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Supporting the City’s request for federal funding for dredging in the Mississippi River.
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WHERAS, The Subcommittee on Energy, Water, and Related Agencies is accepting community project funding requests in Mississippi River and Tributaries account; and
WHEREAS, the St. Paul Small-Boat Harbor, on the lower end of Harriet Island in at Upper Mississippi River Mile 839.6, is designed for use by small recreational craft and was originally constructed in 1949; and
WHEREAS, although the Army Corps of Engineers has the responsibility and jurisdiction to maintain the harbor, their budgeting limitations have required that for them to prioritize dredging, legislative appropriations in the form of an earmark or similar is needed; and
WHEREAS, dredging of the Harbor is currently needed because conditions in the Harbor are poor without regular dredging; and
WHEREAS, as the river silts build up, as it is doing without regular dredging, less and less space is available for house boats; and
WHEREAS, living on a houseboat is much more affordable than home ownership and the Lower Harbor also provides a critical pool of affordable housing at a time when this resource is desperately needed; and
WHEREAS, the River Learning Center and National Park Service Headquarters is a year-round gateway to the Mississippi River, providing river experiences that honor, teach, and promote stewardship of the river’s unique culture, history, and ecology; and
WHEREAS, the westerly/upriver bay at Watergate Marina/Crosby Farm Regional Park will be the safe, non-motorized river access point for the proposed River Learning Center/National Park Service Headquarters and the bay has been neglected for decades and in need of dredging to make it publicly usable; and
WHEREAS, Lambert’s Landing is the terminus of the soon to arrive Viking River Cruises which will begin 2022 from St. Louis to Saint Paul, and 2023 from New Orleans to Saint Paul with up to 17 boats with 500 travelers per boat will be arriving by 2023; and
WHEREAS, Lambert’s Landing is also the terminus of the River Balcony, the 1.5-mile promenade extending along Kellogg Boulevard and down to the River at Jackson/Sibley Streets. Lambert’s Landing becomes the gateway to Saint Paul and major connection to the Mississippi River; and
WHEREAS, Lambert’s Landing needs to be dredged to accommodate the boats - their arrival, docking and turn-around; and
WHEREAS, the City is requesting federal funding to provide for dredging in the Mississippi River; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Saint Paul Supports the request for federal funds to ensure dredging in the Mississippi River.