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1		HOUSE RESOLUTION
2		WHEREAS, The Kaskaskia and Mississippi Rivers are vital
3		drivers to the economic well-being of Southwestern Illinois;
4		and
5		WHEREAS, To support economic development along the
6		waterways, the Kaskaskia Regional Port District was created by
7		the Illinois General Assembly and signed by the Governor into
8		statute on June 22, 1965; and
9		WHEREAS, The Kaskaskia Regional Port District is a partner
10		with the State of Illinois and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
11		regarding the navigation of the Kaskaskia River; and
12		WHEREAS, The Kaskaskia Regional Port District serves the
13		region to promote industrial, commercial, transportation, and
14		economic activities, thereby reducing the evils attendant upon
15		unemployment and enhancing the public health and welfare of
16		this State; and
17		WHEREAS, Some of the Kaskaskia Regional Port District's
18		many accomplishments include: achieving the one million ton
19		benchmark for tonnage shipped on the Kaskaskia River in 2014,
20		which is a critical number for agencies that look at the
21		performance of locks and dams; being featured in Expansion

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1		Solutions Magazine; being added to the U.S. Army Corps of
2		Engineer's national database; and Congress renaming the
3		Kaskaskia Lock and Dam to the Jerry F. Costello Lock and Dam in
4		honor of the former Congressman; and
5		WHEREAS, The Kaskaskia Regional Port District is governed
6		by an active 15-member uncompensated board representing all
7		walks of life from Monroe, Randolph, and St. Clair Counties;
8		and
9		WHEREAS, The Kaskaskia Regional Port District has grown
10		over the past 50 years and now has 5 terminal locations serving
11		both the Kaskaskia and Mississippi Rivers, weathering both
12		drought and flood in recent years; and
13		WHEREAS, The Kaskaskia Regional Port District has
14		facilitated the creation of jobs with businesses that rely on
15		river navigation to ship cargo both inbound and outbound,
16		having a positive impact on the economy of the region; and
17		WHEREAS, The Kaskaskia Regional Port District has been
18		recognized by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as one of the
19		few port districts in the country that is growing each year and
20		has developed a strategic plan to continue growing and serving
21		the waterways and surrounding areas; therefore, be it

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1		RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
2		NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
3		recognize and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Kaskaskia
4		Regional Port District serving both the Mississippi and
5		Kaskaskia Rivers in Southwestern Illinois; and be it further
6		RESOLVED, That we declare June 22, 2015 as Kaskaskia
7		Regional Port District Day in the State of Illinois.