Owens Discussed Northern New York Issues with New Seaway Administrator Betty Sutton

Press Release

Yesterday, Congressman Bill Owens and the new Administrator of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC), Betty Sutton, met to discuss the St. Lawrence Seaway's importance to Northern New York's economy.

"The St. Lawrence Seaway is a vital avenue for commerce in Northern New York," Congressman Bill Owens said. "I look forward to working with Administrator Sutton to build upon this already strong point of cooperation between the United States and Canada that creates jobs in our communities and throughout the nation."

Administrator Sutton met with Congressman Owens during her first week in office. New York's 21st Congressional District spans a massive portion of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The SLSDC's mission is "to serve the U.S. intermodal and international transportation system by improving the operation and maintenance of a safe, reliable, efficient, and environmentally responsible deep-draft waterway, in cooperation with its Canadian counterpart. The SLSDC also encourages the development of trade through the Great Lakes Seaway System, which contributes to the comprehensive economic and environmental development of the entire Great Lakes region."

Administrator Sutton said, "Working together with Congressman Owens, I am confident that our mutual priorities of keeping the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System a vital component of our national transportation network and an economic driver for the regional economy, can be balanced with a commitment to environmental stewardship of the St. Lawrence River and protection of the fresh water resources of the Great Lakes."

Congressman Owens and Administrator Sutton discussed the IJC's proposal of Plan 2014, the mitigation of invasive species introduced to the seaway in marine ballasts, and the pre-clearance of travelers and goods crossing the border outlined in the Beyond the Border Agreement.

The Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System annually sustains 227,000 jobs in the United States and Canada and $34 billion in transportation-related business revenue. One ship traveling through it can carry the same amount of freight as 870 trucks or 225 rail cars. Annually, 164 million metric tons of minerals, agricultural goods and machinery float to market through the St. Lawrence Seaway and across the Great Lakes.

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