No 'super' lock planned for Sault canal.

• Author: Ross, Ian

Boosters of a new 'super lock' for Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan may have to wait two years for a change in the White House.

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The Bush administration has refused to fund the construction of a long-awaited new shipping lock on the St. Mary's River for Great Lakes marine commerce.

In a Feb. 28 news release, Michigan congressman Bart Stupak, whose district includes the Sault and the government-run canal complex, called out the Bush administration saying it is ignoring "critical infrastructure needs based solely on dollars and cents.

"This decision ignores the importance of the Soo locks to our nation's economy and is negligent in protecting our navigation infrastructure," says Stupak in a letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers headquartered in Washington, D.C., the operators of the canal.

In his letter to corps commander Carl Strock, Stupak says if the lock were ever disabled due to age, accidental damage or by terrorism, it would take months to repair and disrupt cargoes of food, fuel, steel and energy supplies.

The St. Mary's River, linking Lakes Superior and Huron, is considered a vital shipping channel and is used to move iron ore, coal, grain and other commodities to various North American and international ports

A spokesperson with the Canadian St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation had no comment on the U.S. government's decision. The corporation's director of market development, Bruce Hodgson was also not made availalble for comment.

The corporation is releasing a joint Canada-U.S. wants-and-needs study in July addressing the issue of aging transportation infrastructure on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.

Inquiries to the U.S. Corps of...