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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The Kaskaskia and Mississippi Rivers are vital
3drivers to the economic well-being of Southwestern Illinois;
4and
 
5    WHEREAS, To support economic development along the
6waterways, the Kaskaskia Regional Port District was created by
7the Illinois General Assembly and signed by the Governor into
8statute on June 22, 1965; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The Kaskaskia Regional Port District is a partner
10with the State of Illinois and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
11regarding the navigation of the Kaskaskia River; and
 
12    WHEREAS, The Kaskaskia Regional Port District serves the
13region to promote industrial, commercial, transportation, and
14economic activities, thereby reducing the evils attendant upon
15unemployment and enhancing the public health and welfare of
16this State; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Some of the Kaskaskia Regional Port District's
18many accomplishments include: achieving the one million ton
19benchmark for tonnage shipped on the Kaskaskia River in 2014,
20which is a critical number for agencies that look at the
21performance of locks and dams; being featured in Expansion

 

 

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1Solutions Magazine; being added to the U.S. Army Corps of
2Engineer's national database; and Congress renaming the
3Kaskaskia Lock and Dam to the Jerry F. Costello Lock and Dam in
4honor of the former Congressman; and
 
5    WHEREAS, The Kaskaskia Regional Port District is governed
6by an active 15-member uncompensated board representing all
7walks of life from Monroe, Randolph, and St. Clair Counties;
8and
 
9    WHEREAS, The Kaskaskia Regional Port District has grown
10over the past 50 years and now has 5 terminal locations serving
11both the Kaskaskia and Mississippi Rivers, weathering both
12drought and flood in recent years; and
 
13    WHEREAS, The Kaskaskia Regional Port District has
14facilitated the creation of jobs with businesses that rely on
15river navigation to ship cargo both inbound and outbound,
16having a positive impact on the economy of the region; and
 
17    WHEREAS, The Kaskaskia Regional Port District has been
18recognized by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as one of the
19few port districts in the country that is growing each year and
20has developed a strategic plan to continue growing and serving
21the waterways and surrounding areas; therefore, be it
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
3recognize and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Kaskaskia
4Regional Port District serving both the Mississippi and
5Kaskaskia Rivers in Southwestern Illinois; and be it further
 
6    RESOLVED, That we declare June 22, 2015 as Kaskaskia
7Regional Port District Day in the State of Illinois.