special 50th anniversary issue seaway’s 50 anniversary ... · taming the rapids and constructing...

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SeawayCompass Remarks made during the 50 th Anniversary Celebration in Massena, New York Ladies and Gentleman, Consul General Rioux, President Corfe, and other honored friends from Canada; Secretary LaHood, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur; my fellow employees of the U.S. and Canadian Seaway Corporations, and other distinguished guests. It is with a profound sense of history and pride I welcome you to Massena, New York, to SUMMER 2009 SPECIAL 50 TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE ADMINISTRATORS COLUMN Seaway’s 50 th Anniversary Simply Golden The long awaited salute to the St. Lawrence Seaway’s half century of operations got underway officially July 10 at 3 p.m. at the Dwight D. Eisenhower Lock in Massena, New York on a picture perfect day for a celebration. In a two-hour program that included music by the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation paid tribute to all who participated in making the Seaway a reality: political and business visionaries, tradesmen and support staff who worked in often brutal winter conditions on the ‘billion dollar’ hydroelectric-navigation project, and employees past and present of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation. Collister Johnson, Jr. U.S. Department of Transportation Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation Special Issue: Seaway’s 50 th Anniversary Simply Golden An oral presentation The St. Lawrence Seaway and Power Project Seaway’s 50 th Anniversary Hits the U.S. Secretary of Transportation’s Blog Site Official Letters Note Seaway’s Anniversary Seaway Personnel Changes Upcoming Events www.greatlakes-seaway.com continued on page 2 continued on page 3 Dignitaries arrive on board the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mobile Bay. 50 th Anniversary dignitaries Left–right; Karl Weissenbach, Director of the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene, Kansas; Georges Rioux, Consulate General of Canada; John B. Adams III, former U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Project Engineer and former SLSDC Chief Engineer; Terry Johnson, Administrator, SLSDC; Richard Corfe, President and CEO, SLSMC; Admiral Peter Neffenger, U.S. Coast Guard 9 th District; Susan Eisenhower, President of the Eisenhower Group, Inc.; Richard Kessel, President and CEO, New York Power Authority; Honorable Marcy Kaptur, Member of Congress (D-OH); and Ray LaHood, Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation.

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Page 1: SPECIAL 50TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE Seaway’s 50 Anniversary ... · taming the rapids and constructing the locks, to excavating millions of ... America’s heartland and global markets,

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Remarks made duringthe 50th AnniversaryCelebration in Massena,New York Ladies and Gentleman, Consul General Rioux,President Corfe, and otherhonored friends from Canada; Secretary LaHood,Congresswoman MarcyKaptur; my fellow employeesof the U.S. and CanadianSeaway Corporations, andother distinguished guests. It is with a profound sense ofhistory and pride I welcomeyou to Massena, New York, to

SUMMER 2009SPECIAL 50TH ANNIVERSARY ISSUE

ADMINISTRATOR’SCOLUMN

Seaway’s 50th Anniversary Simply Golden

The long awaited salute to the St. Lawrence Seaway’s half century of operations got underway officially July 10 at 3 p.m. at the Dwight D.Eisenhower Lock in Massena, New York on a picture perfect day for a celebration. In a two-hour program that included music by the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, the Saint Lawrence Seaway DevelopmentCorporation paid tribute to all who participated in making the Seaway a reality: political and business visionaries, tradesmen and support staffwho worked in often brutal winter conditions on the ‘billion dollar’hydroelectric-navigation project, and employees past and present of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.

CollisterJohnson, Jr.

U.S. D

epartment of Transportation • Saint Law

rence Seaway D

evelopment C

orporation

Special Issue:Seaway’s 50th Anniversary

Simply GoldenAn oral presentation —

The St. Lawrence Seaway and Power Project

Seaway’s 50th Anniversary Hits the U.S. Secretary of Transportation’s Blog Site

Official Letters Note Seaway’s Anniversary

Seaway Personnel ChangesUpcoming Events

www.greatlakes-seaway.com

continued on page 2

continued on page 3

Dignitaries arrive on board the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Mobile Bay.

50th Anniversary dignitaries Left–right; Karl Weissenbach, Director of theEisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene, Kansas; GeorgesRioux, Consulate General of Canada; John B. Adams III, former U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers Project Engineer and former SLSDC Chief Engineer;Terry Johnson, Administrator, SLSDC; Richard Corfe, President and CEO,SLSMC; Admiral Peter Neffenger, U.S. Coast Guard 9th District; SusanEisenhower, President of the Eisenhower Group, Inc.; Richard Kessel,President and CEO, New York Power Authority; Honorable Marcy Kaptur,Member of Congress (D-OH); and Ray LaHood, Secretary, U.S.Department of Transportation.

