Minneapolis Upper Harbor Terminal may close in 2013

November 2012

 

While the Upper Harbor Terminals fate has long been a matter of discussion, the impending invasion of invasive carp makes its closure a matter of great urgency.

Prompted by the looming threat of invasive carp, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and other city leaders are calling for swift action to close the Upper Harbor Terminal (UHT) to barge traffic in early 2013. At a recent meeting of the City Council Community Development Committee, Rybak cited the invasive carp threat, but also pointed out that the city-owned terminal on the Mississippi River presents an enormous redevelopment opportunity of which few cities can boast.

Referring to the potential closure as a decade overdue, Rybak urged his council colleagues to close the port as soon as possible. He stated in no uncertain terms that barging is not a long-term industry for the city, and that maintaining the terminal to stave off potential costs to the city or job losses is a shortsighted approach--especially when it puts the health of the river at stake and prevents more beneficial redevelopment.

The council laid the issue over to gather more information. Now the Community Development Committee is scheduled to vote on whether to recommend closure to the full council at their next meeting, November 27th at 1:30 p.m. in Minneapolis City Hall Council Chambers.

While the Upper Harbor Terminals fate has long been a matter of discussion, the impending invasion of invasive carp makes its closure a matter of great urgency. The terminal must close to prevent invasive carp from invading the Mississippi River and its watershed north of the Twin Cities, where Minnesota's multi-billion dollar fishing and tourism economy is at stake. The only 100 percent effective carp barrier strategy would be to close the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock (or Lock #1) to all traffic--commercial and recreational. While only Congress can close a lock, the city can close the terminal, thus reducing the number of barges that travel through Lock #1 and the chance that carp could spread northward. Closing the terminal would be an important step towards lock closure.

In many ways, this seems like a no-brainer. After all, the city has officially asked the state and federal government to do all they can to stop invasive carp. It only makes sense, then, that the City would do everything in its power as well.

The committee appears to be heading in a direction that would cease use of the UHT for barging in 180 days or less, but allow continued bulk storage and transfer, and other land-based industrial uses to continue at the site until 2014. This approach minimizes the city's property management costs, but doesn't eliminate them, meaning there's a chance the city council might not have enough votes to close the terminal.

Your help needed

Please send a quick email to members of the Minneapolis City Council and tell them to vote YES to close the Upper Harbor Terminal to barging in 2013. If you are writing to the member that represents you, be sure to include your home address in the email.

If you live in Minneapolis, this site will tell you whom your council representative is and provide their contact info. For more information, please contact Irene Jones, River Corridor Program Director at 651-22-2193 x11 or by selecting her name under "Category" in the FMR contact form.

Learn more

• Barge traffic at Minneapolis port could end, Star Tribune, Eric Roper, October 23, 2012
• FMR's spring article on the Upper Harbor Terminal