The Soo Locks construction project in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan has received an additional funding boost of $186 million. This brings the total funding for the project to $450 million, with the original request being $264 million. The funding was secured through the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for the 2025 fiscal year. The expansion of the Soo Locks is crucial for maintaining long-term stability in Lake Superior shipping routes, as they are vital for transporting raw materials from mines in northern Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin to steel mills in Indiana and Pennsylvania. The completion of a second Poe-sized lock is a significant milestone in the project, and the additional funding will help keep the construction on track. Construction work is already underway on prior stages of the project [b7e3eed3].
The Soo Locks project is of national importance, as a shutdown of the locks could lead to a national recession. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced the construction of additional locks and upgrades to existing locks in June 2018. The funding boost is seen as a crucial step in ensuring the completion of the project and maintaining the competitiveness of the Lake Superior shipping routes. The construction work on the Soo Locks project is progressing as planned, and the additional funding will help expedite the process [b7e3eed3].
In a separate development, concerns have been raised about the water levels at the Elizabeth Locks and Dam on the Monongahela River. A bipartisan group of lawmakers, including U.S. Reps. Guy Reschenthaler, Summer Lee, and Chris Deluzio, along with Sens. Bob Casey and John Fetterman, have called on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expedite work to remove the Elizabeth Locks and Dam due to concerns about potential economic impacts caused by shallow water levels [d0f6c3a0].
The water level in the lock became too shallow after the initial demolition of the dam on July 10, leading to navigation restrictions and a 25% reduction in commodities moving through the lock. The lawmakers have urged the Corps of Engineers to accelerate the project and rectify the issue by August 28. The removal of Locks and Dam 3 is part of the Lower Monongahela River Project, which was launched in 1994 to modernize locks 2, 3, and 4 in Braddock, Elizabeth, and Charleroi. The completion of the project is projected to boost the regional economy by $200 million annually [d0f6c3a0].