Dear Prospective Member:

As Chairman of Waterways Council, Inc.’s (WCI) membership effort, let me take the opportunity to familiarize you with WCI, the national public policy organization advocating a modern and well-maintained national system of ports and inland waterways. Our members include shippers and receivers of our nation's bulk commodities, waterways carriers, ports, shipping associations, waterways advocacy groups from all regions of the country, and environmental and conservation groups, totaling nearly 250. WCI has accomplished great things since its inception in December 2003. Some highlights of this past year (2008-2009) include:

Waterways Council, Inc. remains the leader in calling for and securing optimum funding for the Inland Waterways Trust Fund -financed projects on America’s navigable waterways. In FY 2009, WCI secured $276 million for projects. In FY 2010 the President’s Budget called for only $144 million for Trust Fund-financed construction projects, but the Stimulus Bill signed by the President in February 2009 included $403 million to be spread across 2009 and 2010 funding. But the past budget requests have cut funding for the Corps and the FY 2010 request includes a lockage fee proposal to which the industry remains strongly opposed. That proposal unduly denies the systemic aspect of our inland waterways; would double taxes collected for shipping on our Waterways over the next 5 years; triple the tax beyond 5 years; and by some accounts could ultimately reduce the dollars available for infrastructure investment. WCI has decried that proposal, instead urging that an industry-government partnership process currently underway be allowed to proceed to determine a better way to fully fund navigation projects and the Trust Fund well into the future.

A successful, timely, and thoughtful WCI-sponsored (with Informa Economics and Waterways Journal) Fall 2009 waterways symposium was held October 13-14 in New Orleans and gathered participants from industry, the Corps of Engineers, the government, economist and business communities to discuss critical waterways issues that affect our Nation and our world. The next symposium will be held October 4-6, 2010 in St. Paul. Mark your calendars to attend and visit this website for more details.

At its Annual Meeting held October 12, 2009 in New Orleans, the Board of Directors of Waterways Council, Inc. elected or re-elected the following officers and Executive Committee members for 2009-2010: Richard R. (Rick) Calhoun, Cargo Carriers, Chairman; Cornel Martin, President & CEO; Merritt Lane, Canal Barge Line, Vice Chairman; Rodney Weinzierl, Illinois Corn Growers Association, Vice Chairman; Matt Woodruff, Kirby Corporation, Counsel; Peter Stephaich, Campbell Transportation Company, Secretary; Cherrie Felder, Channel Shipyard Company, Treasurer.

In February 2009, during WCI's Spring Board meeting and “fly-in,” we scheduled and executed more than 85 meetings with Congressional members and staff in their offices on Capitol Hill. We will do the same this March 2010.

Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) received the Eighth Annual Waterways Council, Inc. Leadership Service Award on February 25, 2009 in Washington, DC. Senator Harkin was honored for his steadfast commitment to the improvement of the Nation’s ports and commercial inland waterways system over his many years in Congress.

Waterways Council remains active in the National Waterways Foundation, which develops the intellectual and factual arguments for an efficient, well-funded and secure inland waterways system. In 2008, the Foundation, along with the U.S. Maritime Administration, released a study by the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M study titled, "A Modal Comparison of Freight Transportation Effects on the General Public." Part of the study focused on the smaller Carbon Footprint of moving commerce by water versus truck and rail. The study can be found on WCI's website or at www.nationalwaterwaysfoundation.org. www.nationalwaterwaysfoundation.org.

These are among the very positive developments and activities WCI has undertaken on behalf of industry just in the last year alone. With your support and involvement, we could accomplish much more.

We invite you to peruse the membership materials located here on the web site, and if you have questions or wish to schedule a visit from WCI leaders in your region, call me directly at (651) 292-9293, or e-mail me at lee@ursi.net. lee@ursi.net.

Strength does come in numbers and with your help, we can improve our Nation ’s greatest natural resource, our inland waterways system.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Lee Nelson

President
Upper River Services
St. Paul, Minnesota

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