Mississippi River Research Conclusions Executive Summary

Briefing paper requested by Senator Bond detailing the conclusions from the Mississippi River research to date.Agricultural and Food Policy, Environmental Economics and Policy,

Factors Affecting Locking Times at 600' and 1200' Locks on the Mississppi River with an Examination of Excessive Locking Time Charges

This research investigates factors influencing locking time as well as the source of variation in the locking time on the Upper Mississippi River, and includes tow characteristics and environmental conditions over 1992-2004. The newer 1,200 ft. locks reduce both locking time and time variation, improving efficiency on the system as a whole. Importantly, the analysis suggests lock capacity has declined over the 1992 to 2004 period for all locks. After correcting for tow and environmental characteristics, very little of the remaining variation is explained by a unique vessel identification number assigned by the Army Corps of Engineers, indicating that lockage fees based purely on relative locking times would not provide the intended result

Factors Affecting Locking Times at 600' and 1200' Locks on the Mississppi River with an Examination of Excessive Locking Time Charges

This research investigates factors influencing locking time as well as the source of variation in the locking time on the Upper Mississippi River, and includes tow characteristics and environmental conditions over 1992-2004. The newer 1,200 ft. locks reduce both locking time and time variation, improving efficiency on the system as a whole. Importantly, the analysis suggests lock capacity has declined over the 1992 to 2004 period for all locks. After correcting for tow and environmental characteristics, very little of the remaining variation is explained by a unique vessel identification number assigned by the Army Corps of Engineers, indicating that lockage fees based purely on relative locking times would not provide the intended result

Mississippi River Research Conclusions Executive Summary

Briefing paper requested by Senator Bond detailing the conclusions from the Mississippi River research to date

Issues Surrounding a B5 State Mandate in Missouri

This report presents a background of diesel consumption and soy-diesel production in Missouri. Two possible profitability scenarios are presented which assume alternative combinations of bio-diesel and soybean oil prices with three possible alternatives related to countercyclical payments, fixed funding, and payment limits on mandated quantities

Fatal Methanol Ingestion in a Child: Case Report

The records of Forensic Medicine Council of Turkey Bursa Morgue Department reveal the first case of fatal methanol ingestion in a child. Household methanol exposures are mostly due to accidental ingestion of washing fluids. A 4 year-old girl was admitted to the emergency department with her parents with gastrointestinal symptoms; nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Toxicological studies revealed 79 mg/dl blood level of methanol. We presented infant autopsy case of methanol toxicity and discussed the case from medicolegal aspect

Implications of Minimum Summer Water Releases from Gavins Point for Power Plants

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential impacts on power plants of minimum water releases from Gavins Point to the Missouri River as presented in the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers' (Corps) Master Manual (Corps 2004). The Corps regulates the flow of the Missouri River to support navigation and control flooding by controlling water releases from Gavins Point, the lowest of the six reservoirs

Economic Impacts of Not Extending Biofuels Subsidies

This study uses a stochastic model to analyze the impact of not extending the ethanol tax credit, the ethanol import tariff, or the $1.00 per gallon biodiesel tax credit on the biofuels and agricultural commodity markets

Briefing Paper on the Demand for U.S. Commodity Exports and the Mississippi River: Past and Future

As part of the decision in evaluating the lock and dam upgrade on the Mississippi River, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) has contracted with various agricultural forecasting companies (most recently Sparks Companies, Inc.) to produce long range projections of agricultural exports and the implied demand for Mississippi River transportation services. The future demand for barge transportation services is a key component in evaluating the value of lock and dam upgrades. In this context, it is important to understand the volume of U.S. exports that utilize the river versus other modes of transportation