Legislature creates Waterway Ports Commission

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Legislation creating the Illinois Waterway Ports Commission Act was unanimously passed by both chambers of the General Assembly and awaits the governor’s signature.

The bill, initially introduced by state Sen. David Koehler, D-Peoria, creates the Illinois Waterway Ports Commission and gives it jurisdiction over the following counties and port districts, several of them created within the past few years: the Seneca Regional Port District; the Ottawa Port District; the Illinois Valley Regional Port District; the Heart of Illinois Regional Port District; the Havana Port District; and Fulton, Mason, Tazewell, Peoria, Woodford, Marshall, Putnam, Bureau, La Salle and Grundy counties.

The legislation provides that the commission shall:

• Coordinate and synchronize common efforts and initiatives in the commission area to enhance the reporting and benefits of statistical data.

• Make recommendations to the governor, the General Assembly, Congress and federal agencies on regional issues that impact multimodal transportation, economic development, environmental sustainability and climate resiliency of the commission area.

• Coordinate and synchronize common efforts and initiatives on the larger Illinois Waterway with the Mid-America Port Commission and the Joliet Regional Port District.

• Coordinate and synchronize federal activities associated with the nonfederal sponsorship of the M-55 Illinois-Gulf Marine Highway. M-55 is the designated marine highway reliever route for Interstate 55, consisting of the Illinois River and Mississippi River south to the Gulf of Mexico.

• Request and assist in requesting funding for the commission area and the surrounding areas, as the commission deems necessary. Includes provisions relating to the organization of the commission and the commission’s powers.

The act brings the 10-county Illinois Waterways Ports Commission, centered in Peoria and Ottawa, in line with the 11 Illinois counties in the Mid-America Port Commission, centered on Quincy, Illinois, and Hannibal, Missouri, that border the Mississippi and Illinois rivers.

The Mid-America Intermodal Authority Port District’s Mid-America Port Commission is part of three states that include 26 counties in Illinois, Iowa and Missouri.

Connections

“Illinois is the only state of the union that has access to a world-class inland waterway system via four great rivers and the great lakes, a hearty network of major cross-country interstates, robust air freight facilities and numerous ports. These act as hubs connecting all transportation networks,” according to the Illinois Ports Association.

“With currently 19 public port districts and over 350 private terminals along the Illinois, Kaskaskia, Ohio and Mississippi River, as well as Lake Michigan, these ports promote economic development with a total revenue impact to the state of $6.4 billion while supporting over 48,000 jobs.

“Responsible for more than $81 billion manufactured goods, $37 billion agricultural products and $18 billion chemical products, the ports have a significant economic impact.”

“We are thrilled that the Illinois Waterway Ports Commission Act unanimously passed both the Illinois Senate and House. Contrary to what we sometimes might see on some cable news channels, effective bipartisan leadership still exists in our democracy, and our elected officials do, do the right thing to serve the people of their state,” said Robert Sinkler, Heart of Illinois Regional Port District water resources infrastructure director and Corn Belt Ports executive coordinating director.

“We do appreciate the hard work of the bill sponsors, and all other legislators that made this happen.”

Tonnage Increase

In other news, the Illinois Waterway Ports Commission also reported:

• The U.S. Coastal and Inland Navigation System Transportation Facts & Information “Card” that was recently released stated that the Illinois Waterway Ports saw a 10.3% increase in freight tonnage — to 16.5 million tons total — since the last report.

• The Illinois Waterway Ports made Global Trade Magazine’s “Top 50 Power Ports List,” and the “Top 25 Bulk Cargo Ports List” in U.S. Department of Transportation’s 2023 Port Performance Freight Statistics Program: Annual Report to Congress.

• The LaGrange Lock and Dam on the Illinois River was 100% funded in 2023 for the design needed to retrofit the dam with a modern, 1,200-foot lock.