The U.S. Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC), a wholly owned government corporation and an operating administration of DOT, is responsible for the operations and maintenance of the U.S. portion of the St. Lawrence Seaway between Montreal and Lake Erie. This responsibility includes managing vessel traffic control in areas of the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario, as well as maintaining and operating the two U.S. Seaway locks located in Massena, NY.
In support of DOT's global connectivity strategic goal, the SLSDC coordinates its activities with its Canadian counterpart, the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC), to ensure that the U.S. portion of the St. Lawrence Seaway, including the two U.S. locks, are available for commercial transit 99 percent of the time during the navigation season (usually late March to late December of each year). Additionally, the SLSDC performs trade development activities designed to enhance the utilization of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway System.
Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation Budget
Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation Budget
(Dollars In Millions)
2008 Actual
2009 Enacted
2010 Budget
Operations and Maintenance (HMTF)
17
32
32
TOTAL
17
32
32
SUMMARY OF SLSDC FY 2010 INCREASES AND DECREASES
Summary of SLSDC FY 2010 Increases and Decreases
(Dollars In Millions)
Operations & Maintenance
FY 2009 Base
32
Pay Inflation Adjustments
1
Non-Pay Inflation Adjustments
0
Annualization of FY 2009 Initiatives
0
Non-recurring Costs or Savings
0
Base Re-engineering, Reductions or Adjustments
0
FY 2010 Current Services Levels
33
Program Initiatives*
-1
FY 2010 Budget
32
*Reflects a decrease of $1.3 million in the cost of the Asset Renewal Program (ARP) between FY 2009 and FY 2010. These costs fluctuate in each year of the ARP.
FY 2010 Budget
FY 2010 Budget
Operations and Maintenance: For Fiscal Year (FY) 2010, the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation (SLSDC) is requesting an appropriation from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) of $32.3 million to fund the daily operations and maintenance of the U.S. portion of the St. Lawrence Seaway as well as Year Two projects of the Seaway’s Asset Renewal Program (ARP).
The SLSDC’s program budget for FY 2010 also includes the use of $900,000 in agency estimated non-federal revenues for a total spending plan of $33.2 million. The spending plan includes $16.9 million for agency operations and $16.3 million for ARP projects.
The $16.3 million estimate to complete 20 ARP projects in FY 2010 was based on the out-year projection provided in the FY 2009 budget request of $16.2 million, plus $80,000 for non-pay inflation. Major ARP projects scheduled for FY 2010 include the continued structural rehabilitation and corrosion prevention of the Seaway International Bridge ($5.8 million) connecting Ontario and New York, which annually accommodates more than 2.5 million vehicles; major concrete rehabilitation at Eisenhower Lock ($2 million); and the rehabilitation of the downstream miter gates at both of the locks ($1.5 million).
The SLSDC’s ARP also closely coordinates with work completed or planned by Canada’s Saint Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) on its portion of the Seaway and supports the findings of the November 2007 bi-national Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Study.The study, released in November 2007, evaluated the infrastructure needs of the U.S. and Canadian Great Lakes Seaway System and assessed the economic, environmental, and engineering implications of those needs pertaining to commercial navigation.