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Great Lakes Commission 2004 Annual Meeting Toronto, Ontario Joint Canada/United States Study Binational study partnership – Canadian and U.S. Federal departments and agencies: Transportation policy and economics Navigation-related infrastructure engineering Environmental science
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Joint Canada/United States Study • Binational study partnership – Canadian and U.S. Federal departments and agencies: • Transportation policy and economics • Navigation-related infrastructure engineering • Environmental science Memorandum of Cooperation (May 2003) • Signed between Transport Canada and the U.S. Department of Transportation Water Resources Development Act 1999 • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Study
Study Framework Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Study
Study Partners • Transport Canada • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers • U.S. Department of Transportation • St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corp. • Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corp. • Environment Canada • U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service • Transport Canada • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers • Binational representation of all study partners – Engineering, Economics, Environment Steering Committee: Management Team: Study Team: Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Study
Study Objectives Principal focus on sustaining and optimizing the existing GLSLS infrastructure based on the system’s current configuration; evaluation of infrastructure modifications are not part of the study • Evaluate costs and benefits of continuing to maintain the existing GLSLS infrastructure:Infrastructure condition, reliability and performance • Assess current and future GLSLS infrastructure needs:Engineering, economic and environmental aspects associated with navigation system operation and maintenance • Identify factors and trends affecting commercial navigation on the GLSLS system:Domestic and international marine transportation industries, evolving intermodal linkages and transportation technologies Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Study
GLSLS System – Marine Infrastructure Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Study
GLSLS System – Marine Transportation • Integral component of North America’s transportation infrastructure: • Serves 15 major international ports and some 50 regional ports; links to nearly 30 rail lines and more than 40 provincial/interstate highways • Important intermodal connections within industrial centres contributing to transportation options: • Provides a competitive advantage in the movement of commodities for a wide range of industries • Critical economic generator facilitating domestic and international trade: • Moves upwards of 200 million tonnes annually – domestic, transborder and overseas import/export trades Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Study
Aging infrastructure >>> rising costs: Increasingly critical to plan for future operation and maintenance Broader factors: Market opportunities, modal integration, trade facilitation, sustainable transportation, congestion mitigation GLSLS Lock Systems – 17 Locks Montreal-Lake Ontario – 5 Canadian and 2 US locks (1959) Welland Canal – 8 Canadian locks (1932) Soo Locks – 2 US locks; Poe (1968) and MacArthur (1943) GLSLS System – Study Context Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Study
Study Tasks and Activities • To meet the study objectives, it is necessary to complete both a quantitative and qualitative assessment: • Engineering aspects • Economic aspects • Environmental aspects Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Study
Engineering Aspects • Determine basic condition of existing GLSLS infrastructure and rank it relative to other similar facilities and components for system-wide basis of comparison • Review historic infrastructure operation and maintenance costs and categorize infrastructure performance factors • Undertake analytical engineering reliability modeling for those major infrastructure components identified as most critical (in relation to engineering criteria and level of service criteria) • Project future costs associated with GLSLS operation and maintenance based on current infrastructure condition and reliability • Evaluate alternative maintenance and rehabilitation scenarios for existing GLSLS infrastructure (based on the system’s current configuration) Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Study
Economic Aspects • Analyze (qualitatively) essential physical, institutional and economic characteristics of the GLSLS system • Assess data and trends: traffic flows; fleet characteristics; markets and industries; and transportation rates • Forecasting: traffic flows for major cargoes currently carried on GLSLS; potential additional and/or new cargoes that could be moved on the system (based on its current configuration); future capacity of GLSLS-serving fleet; marine industry competitiveness • Modeling: evaluate socio-economic costs and benefits for alternative maintenance and rehabilitation scenarios for existing GLSLS infrastructure (based on the system’s current configuration) Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Study
Environmental Aspects • Characterize environmental conditions of key resources potentially impacted by navigation-related activities on the GLSLS (water quality, water level variations, sediment quality, wetlands, fisheries, species at risk and of special concern) • Assess (qualitatively) environmental implications of maintenance and rehabilitation scenarios for the existing GLSLS infrastructure (defined by engineering and economics aspects) • Provide environmental information to support work in relation to engineering and economic aspects of the study • Identify and define appropriate methodology for assessing environmental impacts of future GLSLS navigation-related activities Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Study
Stakeholder Engagement • Study partners recognize importance of ensuring that both public and private interests are heard – engineering, economics and environmental aspects • Study will incorporate stakeholder engagement to: • Inform interested parties – study scope, objectives, tasks and activities • Serve as a platform for dialogue and information exchange – opportunity to share views and provide comments in relation to study • Listen to stakeholder comments Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Study
Stakeholder Engagement Process • Management Team has obtained services of facilitator to lead stakeholder engagement process: • St. Lawrence Economic Development Council (SODES) • Great Lakes Commission (GLC) • Establishforum for dialogue and information exchange • Set up points of contact • Conduct series of stakeholder meetings in Canada and U.S. • Solicit stakeholder comments and views – gather information and knowledge (call for submissions) • Document stakeholder feedback and input • Report to Management Team Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Study
Stakeholder Meetings • Five stakeholder meetings in June/July 2004, two in Canada and three in the United States: • June 3 Montreal, Quebec (32 attendees. 6 presentations) • June 8 St. Catharines, Ontario (18 attendees, 7 presentations) • June 15 Duluth, Minnesota (33 attendees, 9 presentations) • July 6 Clayton, New York (300 attendees, 40 presentations) • July 14 Chicago, Illinois (50 attendees, 30 presentations) • Stakeholder submission/brief summary due in early October Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Study
Stakeholder Meeting Results • Primary attendees/participants: • Environmental Groups (Governmental & Private) • Local Interest/Property Owner Groups • Commercial Shipping Interests • Port Authorities/Directors • Tribal Interests • Fishery Interests (Governmental & Private) • Economic Development Interests Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Study
Stakeholder Meeting Results • Recurring Themes/Comments: • Study should not entertain seaway expansion or season extension • Invasive Species • Impacts to Fisheries/Recreation • Seaway is a critical component of the overall navigation system • Condition of existing infrastructure is a concern (safety & reliability) • Importance of reliable waterborne navigation system will become more critical as overland transportation routes become overtaxed • Alternative future commercial transportation scenarios exist which would rely on GLSLS navigation system (short sea shipping) Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Study
Study Information • Binational study website: www.glsls-study.com • Contact Information: United StatesCanada • Management Team: Dave Wright Marc Fortin (313) 226-3573 (613) 998-1843 • Stakeholder Engagement: David Knight Marc Gagnon (734) 971-9135 (418) 648-4572 Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Study