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Administrator’s Column, continued from page 1

celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Before I begin, I would like to take a moment to recognizetwo former Seaway Corporation Administrators in atten-dance today. Jim Emery, who served as Administrator from1983 to 1990, and Gail McDonald who led the Corporationfrom 1996 to 1997. I thank both of you for helping lead thisgreat federal agency. I would also like to recognize ScottWalker, Chairman of the Saint Lawrence SeawayDevelopment Corporation’s Advisory Board, and JackMcGregor, member of the Board.

In addition, I would like to thank U.S. Coast GuardAdmiral Peter Neffenger for providing the MOBILE BAYcutter for this afternoon’s event and to Lt. CommanderTasikas Vasilios for delivering our dignitaries here safelyon board the vessel. And finally, I want to thank theSLSDC’s marine crew on board our tug, ROBINSON BAY,for leading the cutter through the lock.

That so many of you would take the time to travel fromCanada and the United States to commemorate the opening of this waterway is a sure sign of the Seaway’scontinuing vitality, its historic past, and its bright future.

We stand today where the Queen of England andPresident Dwight Eisenhower once stood to celebrate the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway and the Moses-Saunders Power Dam. It is truly a marvel of engineeringand has been designated as one of the top ten engineeringprojects in the history of North America.

I haven’t been in government long, but long enough torealize—and perhaps the Secretary and Congresswomanwill agree with me on this—that getting approval andfunding for transportation projects is hard work.

So, I marvel at the Seaway, not only as a breathtaking engineering accomplishment, but also as an example ofwhat strong leadership, a forward-looking vision, and polit-ical will accomplish. We are here today to honor those whopossessed that leadership and vision; Prime Minister St. Laurent, President Eisenhower, Transport MinisterChevrier, Congressman Blatnik and so many others.

The Seaway however is much more than an infrastructureproject. It is a grand experiment in binational collaborationand friendship. Never before had two countries undertak-en an effort to jointly construct, operate, and maintain atransportation asset of this magnitude. A vessel traveling

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from Montreal to Lake Erie crosses the international bor-der 27 times, yet that ship’s transit experience is as seamlessas if it were merely traveling up the Chesapeake Bay.

It is a testament to the confidence of the Seaway’s creatorsin the ability to Canada and the U.S. to collaborate onsomething so complicated and unprecedented. It is also atribute to the dedication, creativity, and fortitude of themany Americans and Canadians who have worked at theSeaway over the last 50 years and who continue to meetthe daily challenges of running a binational waterway.

As a major international transportation route, the Seawayhas more than proven its worth by acting as the channelfor moving over 2.5 billions tons of cargo valued at morethan $375 billion dollars over the last 50 years.

Today we celebrate the history of the Seaway. But wealso look to the next 50 years. As a vital transportationroute, that future looks promising, but just as maritimetransport has changed vastly over the last 50 years so toomust the Seaway change, with new technologies and newmarket. Our two governments have committed hun-dreds of millions of dollars to renew the Seaway’s infra-structure and our users are investing billions in newships and equipment.

The Seaway continues to extend the hand of friendshipand cooperation to the environmental community, to ourcustomers, stakeholders, neighbors, and employees. Asthe ninth Administrator of the Saint Lawrence SeawayDevelopment Corporation I am honored to be here withyou to celebrate this vital international waterway—the St. Lawrence Seaway! Thank you all for coming!

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Seaway’s 50th Anniversary Simply Golden, continued from page 1

Special guests for the ceremony included U.S.Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Secretary ofTransportation Ray LaHood, Consulate General of Canada(Chicago) Georges Rioux, Eisenhower Presidential Libraryand Museum Director Karl Weissenbach, and EisenhowerGroup Inc. President Susan Eisenhower (granddaughter ofAmerica’s 35th president). SLSDC Administrator CollisterJohnson, Jr. welcomed them and special guests RichardCorfe, President and CEO of the St. Lawrence SeawayManagement Corporation; Richard Kessel, President andCEO of the New York Power Authority; and John B. Adams,former U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Project Engineer andthe SLSDC’s first Chief Engineer.

