[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 101 (Tuesday, July 20, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8483-S8484]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. SNOWE:
  S. 2699. A bill to deauthorize a certain portion of the project for 
navigation, Rockland Harbor, Maine; to the Committee on Environment and 
Public Works.
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce legislation that 
could make the mooring of an historic windjammer fleet in Rockland 
Harbor a reality by deauthorizing a section of the Federal Navigational 
Channel that will allow a windjammer wharf to be built. Originally a 
strong fishing port, Rockland retains its rich marine heritage, and it 
is one of the fastest growing cities in the Midcoast. Like many of the 
port cities on the eastern seaboard, Rockland has been forced to 
confront an assortment of financial and environmental changes, but the 
city has been able to respond to these challenges in positive and 
productive ways.
  The City of Rockland has hosted the Windjammer fleet since 1955, 
earning a well-deserved reputation as the Windjammer Capitol of the 
World. Rockland's Windjammers are now National Historic Landmarks, and 
as such, are vitally important to both the City and the State. The 
image of The Victory Chimes--a three-masted, gaff-rigged schooner whose 
National Historic Landmark designation I supported in 1997, and one of 
five vessels slated to be berthed at the new wharf--graces the 2003 
Maine quarter! This beautiful fleet of windjammers symbolizes the great 
seagoing history of Maine as well as the sense of adventure that we 
have come to associate so closely with the American experience.
  Lermond Cove is perfectly situated in the Rockland Harbor to be the 
new and permanent home for these cherished vessels. The proposed 
Windjammer Wharf will also provide a safe harbor from storms, as it is 
tucked nicely near the Maine State Ferry and Department of Marine 
Resources piers.
  The State of Maine capitalizes on the visual impact of the 
Windjammers to promote tourism, working waterfronts and the natural 
beauty that distinguishes our landscape. Over $300,000 is spent yearly 
by the Maine Windjammer Association to advertise and promote these 
businesses. Deauthorizing that part of the Federal navigational channel 
will clearly trigger significant and unrealized economic gains for the 
region, providing many beneficial dollars to the local area and the 
State of Maine. According to the Longwood study, which uses a 
multiplier of 1.5, the economic impact of this spending is 3.8 million 
dollars a year. Conservatively, the Windjammers spend over 2.5 million 
a year in the State.
  My hope is that the legislation I am introducing today can be 
included in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), S 2554, which 
has been marked up by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee 
and awaits floor action. I want to thank the New England Corps of 
Engineers for their help in drafting the language and working with the 
Maine Department of Transportation, which runs the state ferry line, 
and the Rockland city officials, the Rockland Port District, and the 
Captains of the Windjammer vessels--Mainers and businesspeople with the 
vision and commitment we need to complete

[[Page S8484]]

Windjammer Wharf and create a permanent home for this historic fleet of 
windjammers in Rockland Harbor.
  My legislation is important to the entire Rockland area, to the 
economy of my State of Maine, and important as a living history of a 
long held tradition in the Northeastern part of the country bordering 
the Atlantic Ocean where eyes have traditionally turned to the sea, 
fixed on hope and the horizon, and a way of life.

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