Binational Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Infrastructure Study

Nov 26: The governments of Canada and the United States released the binational Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway (GLSLS) Study. The GLSLS Study was conducted to evaluate the infrastructure needs of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway system, specifically the engineering, economic and environmental implications of those needs as they pertain to commercial navigation. The study assesses the long-term maintenance and capital requirements to ensure the continuing viability of the system as a safe, efficient, reliable and sustainable component of North America’s transportation infrastructure.

Seven Canadian and United States departments and agencies were involved in the study: Transport Canada, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, the U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation, Environment Canada and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Interested parties are invited to provide feedback on the final report, which will be provided to the above noted organizations for their consideration. Written feedback received by January 18, 2008 will be posted to the study website.

The report concludes in part that, "Forward planning must ensure that GLSLS capacity remains fluid and responsive within a stable policy framework and investment climate that can support strategic and timely investment in system capacity, while improving service levels and reliability. Furthermore, it must do so in a manner that satisfies concerns about environmental stewardship and that raises challenges for the shipping industry... Participants and stakeholders will succeed if they are able to integrate the three perspectives of engineering, economics, and the environment. Only if a balance is struck among these three differing sets of imperatives will it be possible to maintain truly sustainable commercial navigation in the Great Lakes basin and St. Lawrence River, and leave a lasting positive legacy to future generations."

Access the report website for an announcement and links to related information (click here). Access the complete 128-page report (click here). Access the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System website for additional information (click here). Access a Milwaukee Journal article on the study (click here); and additional media reports (click here).