Master of Ceremonies for the outdoor event that attractedroughly a thousand spectators was Massena radio personality Sanford Cook. The ceremony included presentation of colors by the U.S. Customs and BorderProtection Swanton, Vermont sector Honor Guard.Performing both the U.S. and Canadian national anthemswere the Massena Central High School Band, Chorus and Orchestra. Leading the crowd in recitation of the Pledgeof Allegiance was SLSDC employee and Commander ofVFW Post #1194 Robert Staires. U.S. Army Chaplain Capt.Matt Rendon from Ft. Drum gave the invocation and blessing of the fleet. Afterwards followed a moment ofsilence, playing of Taps by the ‘Herald Trumpets’, and a 21-Gun Salute by Massena’s AMVETS Rifle Squad.

Administrator Johnson welcomed all guests and thankedU.S. Coast Guard 9th District Commander Rear AdmiralPeter Neffenger for providing the cutter Mobile Bay for the event. Calling the Seaway “truly a marvel of engineer-ing”, he said that it serves as an example of what “strongleadership, a forward-looking vision, and political will canaccomplish.” Mr. Johnson noted that the Seaway is “muchmore than an infrastructure project. It is a grand experi-ment in binational collaboration and friendship.”

St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation’s (SLSMC)President and CEO, Richard Corfe said that the SLSMC

is committed to building upon the 50-year legacy of theSeaway by “adapting the system to the specific require-ments of the different user groups and focusing on sustainable business practices.”

Guests making presentations at the ceremony includedEisenhower, Weissenbach, Kessel, Adams, Rioux, Kaptur,and LaHood. A synopsis of key points for most of theseaddresses is available in the following pages of this specialsummer edition. The binational Seaway Corporations areworking to include full remarks, photos, and edited videoof the 4-days of celebration on their website (www.great-lakes-seaway.ca) in the near future.

ADMINISTRATOR COLLISTER JOHNSON, JR.

The Administrator paidtribute to the strongleadership, worthwhilevision and political willof key Canadian andAmerican politicianswho pushed for imple-mentation of a seawayconnecting the conti-nent’s heartland to worldmarkets. Calling thewaterway ‘much morethan an infrastructureproject’, he deemed it a“grand experiment inbinational collaborationand friendship.” He noted

that “never before had two countries undertaken to con-struct, operate, and maintain jointly a transportationasset of this magnitude.”

Pointing out that the waterway had proven its worth bymoving more than 2.5 billion tons of cargo valued at rough-ly $375 billion over half a century, Johnson called thehydroelectric power and navigation project “a daring experiment in international partnership, the Seaway remainsa shining example of how nations can cooperate in a con-flicted world.” His ending focus was on the future, however,not the past: noting both governments’ commitment torevitalizing Seaway infrastructure so it will continue to meetdemands of future generations for the next fifty years.

“The waterway is much more than

an infrastructure project, it’s a

grand experiment in binational

collaboration and friendship.”

continued on page 4

Ray LaHood, Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportationstands proudly with the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets.

Collister (Terry) Johnson, Jr.

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SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION RAY LAHOOD

Secretary LaHoodthanked the men andwomen who helpedbuild, manage and oper-ate the Seaway and itsinfrastructure over thepast half century. Henoted that “like all greatpublic works, theSeaway posed manydaunting challenges atthe beginning—fromtaming the rapids andconstructing the locks,to excavating millions ofcubic yards of material.”The result has been avital commercial artery

for both America and Canada, “an economic engine forcities and towns on both sides of the border.”

The Secretary reminded the crowd that Congress hadallocated $17.5 million for several capital projects torehabilitate Snell and Eisenhower Locks and simultane-ously pump $5 million or more into the North Countryeconomy. That amount was but a down payment, hesaid, for a Congressional pledge to provide $165 millionfor this Asset Renewal Program over the next decade.

CONGRESSWOMAN MARCY KAPTUR

Ohio Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur praised the Seawayas “an efficient channel of waterborne and intermodaltransportation, commerce and renewable hydropower.”Calling the Seaway a vital link of commerce betweenAmerica’s heartland and global markets, she said it sup-ports the entire U.S. economy with a ‘strong foundationbuilt of an abundant and sustainable agriculture and asuperstructure of heavy manufacturing.’

Ms. Kaptur praised visionaries in the U.S. and Canadawho helped obtain approval for the waterway and notedthat the Seaway is “the linchpin in our transportation web.”She explained that other U.S. Great Lakes ports as well asToledo in her northwest Ohio district stand to benefitfrom construction of a state-of-the-art container terminalin Nova Scotia that can be serviced by waterborne feederservice through the Seaway.

