEREAS, the Port of Caddo-Bossier and others were constructed to grow
commerce on the Red River, one of the region's top assets; and
WHEREAS, in 2007 an economic impact study concluded that the economic benefit
of the project to the seven-parish region included attracting four billion six hundred million
dollars in new monies, increasing household earnings by two billion eight hundred million
dollars, and creating an average of two thousand one hundred seven new jobs per year; and
WHEREAS, the United States Army Corps of Engineers has issued a mandate that
will result in locks and dams Nos. Three, Four, and Five not being fully operational twenty-
four hours per day, seven days per week, three hundred sixty-five days per year as required
by Section 101 of the River and Harbor Act of 1968, P. L. 90-483; and ENROLLEDHCR NO. 109
Page 2 of 2
WHEREAS, a minimum nine feet deep by two hundred feet wide channel provides
reliable navigability for commercial and recreational development on the Red River, not
only for current industries, but for others considering locating to the Red River; and
WHEREAS, in addition, the Red River is utilized for recreation and tourism,
including hosting the 2009 and 2012 Bassmaster Classic, which is another important
economic development engine.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
urge and request that the United States Army Corps of Engineers maintain, through its
dredging process, a minimum of nine feet deep by two hundred feet wide channel to allow
safe and reliable barge transportation on the J. Bennett Johnston Waterway on the Red River
and to maintain such navigability on the Red River twenty-four hours per day, seven days
per week, three hundred sixty-five days per year, as required by Section 101 of the River and
Harbor Act of 1968, P.L. 90-483.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge,
request, and recommend that the United States Army Corps of Engineers operate all lock and
dam facilities on the Red River twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week, three
hundred sixty-five days per year.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to each
member of the Louisiana congressional delegation.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Colonel Jeffrey R. Eckstein, district commander of the Vicksburg District, United States
Army Corps of Engineers.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE