Tommy Kurtz, managing director of Avident Advisors, an affiliate of Jones Walker, and Brett Richards, special counsel in the Government Relations Practice Group, presented at the Inland Rivers, Ports & Terminals (IRPT) annual conference in Louisville, Kentucky, on September 19–21, 2023. Tommy provided an overview on current site selection trends and development opportunities for companies operating on the inland river systems with the announcement of major economic development projects in both the South and Midwest, especially in transitional energy manufacturing. Brett gave a legislative update on federal grant opportunities, a Congressional outlook for the remainder of this Congress, and 2024 election preview. Jim Kearns, special counsel in the Maritime Practice Group, serves as a member of the IRPT Board of Directors.