Waterways fuel tax increase advances

One house of congress has approved a bill that includes a 9-cent increase in the tax charged to boat operators on the inland waterways -- one that boat operators asked for so they could get improvements to locks and dams that have been stalled by increasing construction costs.

The bill that was approved by the House of Representatives and is awaiting action by the Senate increases the user fee on diesel fuel from the present 20 cents per gallon to 29 cents.

News reports say the increase could help finish repairs to the Chickamauga lock on the Tennessee River, some on the Mississippi and possibly speed construction of the Olmstead Locks and Dam on the Ohio.