WEBVTT

00:09.199 --> 00:13.100
On August 14th , 2024 the 55th chief of

00:13.109 --> 00:15.331
Engineers and commanding general of the

00:15.331 --> 00:17.553
US Army Corps of Engineers . Lieutenant

00:17.553 --> 00:19.387
General Scott Spelman signed the

00:19.387 --> 00:20.831
chief's report containing

00:20.831 --> 00:22.831
recommendations to Congress for the

00:22.831 --> 00:24.831
Tampa Harbor navigation improvement

00:24.831 --> 00:26.942
study for inclusion in the next Water

00:26.942 --> 00:29.165
Resources Development Act . The purpose

00:29.165 --> 00:30.887
of the Tampa Harbor navigation

00:30.887 --> 00:32.998
improvement study is to reduce marine

00:32.998 --> 00:35.053
transportation costs and operational

00:35.053 --> 00:36.916
inefficiency for tankers , boat

00:36.925 --> 00:39.576
carriers and general cargo ships using

00:39.585 --> 00:41.995
Tampa Harbor and improved navigational

00:42.006 --> 00:44.136
efficiency within the federal Tampa

00:44.145 --> 00:46.875
navigation channels . Tampa Bay is a

00:46.886 --> 00:49.335
large natural y shaped harbor and

00:49.346 --> 00:51.506
shallow estuary connected to the Gulf

00:51.515 --> 00:53.875
of Mexico on the west central coast of

00:53.886 --> 00:56.535
peninsula Florida . Port Tampa Bay is

00:56.546 --> 00:58.768
Florida's largest port in cargo tonnage

00:58.768 --> 01:01.035
and land area . It serves as a major

01:01.046 --> 01:03.271
cruise port and serves a diverse mix of

01:03.282 --> 01:05.251
bulk brake , bulk , container

01:05.262 --> 01:07.318
commodities and energy products that

01:07.318 --> 01:09.652
serves Florida . The port contributes

01:09.662 --> 01:12.211
over 17 billion in economic impact ,

01:12.222 --> 01:15.132
supporting more than 85,000 jobs . The

01:15.141 --> 01:17.363
Tampa Harbor Federal Navigation channel

01:17.363 --> 01:20.611
was last deepened to 43 ft if approved

01:20.622 --> 01:22.681
by Congress and included in the next

01:22.692 --> 01:24.581
Water Resources Development Act .

01:24.592 --> 01:26.814
Separate appropriations will need to be

01:26.814 --> 01:28.372
passed , to construct the project .