WASHINGTON – Congressman Mitchell released the following statement after the Army Corps of Engineers released its Director’s Report on the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. In the report, the Army Corps of Engineers recalculated its previous benefit-cost analysis, and issued a revised score of 2.42. As the benefit-cost analysis number produced exceeds 1.0, the upgrading of the Soo Locks can now be included in the Water Resources Development Act, and future authorization and budgeting steps can move forward. Millions of American jobs are dependent on the Soo Locks, and there is no redundancy or alternatives to the locks. If the Poe Lock, the largest lock, were to cease operation, the Department of Homeland Security has estimated the disruption would cause an almost complete shutdown of Great Lakes steel production, leading to massive interruptions in manufacturing, and costing nearly 11 million people their jobs.
“Since coming to Congress, I have been working hard to draw attention to the importance of upgrading the Soo Locks to President Trump and his administration, the Army Corps of Engineers, my colleagues in Congress, and others. Today’s announcement of a revised benefit-cost analysis by the Army Corps of Engineers was the required next step in moving toward the essential upgrades required at the Soo Locks. The revised report confirms what Michiganders, stakeholders and many members of Congress have been saying for more than a decade, and I am glad the Army Corps has updated its analysis and we can begin moving forward on the project. Any failure would have a devastating ripple effect on our nation’s economy and national security. I will continue to anything and everything possible working my colleagues, the administration, and the Army Corps of Engineers to move this project towards groundbreaking and completion to protect our economy and our nation.”
