Lawmakers, state officials discuss needs of port

The SEMO Regional Port Authority hosted the Missouri Legislative Joint Interim Committee on Multimodal Transportation Services at an open forum Wednesday.

The purpose of the forum was for the committee to look into the needs of Missouri's ports, and listen to and address ideas and concerns on the situation.

The 10-member committee was joined by representatives of the Missouri Department of Transportation, SEMO Port administration and board, Southeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission, Cape Girardeau County Commissioner Larry Bock, David Madison of the Missouri Port Authority Association and Duane Michie of the Pemiscot County Port Authority and Missouri Highway Commission. No members of the general public attended.

Since state funding aid to Missouri ports has been drastically cut in recent years, the committee wanted to see first hand some of the issues facing the ports. For the SEMO Port, the authority is seeking state aid for the construction of more warehouse space and completion of the fill-in of about 30 acres of land for additional industrial sites.