PORT AUTHORITIES: INFRASTRUCTURE KEY IN DEVELOPMENT

SIKESTON - Representatives from four Southeast Missouri port authorities agreed Thursday that before ports can become key players in the future wave of intermodal transportation, the state and federal governments are going to have to provide funds to help develop infrastructure.

"We can't develop all the ports until the infrastructure is in place. That is where we need help," declared Morty Potashnick of Sikeston, chairman of the board of the Southeast Missouri Regional Port Authority. "Once we get that, everything else will fall into place."

Allan Maki, executive director of the SEMO Port who chaired the meeting, pointed out that there are 25,000 miles of inland river waterways in the United States. "Being able to get on the river itself is not enough," he declared. "We need to have roads and other ways to get to the ports."

All four ports cited specific infrastructure needs.

Extending Nash Road into the SEMO Port is considered the top priority of that port; the Pemiscot County Port needs to have a railroad line running to its facility; High Klasing of the Mississippi County Port pointed out they have completed a $490,000 road that has a two-and-a-half mile gap in it; and Bill Pinnell, of the New Madrid County Port said major road improvements are badly needed there.

Thursday's meeting, organized by Sen. John Danforth, was also attended by John Hynes, director of the waterways division of the Missouri Highway and Transportation Dept.; Greg Branum, from U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson's office; board members from the port authorities; and people involved in economic development in the area. In all, about 24 people participated in the session.

Danforth's plane was stalled in St. Louis by bad weather and he was unable to attend the meeting. However, Tom Schulte, who directs the senator's Southeast Missouri office, assured the group that Danforth was interested in doing what he could to help stimulate port development.

Potashnick echoed the sentiment of many others at the meeting when he told Schulte that "Sen. Danforth needs to know ports need direct federal assistance. We really can't do more than what we have done at the local level."

He added, "Surely, the federal level has to understand that part of our trade imbalance is because we can't get products readily from inland areas of this country to foreign soils."

Potashnick suggested Danforth and Emerson might consider sponsoring legislation that would increase aid to port authorities.

Hynes did not leave the group with much hope for increased state funding.

He noted that Missouri has more than 700 miles of waterways and that 67,000 jobs are dependent upon the state's river system. He agreed with the port officials that the key to development of ports and job creation is an improved infrastructure.

But Hynes explained that in the 12 years port authorities have been given operating grants for administrative expenses, a total of $3 million has been allocated from the general revenue budget. Since 1983, ports have received between $12 million and $13 million for capital improvements, but there is no program in place to provide capital funding for ports.

Hynes also noted that the administrative grants have gone from $357,000 in Fiscal Year 1991 to $275,000 in this fiscal year. He anticipates a possible decline next year.

"We need to find a source of funding for ports, directed straight at ports some kind of earmarked funding," said Hynes. He said there is no federal money specifically designated for ports.

Hynes suggested that Danforth might work to have an office established in the Midwest for the Federal Maritime Administration to help recognize problems in the inland waterways.

He also pointed out that early versions of the new federal highway bill would have allowed federal gas tax money to be used for building port access roads. Hynes said he is not sure whether the final bill contains that language.

"The importance of access to ports cannot be overstated," said Hynes.

Walt Wildman, executive director of the Regional Commerce and Growth Association, presented the group a copy of the national transportation policy outlined for the new highway bill, which he said is encouraging for ports because it recognizes intermodal transportation.

"I think you will see a flow of dollars following this kind of policy," observed Wildman. "I am pleased to see a recognition by the federal government of the need for intermodal transportation."

By working together, Wildman declared that "Southeast Missouri can present itself as an international intermodal hub of the nation."

Hynes pointed out that Missouri will be conducting a feasibility study for building an intermodal system.

In his comments, Maki also focused on intermodal transportation and stressed that port authorities that can provide access to all types of transportation will be able to provide the most economic service and be the most successful.

"Shippers are looking for the best, most economic, and most efficient way of shipping goods, and that means shifting modes of transportation along the way," said Maki.

Hynes said the future to port development will rest in cooperative efforts.

"There is a need to form collations for port authorities to work together because the impact exceeds county lines and often times state lines as well," said Hynes.