Ehrlich on Washington column, July 12, 1998

MEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1407 York Road, Suite 304 Lutherville, Maryland 21093 3 1 5 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 EHRLICH ON WASHINGTON Week of July 1 2, 1 998 By Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. THE CHESAPEAKE & DELAWARE CANAL: VITAL TO MARYLAND’S ECONOMIC FUTURE A few months ago, I wrote about the importance of maintaining a strong waterway infrastructure. You may recall President Clinton’s plan to slash the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works budget by nearly 25 percent. My colleagues in the House and Senate have since worked together in a bipartisan manner to ensure a more adequate civil works budget. Unfortunately, some radical environmental groups are trying to derail our efforts by sabotaging such vital projects as the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal in northeastern Maryland. The C & D Canal is a vital link to the Port of Baltimore as well as to points north. Vessels utilizing the Canal save up to eight hours and as much as $7,000 in operating costs per trip. The Canal presently spans 15 miles long and approximately 35 feet deep, making it comparatively small compared to other waterways on the East Coast. For example, the Port of Baltimore’s closest competitor, the Port of Norfolk, has an existing depth of 50 feet, with plans to expand it to 55 feet. In order to remain competitive, the Maryland Port Administration (MPA) has for ten years lobbied the U. S. Corps of Engineers to broaden the depth of the C & D Canal to 40 feet. These efforts have traditionally been readily supported by the entire Maryland congressional delegation. Unfortunately, the current effort has been undermined by radical