JOHN B. ADAMS

The SLSDC SeawayProject Engineer duringthe construction of thewaterway and for manyyears afterward, JohnAdams recounted what itwas like to work on aconstruction job thatmoved 211 million cubicyards of overburden—“enough dirt and stone tofill the Chicago SearsTower 90 times.” Itrequired the world’slargest constructionequipment available andthat’s what was on-site.For example, the dragline

widely known as ‘The Gentlemen’ could “hold 30 tons to abite, or the equivalent of a tractor trailer loaded withstone.” Winters brutal subzero weather threatened dead-lines but dedicated work crews employed blowtorches andburned barrels of oil to keep machine parts moving. Thebitter cold turned soupy clay to dense glacial till harderthan concrete and stone broke the dredge bucket’s steelteeth every shift, he said.

Seaway’s 50th Anniversary Simply Golden, continued from page 3

“Like all great public works, the Seaway

posed many daunting challenges at the

beginning—from taming the rapids

and constructing the locks, to excavating

millions of cubic yards of material.”

Secretary of U.S. Departmentof Transportation Ray LaHood

Left–right,Honorable Marcy Kaptur,U.S. Secretary of TransportationRay LaHood, and SusanEisenhower.

“The Seaway is an efficient channel

of waterborne and intermodal

transportation, commerce and

renewable hydropower.”

John B. Adams III

continued on page 5

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When the cofferdam was blown July 1, 1958, Lake St.Lawrence was formed within four days by the mightyriver’s waters. “Working with such a dedicated and marvelous group of people” was, he said, the highlight of his life, and describing the opening ceremonies involving British royalty and President Eisenhower and Vice President Nixon 50 years ago were clearly memories he treasured.

SUSAN EISENHOWER

Granddaughter ofAmerica’s 34th president,Susan Eisenhower notedthat “the Seaway, like theinterstate highway system,has become so much apart of everyday life thatwe absolutely take it forgranted.” She praised Mr.Adams remarks forreminding us of “how difficult it actually was torealize a complicatedinfrastructure project likethis back in the days whentechnology was in a differ-ent state altogether.” Less

than a decade after the end of the carnage known as WorldWar II, Eisenhower had followed his distinguished militaryleadership role in that conflict to lead his nation in peace.He must have felt a great sense of accomplishment to sign(Seaway’s authorizing) legislation that ‘would be a source ofbetterment for the lives of Americans and Canadians for

decades to come,’ she said. She ended noting that Ike wrotein his memoirs that the Seaway’s construction was one ofonly four challenges (along with the interstate highway andstatehood for Alaska and Hawaii) “people thought couldnever be done.”

Following the two-hour ceremony, a Concert at the Lockgot underway with music by the Conrad Story Blues Band.Sponsored by the Massena Chamber of Commerce, thetwo hours of music included a bring-your-own picnic or an opportunity to purchase food on-site.

Yet another event taking place early that evening for dignitaries was a reception and dinner at the MassenaCountry Club. The guest keynote speaker was DavisHelberg, former dean of U.S. Great Lakes port directorsand an historian of maritime activity in the Great LakesSeaway System. Other distinguished industry speakersincluded Laurence Pathy, President and CEO of FednavLtd., Allister Paterson, President and CEO of SeawayMarine Transport and Adolph Ojard, Executive Director,Duluth Seaway Port Authority. Closing out the memo-rable evening was a special Trident “Guardian of theSeaway” Awards presentation to 50 individuals andorganizations who have significantly impacted the U.S.Seaway since its construction in the 1950s.

Events Saturday July 11 got underway with AdministratorJohnson’s senior staff gathering in the Admin Building fora quarterly meeting of the SLSDC Advisory Board.Among those being briefed were Board Chairman ScottWalker, Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s County Commissioner,Jack McGregor, and Trip Dorkey. The status of the AssetRenewal Program, a rundown on trade numbers, and legislative activity were among items reviewed.

continued on page 6

Susan Eisenhower

Seaway’s 50th Anniversary Simply Golden, continued from page 4

“Working with such a dedicated and

marvelous group of people was the

highlight of my life.”

“The Seaway, like the interstate highway

system, has become so much a part of

everyday life that we absolutely take

it for granted.”

Recipients of the Trident “Guardian of the Seaway” Award.

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Seaway’s 50th Anniversary Simply Golden, continued from page 5

A parade down Main Street complete with floats fromJefferson Elementary School and Massena MemorialHospital were augmented by a marching band from the Massena Central High School Band. Riding in a classic car provided by the Massena Olde Car Club wasAdministrator Johnson and Ray Stiles. The parade proceeded through a downpour yet the hundreds of spectators stayed in place under umbrellas.

