[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 68 (Tuesday, June 6, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4574-S4575]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. SNOWE:
  S. 2684. A bill to redesignate and reauthorize as anchorage certain 
portions of the project for navigation, Narraguagus River, Milbridge, 
Maine;

[[Page S4575]]

to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.


         Legislation Regarding Maine River Navigation Projects

 Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce two bills 
that are important to my State of Maine. The first piece of legislation 
pertains to the Narraguagus River dredge in Milbridge and will 
reauthorize former Corps project areas so as to design a portion of the 
11-foot channel as anchorage. The town has provided the Corps with 
harbor use data that indicates that the 11-foot channel need only be 
dredged to 9 feet.
  I have already requested $30,000 for FY01 Energy and Water 
appropriations to complete plans and specifications for a maintenance 
dredge of the 11-, 9- and 6-foot channel from Narraguagus Bay to the 
town landings and the 6-foot anchorages in Milbridge. The project 
serves the important commercial fishing and lobstering fleet, 
acquaculture operations, and fish packing facility, and a small 
recreational fleet.
  The second bill concerns the Kennebunk River in Kennebunkport that 
deauthorizes a small elongated section of the Federal Navigation 
Channel. Not only would this allow much needed moorings from a nearby 
marina to remain where they have been positioned, but most importantly, 
the deauthorization would be the last piece needed so that the 
important dredge project can go forward.
  This is a very active channel, Mr. President, and the dredge is 
extremely important for the safe passage not only for fishermen, but 
also for the tour boats, transporting up to 150 people, which go in and 
out of the busy harbor area throughout the spring, summer and fall 
months. Anyone who has been to the ``Port'' during the heavy tourist 
season can tell you it is a very popular attraction, particularly the 
tour boat trips that take tourists out past the breakwater for a view 
of the Maine coastline. The New England District Corps has given its 
approval for the deauthorization as has the town and the Joint River 
Commission.
  I look forward to the speedy passage of these two non-controversial 
bills separately and to support their inclusion into legislation 
reauthorizing the Water Resources Development Act, or WRDA, for which 
passage is being considered in this Congress.
                                 ______