WAWG
Next week, a group of upper Mississippi River stakeholders will be traveling Marine Highway 84, from Astoria, Ore., to Lewiston, Idaho, to see firsthand the critical role the river system plays in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
“Last year, a group of Columbia-Snake River System advocates spent a week traveling the length of the Mississippi River to understand the challenges facing that river and to explore ways to work together to protect and advocate for our working river systems,” said Michelle Hennings, executive director of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG). “No two river systems are the same, but we face many of the same pressures. Forming these relationships across the country and being able to take a unified voice back to Washington, D.C., is powerful and makes a huge impact when we talk to members of Congress. Next week, it’s our turn to host the Mississippi River group, and I’m looking forward to sharing our story with them.”
The tour will include stops at the Maritime Museum in Astoria for a tour and presentation by the Columbia River Pilots and Columbia River Bar Pilots; the ports of Longview, Kalama, Vancouver, and Lewiston; Bonneville Dam; the Tidewater dock in Vancouver; and Tri-Cities Grain. American Cruise Lines, and the barge companies, Shaver Transportation and Foss Maritime Company, will host tours on company vessels, and the group will travel through the locks at Lower Granite Dam, followed by a tour of the dam itself.
Besides WAWG, Marine Highway 84 stakeholders that will be participating in the tour will include representatives from Columbia River Pilots, Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, Shaver Transportation, Tidewater, The McGregor Company, the Port of Lewiston, and American Cruise Lines.
The Midwest attendees are part of the Upper Mississippi Waterway Association (UMWA), which represents river system interests in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Members include industrial and consumer goods manufacturers, electric utilities, grain companies, agricultural cooperatives, metal recyclers, barge and towing companies, recreational and passenger boat operators, marinas and others having an interest in river navigation and associated environmental issues. The Midwest group will be giving a presentation at an M-84 Conference at the Port of Kalama.
“The exchange tours developed through discussions first had with Michelle Hennings of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers,” said Gary Williams, UMWA executive director. “We could quickly see where some of the issues that wheat growers and other stakeholders of the Columbia and Snake rivers expressed were similar and could forecast from conversations some future concerns and barriers the Upper Mississippi might face. Particularly, their word of warning was to not discount how important education and outreach is so that the public understands why these rivers are so important economically, recreationally, and for our national transportation security and reliability. Being a ‘repeater’ to carry the message of these rivers and to speak with consistency about all our waterways leads to greater trust, credibility, clarity for decision makers and those that will influence policies, investments, and support for maintaining commerce.”
“As a source of information for insights, opportunities, and growth on the Upper Mississippi River, UMWA is excited to bring these attendees to one place to discuss the issues and possibilities of the waterways. The importance of preservation of the working river, fostering career and employment options are key for all river systems and it’s something those there can collaborate on during the Columbia and Snake River tour,” said Zac Morris, UMWA president. “Keeping UMWA as a reliable source of information for the Upper Mississippi requires our members and other organizations like the Washington Association of Wheat Growers to move the dial on the initiatives that matter to the waterways.”