Urge Congress to authorize reliability report on Marine Highway 65.

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To: Rules
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026

By: Senator(s) Younger, Turner-Ford, Parks,
Sparks

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 534

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION TO URGE THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED 1
STATES TO AUTHORIZE A COMPREHENSIVE RELIABILITY REPORT ON MARINE 2
HIGHWAY 65 IN THE WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2026. 3
WHEREAS, Marine Highway 65 (M-65), which includes the 4
Tennessee River, the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, the Tombigbee 5
River, the Black Warrior River and the Mobile River system, is a 6
vital component of the national inland waterway transportation 7
network and serves as a critical economic corridor for the State 8
of Mississippi and the southeastern United States; and 9
WHEREAS, the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway traverses the State 10
of Mississippi for approximately 234 miles and directly supports 11
the Port of Yellow Creek, the Port of Itawamba, the Port of Amory, 12
the Port of Aberdeen, the Port of Clay County, and the Port of 13
Lowndes County, along with numerous private terminals, industries 14
and multimodal facilities located within the state; and 15
WHEREAS, industries located along the Tennessee-Tombigbee 16
Waterway in Mississippi rely upon efficient barge transportation 17
for the shipment of steel, coal, petroleum products, forest 18
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products, aggregates, agricultural commodities, and manufactured 19
goods, supporting thousands of direct and indirect jobs and 20
generating substantial state and local tax revenues; and 21
WHEREAS, the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway has generated 22
billions of dollars in cumulative private investment within the 23
State of Mississippi since its completion and continues to provide 24
a competitive transportation advantage that strengthens economic 25
development, industrial recruitment, and export capacity; and 26
WHEREAS, the United States Maritime Administration has 27
designated Marine Highway 65 as part of the Marine Highway 28
Program, and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development 29
Authority serves as the nonfederal sponsor for M-65; and 30
WHEREAS, the efficient and reliable operation of locks and 31
dams along Marine Highway 65 is essential to the uninterrupted 32
movement of commercial navigation, energy resources, agricultural 33
commodities, and manufactured goods that support employment, 34
industry and economic growth within Mississippi and the region; 35
and 36
WHEREAS, recent incidents and ongoing infrastructure 37
concerns, including lock failures and operational disruptions at 38
the Demopolis Lock, the Holt Lock and the Wilson Lock, demonstrate 39
the vulnerability of aging navigation infrastructure and the 40
potential for significant economic harm resulting from unexpected 41
closures or reduced reliability; and 42
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WHEREAS, additional deficiencies in navigation infrastructure 43
along the Marine Highway 65 corridor present risks to system 44
reliability, supply chain efficiency, and national economic 45
security; and 46
WHEREAS, a comprehensive reliability report evaluating the 47
condition, performance history and risk profile of locks and 48
related navigation infrastructure along Marine Highway 65 would 49
provide essential information to guide investment decisions, 50
maintenance priorities, and long-term planning; and 51
WHEREAS, the State of Mississippi is a founding member of the 52
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority, a four-state 53
compact with Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee ratified by the 54
Congress of the United States, and the Authority has formally 55
requested that Congress authorize such a reliability report in the 56
Water Resources Development Act of 2026; and 57
WHEREAS, the State of Mississippi has a substantial interest 58
in the long-term reliability, safety, and economic viability of 59
Marine Highway 65 for the benefit of Mississippi workers, 60
industries, ports and communities: 61
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF 62
MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That 63
the Mississippi Legislature respectfully urges the Congress of the 64
United States to include in the Water Resources Development Act of 65
2026 authorization for the United States Army Corps of Engineers 66
to conduct a comprehensive reliability report on Marine Highway 67
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ST: Urge Congress to authorize reliability
report on Marine Highway 65.
65, including, but not limited to, documented lock failures at the 68
Demopolis Lock, the Holt Lock and the Wilson Lock, and an 69
assessment of other infrastructure deficiencies that could 70
negatively impact navigation along the corridor. 71
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Mississippi Legislature 72
supports the request of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway 73
Development Authority and encourages prompt federal action to 74
ensure the continued reliability and resilience of Marine Highway 75
65 as a matter of state, regional, and national importance. 76
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be transmitted 77
to the President of the United States, the Speaker of the United 78
States House of Representatives, the President of the United 79
States Senate, the members of the Mississippi Congressional 80
Delegation and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development 81
Authority, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps. 82