TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA - Florida congressional leaders have introduced legislation to end dredging on the Apalachicola River. <br>
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They say spending $20 million to clear the way for barges that don't use the river anymore doesn't make sense. <br>
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The Army Corps of Engineers has for years scooped out a channel in the river to make it navigable for barges. But environmentalists say the dredged sand piled on the banks hurts the region's ecosystem. <br>
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The river was recently called one of the nation's most endangered by the conservation group American Rivers. <br>
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Both the Florida House and Senate have introduced bills to remove the corps' authorization to dredge on the river <br>
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The bills would also provide federal money to help clean up the area. <br>
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Governor Bush and the state's independently elected Cabinet have also expressed support for ending the dredging.
