America's inland waterways transportation system includes 12,000 miles of navigable waterways across 38 states. The system moves more than 500 million tons of freight annually valued at more than $120 billion.

Investments are critical to maintain the navigation channels and build related infrastructure as the nation's locks and dams are deteriorating.

Now is the time for those interested in river transportation to contact their representative.

House members have until May 1 to submit their priorities to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Seventy-eight members of the House signed onto a letter to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee requesting lock and dam projects funded by the Inland Waterways Trust Fund be conformed to the 75% general revenue and 25% IWTF formula that applies to most deep-draft ports. Conor Lamb, D-Pennsylvania, and Brian Babin, R-Texas, led the letter.

"In the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 a cost-share change at Olmsted Locks and Dam allowed for the Inland Waterways Trust Fund to operate over the last seven years at about a 30% IWTF /70% General Fund split. This cost-share change also accelerated the operability of Olmsted, allowing for $600 million in annual national economic benefits to be accrued four years ahead of schedule, and reduced the overall cost of the project by $275 million," the letter reads.

"In the Water Resources Development Act of 2016, Congress changed the cost-share formula for coastal ports with depths between 45 and 50 feet to 75% General Revenue and 25% non-federal sponsor. This expanded applicability of the 75/25 cost-share formula to all port depths between 20 and 50 feet, which now includes the large majority of the nation’s coastal ports.

"As you move forward with the WRDA 2020, we respectfully request language that conforms the cost-share for ongoing and future construction and major rehabilitation of capital investment projects on the inland waterways system be changed from 50% General Revenues/50% IWTF to 75% General Revenues/25% IWTF to conform Corps inland waterway navigation construction cost sharing with that applicable to most coastal port-deepening projects."

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