Following the parade more than three hundred picnickersspent the afternoon at the town beach gathered under thepavilion for fun conversation and excellent food. Childrenplayed any of a dozen games including the potato sackrace, ring toss, cards, and bingo. Young and middle-agedswapped stories and gossip, while greybeards reminiscedover the changes they’d seen in the Seaway and Massenaover 55 years since the Seaway changed the North Countryforever. While at the pavilion, John Adams gave a slidepresentation that captured highlights of construction andmajor events during the Seaway’s history. The event endedwith employee recognition awards and a special remem-brance of longtime SLSDC employee Ed Margosian.

As dusk turned to dark, the crowd became increasinglyrestless as the fireworks were prepared under lightning-filled skies. With the first rocket fired, the alternate boomsand crackles were interspersed with ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ fromthe crowd. A glorious day ended with the last flurry ofexplosions followed by a slow trudge back to the car and

Kids enjoy an old fashioned potato sack race. Main Street lined for the Seaway Parade.

Seaway Float constructed by the American Federation ofGovernment Employees Local 1968.

Parade Marshall Terry Johnson.

Terry Johnson, SLSDC Administrator, (middle) gives a specialremembrance plaque to Levan Margosian, the brother of a long-time SLSDC employee who passed away last year.

continued on page 7

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Seaway’s 50th Anniversary Simply Golden, continued from page 6

the vague realization that a once-in-a-lifetime event was closing.

Sunday morning at the Eisenhower Visitors’ Center saw thediehards meet for coffee and pastry and conversation todiscuss the events of the last three days. Jack Kelley’s LittleBig Band performed for the crowd at Eisenhower Lock andreceived energetic applause from all quarters. Locals wouldreturn home, and those who had made lengthy journeys toNew York prepared to drive or fly back to their homes.

continued on page 8

The “Jack Kelly’s Little Big Band” performs during the Open House.

An oral presentation—The St. Lawrence Seawayand Power ProjectDr. Claire Parham, a Watertown, New York native histor-ian, teacher, and author presented lectures to standingroom only crowds July 9 on her recently published work,The St. Lawrence Seaway and Power Project—An oral history of the greatest construction show on Earth.

Strong popular interest in the topic by local residents andtourists in Massena for the waterway’s 50th anniversarycelebration resulted in an additional lecture being offeredafter tickets for the first were snapped up. Both lectureswere held at the Frank S. McCullough, Jr. Hawkins PointVisitors Center of the New York Power Authority.

Dr. Parham’s book was based on the results of 53 interviewsshe had conducted with aging construction workers who participated in the project honored by the AmericanPublic Works Association in 2001 as one of one of NorthAmerica’s top 10 public works projects of the 20th century.

She interviewed masons, carpenters, electricians,engineers, dredgers, truck drivers, cooks, and officeworkers over a 15-year period beginning in the 1990s.Dr. Parham captured both the rigors and dangers ofconstruction in long winters that workers faced aswell as the politics and world events that protractedcompletion of the project for several decades.

Author Dr. Claire Parham signs her book, The St. LawrenceSeaway and Power Project—An oral history of the greatest construction show on Earth, for Davis Helberg,Great Lakes Historian and former Executive Director,Duluth Seaway Port Authority.

The St. Lawrence Seaway’s50th Anniversary Hits the U.S. Secretary ofTransportation’s Blog SiteThe Fast Lane is the official blog of the U.S. Secretary ofTransportation. This forum provides an opportunity forDepartment of Transportation officials to engage in adialogue with interested citizens, members of the trans-portation community, and the blogosphere about ourNation’s transportation System.

Check out what was blogged about for the St. Lawrence Seaway’s 50th Anniversary Celebration.

St. Lawrence Seaway Celebrates 50 Years by Looking ForwardThis afternoon, I’ll be celebrating the 50th anniversaryof the St. Lawrence Seaway. The Seaway is a US-Canadian waterway that has carried over 2.5 billiontons of cargo, valued at over $375 billion since its 1959opening by President Dwight D. Eisenhower andQueen Elizabeth II.

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This binational project is a vital maritime gatewaythat moves cargo betweenNorth America and inter-national markets. TheGreat Lakes SeawaySystem stretches over2,300 miles from the Gulf of St. Lawrence toLake Superior.

