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1 RESOLUTION NO. 10, 204
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3 A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE INTERMODEL
4 DEVELOPMENT OF THE SLACKWATER HARBOR AT THE
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LITTLE ROCK PORT INDUSTRIAL PARK.
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8 WHEREAS, the Little Rock Port Authority provides a 1,500 acre Industrial Park particularly
9 suited for intermodal use by heavy industry, and in connection therewith provides a river terminal
10 service and Slackwater Harbor and operates its own switching railroad; and
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12 WHEREAS, the Little Rock Slackwater Harbor was completed 10 years ago, but the basic
13 infrastructure was never constructed; and
14 WHEREAS, recent merges of major railroads within the United States have resulted in the
15 Union Pacific /Southern Pacific and the Burlington Northern/Santa Fe railroads all providing service
16 to the Little Rock Port Industrial Park, thereby widely extending the "rail reach" of the Park; and
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WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Commerce projects strong growth in market demand
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19 throughout South America for the next several years (estimated to be greater than twice the size of
20 the NAFTA market in Mexico), and the primary means of cargo transportation to this new market
21 will be waterborne commerce; and
22 WHEREAS, the completion of the Slackwater Harbor infrastructure will help connect the
23 industrial production of the U.S. mid - continent to the Gulf Coast deep water ports for export; and
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25 WHEREAS, in order to complete construction of the Slackwater Harbor infrastructure, the
26 Little Rock Port Authority has requested a total of $20 million in federal funding.
27 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
28 THE CITY OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS:
29 SECTION 1. The Board hereby finds and determines that:
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31 (a) The completion of the Slackwater Harbor infrastructure is integral to the development of
32 intermodal commerce at the Little Rock Port and, therefore, should be accomplished as soon as
33 possible.
34 (b) The planning and construction of the Slackwater Harbor infrastructure cannot proceed
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unless and until sufficient federal funding is received by the Port Authority.
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(c) The construction should focus primarily on water and rail intermodal transportation
facilities specifically targeted to bring Arkansas manufactured products to deep water ports for
export.
(d) The resulting Little Rock model of industrial manufacturing and transportation
efficiencies will form a competitive foundation for the United States to transition to the Free Trade
Agreement of the Americas and thereby aid in integrating the economies of North and South
America.
SECTION 2. The Mayor and City Manager for and on behalf of the City of Little Rock are
hereby authorized and directed to take all reasonable steps and actions necessary to accomplish the
intermodal development of the Little Rock Port.
SECTION 3. The City Clerk is hereby directed to forward a copy of this Resolution to (a)
all members of the Arkansas Legislative Delegation, (b) the Governor of the State of Arkansas, and
(c) all appropriate U.S. Officials making decisions with respect to, or having oversight of, the Port
Authority's requested funding of the proposed development.
SECTION 4. This resolution shall be effective upon its adoption.
ADOPTED: February 17, 1998
ATTEST:
Q ojj " Zds-
ROBBIE HANCOCK
CITY CLERK
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
THOMAS M. CARPENTVA
CITY ATTORNEY
APPROVED:
JIMUJAILEY
MAYOR