Press Releases

U.S. Congressman Garret Graves (South Louisiana) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Agency (EDA) announced a $1.6 million grant to The Water Institute of the Gulf for the development of a Lower Mississippi River SmartPort & Resilience Center (SmartPort). This federal award adds to $1.4 million in matching funding from the State of Louisiana and other partners involved in this $3 million collaborative project.

"The Mississippi River is America's Commerce Superhighway. Its capacity and importance to the U.S. economy is second to none. When the channel fills in and large ships are unable to safely transit the river, it sends ripple effects through Louisiana's economy and impacts our jobs," Graves said. "This grant will allow the Water Institute of the Gulf, the ports and other partners to identify areas that need dredging before they become a problem. This benefits the resiliency of the channel, jobs and our economy. This is a great example of how new technology can help to solve old problems."

To read the Water Institute of the Gulf full release with more background for additional quotes, click here.

Background on the funding from the EDA:

This project is funded under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Public Law 116-136), which provided EDA with $1.5 billion for economic assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance, which is being administered under the authority of the bureau's flexible Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) program, provides a wide range of financial assistance to eligible communities and regions as they respond to and recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

About The Water Institute of the Gulf

The Institute is an independent, non-profit, applied research institution advancing science and developing integrated methods to solve complex environmental and societal challenges. The Institute helps communities thoughtfully prepare for an uncertain future. For more information, visit www.thewaterinstitute.org.