So, if you live near theGreat Lakes, you probablyalready appreciate the

value of the Seaway for delivering the goods you use aswell as the goods your region produces.

If you aren’t familiar withthe Seaway, it’s a tremen-dous engineering feat thatstands as a testament to allthat can be accomplishedwhen great nations worktogether to invest in theireconomic welfare—notjust for the present, butfor generations to come.

But an asset like theSeaway must be kept ingood repair. Too much isat risk to let this route and its locks, markers, bridges,ports, and other tools succumb to time and the ravages ofweather and water. That’s why US Seaway AdministratorCollister Johnson, Jr. reminds us that it’s “important toremember its history, but most important to prepare theSeaway to meet tomorrow's needs and challenges.”

And we have taken Administrator Johnson’s words toheart. At the celebration today, we will highlight the $17.5 million Asset Renewal Plan to begin addressinglong-term Seaway infrastructure needs.

Today, we’ll be celebrating the Seaway’s history and antici-pating its future at the Eisenhower Lock in Massena, NewYork. I am looking forward to the trip, and to sharing myphotos and impressions in a future entry.

A Thriving Seaway is a Lifeline to the World’s PortsOn Friday, Rep. Marcy Kaptur stood with me aboard theUS Coast Guard cutter Mobile Bay and said, about the St. Lawrence Seaway: “It is really our lifeline for water-borne commerce to the world.”

While Rep. Kaptur may not have been speaking forthose who don’t live in the Great Lakes area, the ToledoBlade reports that the Seaway “sustains about 150,000jobs in America and Canada.” That’s nothing for any ofus to sneeze at, no matter where we live.

The reality is the Seaway connects the heartlands ofAmerica with ports around the world. It is indeed a life-line, and attending its 50th anniversary celebration waseye-opening.

Lots of interesting moments at the celebration: standingaboard the Mobile Bay in the Eisenhower Lock; waitingfor the lock's valves to drain away 22 million gallons ofwater; feeling the vessel being lowered 44 feet in only 7 minutes; listening to former US Army Corps ofEngineers Project Engineer and Chief Engineer John B.Adams III speak about the many challenges Seawaybuilders faced.

But, the Seaway is not some artifact; it is a living water-way, and to keep our heartlands connected to traderoutes, and to keep those 150,000 people employed, we need to keep the Seaway thriving.

As U.S. Seaway Administrator Collister Johnson, Jr., said:Maritime transport has changed dramatically overthe last 50 years, so the Seaway must adapt to newtechnology and new markets. Our two govern-ments have committed hundreds of millions ofdollars to Seaway infrastructure, and our users are investing billions of dollars in new Seaway-sized ships. The Seaway must remain relevant to their needs.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower, remembered theSeaway fondly as one of those accomplishments peoplesaid he would never pull off. By maintaining theSeaway’s competitiveness, we honor PresidentEisenhower’s memory.

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Official Letters Note Seaway’s AnniversaryWe proudly add to the collection of historic commem-oratives of the Seaway’s 50th anniversary, several high level governmental communications congratulating the St. Lawrence Seaway System on this milestone year. The U.S. Department of State issued a Media Note indi-cating the Seaway’s important role in U.S.-Canadian

bilateral relations. U.S. Congressman John McHugh,who represents Massena, NY where the two U.S. locks are located, entered an official statement in theCongressional Record calling the historic anniversary to the attention of his colleagues in Congress. NewYork Governor David A. Paterson sent a congratula-tory letter greeting all who gathered to celebrate theanniversary of the opening of the Seaway and notingthe Seaway’s place as a beloved state landmark.

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Personnel ChangesThe Montreal Port Authority recently announced the appointment of Sylvie Vachon to the position ofPresident and CEO. Ms. Vachon had been Vice-President, Administration and Human Resources at the Montreal Port Authority since 1997.

Ms. Vachon has extensive experience in corporatemanagement. She has had the opportunity todevelop her expertise in the private, public andparapublic sectors. Throughout her career, Ms. Vachon has been associated with change and organizational development.

Upcoming EventsSeptemberSeptember 10–12Great Lakes Restoration ConferenceDuluth, MN Contact: Beth Houser, 734-887-7134;

[email protected]

September 29–30Great Lakes Commission Annual MeetingErie, PAContact: Tim Eder; [email protected]

OctoberOctober 6–7IJC Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement Biennial MeetingWindsor, OntarioContact: [email protected]

October 25–29AAPA Annual ConventionGalveston, TXContact: (703) 684-5700, [email protected]