MASSENA, New York (WWNY) – The St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation has gone through ten administrators since its opening in 1959. Now, a new administrator is running things and we had a chance to sit down with him.
Adam Tindall-Schlicht has been the administrator since November but says that his years of experience working at the seaway made him the right fit for the job.
Usually, his job is to monitor activity on the seaway, but with both Eisenhower and Snell locks closed for the season, his top priority is making sure maintenance crews are finishing up repairs on the locks, like restoring concrete and replacing diffusers that help filter the water.
“The word critical is absolutely appropriate. It is a time of reinvestment, a time of modernization, a time of rehabilitation,” he said.
Maintenance crews are given just 10 weeks to work around the clock and fix any issues at both locks before the shipping season starts again in March.
As for community outreach, Tindall-Schlicht wants local organizations to approach the Seaway Development Corporation on any issues that are overlooked such as environmental impact and sustainability on the river.
“We are asking all community partners, we’re asking all users, all people that care about the St. Lawrence River and how it’s used to bring your perspectives and thoughts to us. We’re really excited about the potential of decarbonization.”
That means possibly having ships cut down on carbon fuels and emissions across the seaway.
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