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Boreal Community Media

Senators Request Funding for New Icebreaker

Jan 29, 2020 05:24PM ● By Editor

Senators have requested more funding for another icebreaker. |  Photo: WDIO FILE

From WDIO-TV - January 29, 2020


U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Gary Peters of Michigan led a bipartisan group of Senators to urge the administration to include adequate funding for the Coast Guard to acquire a new Great Lakes icebreaker.

In their letter, signed by many others, the Senators requested the administration prioritize funding in the 2021 budget request to Congress.

They sent the letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney, Department of Homeland Security Acting Secretary Chad Wolf and United States Coast Guard Admiral Karl Schultz. 

Icebreaking capacity in the Great Lakes supports more than 90 million tons of cargo annually. A study commissioned by the Lake Carriers' Association found that during the 2018-2019 ice-season, businesses that depend upon the Great Lakes maritime industry lost over $1 billion in revenues because of delays caused by inadequate icebreaking. 


To read the original article and see related reporting, follow this link to the WDIO-Tv website.  https://www.wdio.com/news/icebreaker-senators-request-funding-shipping/5627582/?cat=10335

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