Senator Baldwin Pushing for More Money for Great Lakes Coast Guard Icebreakers
Monday, August 5th, 2019 -- 7:45 AM
(WRN) -Senator Tammy Baldwin is backing a push for more funding for dedicated Great Lakes Coast Guard icebreakers.Senator Tammy Baldwin is backing a push for more funding for dedicated Great Lakes Coast Guard icebreakers. That funding came out of committee last week in the latest Coast Guard funding bill. Baldwin says it's a matter of both safety and commerce for shipping.
"We need to make sure that we can keep up with commerce in our harsh winter months."
Baldwin says navigating the Lakes during the winter has gotten more and more hazardous as the climate continues to change.
"Over the past decade or decade plus, we've seen thick ice on the lakes more frequently than we used to, or earlier or later."
Baldwin says this funding will hopefully future proof the needs for shipping into the future as the climate continues to change.
"We have to be prepared for these extremes like we saw when we had a polar vortex last winter, and when we've had harder freezes on the Great Lakes."
It's estimated that over 5 thousand people lost their jobs last year due to delays in shipping thanks to unusually thick and late ice on the Lakes.
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