(12 Dec 2012) STORY
AP Exclusive: Fight to keep the Mississippi open
CAPTION: The Associated Press was granted exclusive access to the only "mat sinking unit" in the world. AP's Robert Ray spent time with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Mississippi River. (Dec. 12)
AP
SCRIPT:
[LOCATION: GONZALES, LOUISIANA-DECEMBER 10, 2012] [SOURCE: AP]
[NAT-BREAK]
[VOICE-OVER]
THESE EXPLOSIVE IMAGES ARE FROM THIS PAST AUGUST WHEN LOW RIVER LEVEL ON THE MIGHTY MISSISSIPPI RIVER, CAUSED BY EXTREME DROUGHT FORCED THE U.S. ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS TO DREDGE, MAKING WAY FOR COMMERCIAL VESSELS CARRYING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OUT AND AROUND THE WORLD.
[SOT: JOEL BROWN / U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS]
"THEY ARE LAYING UP A LAUNCH RIGHT NOW"
[NAT-BREAK]
TODAY, THE WATERS STILL HAVE NOT RISEN, BUT
[SOT: KAVANAUGH BREAZEALE / U.S. ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS]
"THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER IS STILL NAVIGABLE AND COMMODITIES ARE STILL MOVING."
[NAT-BREAK]
ON THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WAS GIVEN EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO THE U.S. ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS BATTLE TO LAY MASSIVE CONCRETE MATS TO PREVENT MORE EROSION AND MAKE SURE THE WATERWAY STAYS OPEN AND SAFE
[SOT: JOEL BROWN / U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS]
"THE LOW WATER CONDITIONS DUE TO THE DROUGHT HAS A LARGE IMPACT ON THE NAVIGATION INDUSTRY BUT IT'S ACTUALLY ADVENTATIOUS FOR THE WORK WE DO ON THE RIVER TO PLACE THE ARTICULATED CONCRETE REVETMENT."
[STAND-UP: ROBERT RAY / ASSOCIATED PRESS] NOTE: STANDING ON THE VESSEL
"THESE CONCRETE SLABS, SLOWLY MOVING INTO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. THEY WILL GO 800 FEET OUT AND THESE GUYS WILL DO THIS 32 TIMES TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL AND YOU CAN SEE THE MATS ROLLING OVER THIS MASSIVE VESSEL INTO THE MISSISSIPPI."
SOT: JOEL BROWN / U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
"WITHOUT LAYING REVETMENT CONCRETE ON THE RIVER YOU WOULD HAVE AN UNCONTROLLED RIVER THAT WOULD CHANGE COURSE THAT WOULD MEANDER MORE DRAMATICALLY EACH YEAR SO, YOU WOULD HAVE AN UNSTABLE NAVIGATION CHANNEL, AN UNSTABLE BANK AND POSSIBLY UNSTABLE LEVIES."
[VOICE-OVER]
AND IF THE RIVER WERE TO SHUT DOWN TO VESSELS, WHICH IT MAY, NEAR ST. LOUIS, CONSUMERS COULD SEE THE COST OF FUEL AND FOOD GO UP.
[SOT: JOEL BROWN / U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS]
"SO A LOT OF BASIC BULK MATERIALS WOULD GO UP IN COST IF THEY HAD TO BE TRANSPORTED BY RAIL OR TRUCK."
[NAT-BREAK]
[VOICE-OVER]
IN THE MEANTIME, THE CORP OF ENGINEERS WILL BE ON THR RIVER, LAYING CONCRET MATS ON THE MUDDY BOTTOM IN AN EFFORT TO HELP SAVE BILLIONS OF POTENTIAL LOST COMMERCE
ROBERT RAY, ASSOCIATED PRESS, GONZALES, LOUISIANA
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