The Small Business Committee, led by Chairman Sam Graves (R-Mo.), recently convened a field hearing in St. Joseph, Missouri, focusing on the future of the Missouri River.
The committee examined the management of the river, its effect on small businesses and how to maximize the potential economic benefits of the river.
“Small businesses that depend on the river for their livelihoods need a well-managed river to plan for their futures,” Graves said. “Floods or navigation problems can cause severe setbacks for farms or other small businesses. As the 2011 floods demonstrate, the Army Corps of Engineers is attempting to manage too many competing priorities, making accomplishing any of them a challenge. Instead, the river should be managed to provide the most economic benefit to the most stakeholders throughout the Missouri River system.”
The agency empowered to operate and manage the Missouri River System, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has a broad list of authorized purposes, including flood control, irrigation, water supply, power, navigation, protecting water quality, recreation, and fish and wildlife. The hearing focused on authorized purposes and asked small business representatives to identify which purpose had the most significant impact on their overall financial health.
“I appreciate that the Corps of Engineers testified today, but I am disappointed that the Fish and Wildlife Service chose not to participate, as many of the regulations that complicate the river’s management are influenced by objectives pursued by the agency,” Graves said. “The decisions of federal agencies have real world economic consequences for rural communities. We must make sure the Missouri River remains an economic asset and major resource for the people throughout the Missouri River Basin.”