Testimony in Support of H. B. 469 to Create the Ohio River Commission of Ohio

Summary

Written testimony dated Tuesday, December 3, 2024, to the Ohio House of Representatives Economic and Workforce Development Committee in support of H. B. 469, which would create the Ohio River Commission of Ohio. The testimony is given by the CEO/Executive Director of the Columbiana County Port Authority, which it describes as a quasi-government entity operating the Wellsville Intermodal Facility, a 45-acre barge, rail and truck terminal. It thanks Representative Monica Robb Blasdel and Representative Don Jones for proposing the commission and states that no agency within Ohio currently develops or promotes the Ohio River for economic development and tourism. It says the commission would coordinate with stakeholders including port authorities and private ports, and states the belief that it would develop a strategic plan to offset decline in the coal and steel industry in the region.

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Full text

Testimony before the Ohio House of Representatives and the Economic and Workforce
Development Committee

in support of H. B. 469 to Create the Ohio River Commission of Ohio
Penny Traina CEO/Executive Director Columbiana County Port Authority

Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Representative Lorenz and members of the Economic and Workforce Development
Committee.

My name is Penny Traina | am the CEO/Executive Director of the Columbiana County Port
Authority, a quasi-government entity who owns and operates a 45-acre barge/raiVtruck
terminal known as the Wellsville Intermodal Facility located at 2400 Clark Avenue,
Wellsville Ohio and is located at mile post 49, which is the northernmost point of the Ohio
River in Columbiana County.

| have had the honor to be appointed to serve as a member on the United States
Departments Maritime Transportation System National Advisory Committee (MTSNAC)

| also serve on the Ohio Maritime Plan Steering Committee as well as the Access Ohio 2050
Steering Committee with the Ohio Department of Transportation.

| am writing in support of the creation of the Ohio River Commission of Ohio as proposed by
the honorable Representative Monica Robb Blasdel and Representative Don Jones. We are
thankful to State Representative Robb Blasdel and State Representative Jones who have
been great champions of supporting the creation of the Ohio River Commission.

In my position at the port authority, we recognized the need to market the Ohio River. | have
been working on this cause since 2017 with many of my colleagues up and down the Ohio
River and with our great partners at the Ohio Department of Transportation, We are very
passionate about the importance of promoting the Ohio River.

The Ohio River Commission is much needed, currently there is no agency within the state
of Ohio to develop or promote the Ohio River as a driver of economic development and
tourism. The Ohio River is a much-under-utilized transportation and economic
development asset within the State of Ohio. The Ohio River offers a vast, economic and
environmentally friendly transportation network.

Presently there is no established method for coordination among Ohio River Communities,
The needs and benefits of the river industries are not yet fully understood and there is little
coordination among the various stakeholders to promote an effective and efficient Ohio
River system.
By creating the Ohio River Commission of Ohio, we can foster future economic planning
and development of the river by coordinating with stakeholders along the Ohio River
including port authorities, private ports, the maritime service sector, natural resources,
tourism, agriculture and utilities. At the same time, we can advocate for advancement of
Maritime related issues for initiatives that promote and advance increased commerce, job
creation and economic development.

We believe that the benefit of the Ohio River Commission of Ohio wilt maximize economic
activity by developing a strategic plan to evaluate policies, programs, and priorities to offset
permanent decline in the coal and steel industry throughout the Ohio River region, and
thereby advance opportunities and promote prosperity through the region.

The Ohio River has been recognized for its importance in many ways, but we need to raise
awareness and profile the Ohio River and its vast opportunities that awaits.

Thank you for your time and consideration of the Ohio River Commission of Ohio.

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