Gov. Beshear To Lead Waterway Development Authority

Statement

Gov. Andy Beshear has been elected by the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority to serve as its chairman for 2023, with members citing the Governor's tremendous support of the Tenn-Tom Waterway and the inland waterway system during his time in office.

Gov. Beshear helped implement the Kentucky Lake Research Project, an experimental system of netting, pumping, lights and sounds to target and eradicate Asian carp, an invasive fish species, and restore tourism surrounding Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. The Governor also awarded grants of $500,000 to four Kentucky riverports, including the Paducah-McCracken Riverport Authority for the construction of a steel commodity hopper and gate system. He also announced that River View Coal LLC would create 260 new jobs and invest $35 million dollars in Henderson County using the inland waterway system to ship coal.

Gov. Beshear has the distinction of being the first and only chairman in the history of the Tenn-Tom Waterway to have had a parent previously serve as chairman as well. Gov. Beshear's father, then-Gov. Steve Beshear, served as chairman of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority in 2011 and 2015.

"The state of Kentucky has been blessed with tremendous water resources, which provides great opportunities for commerce, recreation and tourism. It is a pleasure to serve as chairman of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority for 2023 to help expand on those opportunities for future growth," Gov. Beshear said. "Ports and waterways directly contribute $2.5 billion to the Kentucky economy and support over 15,000 Kentucky jobs. The Tenn-Tom Waterway provides a vital link to the Gulf of Mexico and the world to Kentucky business and industry. I look forward to working with the member states of the authority to promote our waterways while keeping focus on the authority's stated mission."

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