PNWA highlights 2009 legislative agenda
Today
the 44th President of the United States was sworn into office. As we listened to President Barack Obama's inaugural
address, we were reminded of the challenges that we face as a nation and region. PNWA shares the President's hopeful vision for
the future. In turn, we recognize the many
opportunities available to achieve PNWA's funding and policy goals for 2009.
PNWA
has spent the last few months preparing to work with new leadership in Washington,
and is ready to hit the ground running.
Our staff will travel to DC next week to continue discussions with federal
agency leaders as well as new and returning Members of the Northwest
Congressional delegation. In February,
PNWA staff will host three Regional Meetings to touch
base with our membership and to finalize the message we will take to DC for the
75th
Annual Mission to Washington. We are looking forward to the work before us,
and with your help, to paving the way for the Northwest navigation community's
success in the year ahead.
Following are the highlights of our 2009
legislative agenda:
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FY2010 Appropriations. PNWA will continue to seek increased federal
funding in support of navigation, trade and energy in the Pacific
Northwest. We will be working very
closely with the Northwest Congressional delegation, Northwestern District of
the Corps, and the Portland, Seattle and Walla Walla Districts to ensure that critical
infrastructure projects in our region are adequately funded.
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Stimulus Package. On January 15th, the U.S. House of
Representatives released a proposed stimulus package which included a total of
$4.5B for the Corps of Engineers. PNWA
is looking forward to quick action by the House and Senate to get a bill signed
by President Obama in February 2009. We
have suggested a priority list of Northwest navigation infrastructure projects
that would be appropriate for funding from this package:
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Channel Deepening.
This project is slated to receive $36M in FY2009. A final increment of $25M is necessary to
complete the project, and if included in the stimulus, could provide for rock
removal as early as November 2009.
-
Jetties. Jetty systems at our Northwest coastal ports
have been failing or are approaching failure.
PNWA is advocating for funding in the stimulus package to include
assistance for the Columbia River jetties, as well as jetties at the ports of
Coos Bay, Newport, Garibaldi, and Siuslaw.
-
Lower Monumental. PNWA is requesting funding in the stimulus
package to complete the construction and replacement of a new downstream lock
gate.
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WRDA
2009. The Water
Resources Development Act (WRDA) is legislation that authorizes U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers projects and studies. It is
traditionally biennial legislation and was last passed in 2007. If Congress moves forward with a WRDA 2009, PNWA
will advocate for permanence for Section 214 permitting authority, as well as
any policy changes or project authorizations that are required in our region.
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Section
214.
PNWA continues to lead a national coalition of interests to make Section 214
permanent. This authority, which allows ports and other
non-federal government entities to provide funding to the Corps to hire
additional permit review staff, is currently set to sunset in December 2009.
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Regulatory
Policy and the Permitting Process. PNWA will continue efforts to streamline the regulatory process. We work with Corps headquarters, the
Northwestern Division, the three regional Corps Districts, as well as USFWS,
NOAA-Fisheries and EPA to improve communication and to foster fair and
accelerated permitting processes.
-
FCRPS
BiOp. On March 6, 2009
Judge Redden will rule on the validity of the BiOp, and 2009 river operations
will be decided pending this ruling. The
Inland Ports and Navigation Group (IPNG), a subset of PNWA members intervening
in support of the BiOp, will actively continue to protect navigation. IPNG lawyers continue to play an active role
in setting the direction of the court, and will be diligently working
throughout 2009 to ensure that navigation is unaffected by new decisions on the
BiOp.
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Expanding
Environmental Focus. PNWA
continues to respond to developing issues facing our members. With nearly every decision, process and
project undertaken by our members now including an environmental component,
PNWA has expanded our own environmental focus.
We will be monitoring issues such as ballast water and vessel
discharges, air emissions and climate change, marine reserves and wetlands, and
will coordinate with our members, federal agencies, and Congress as these
issues continue to develop.
We
encourage your active participation in PNWA as we do our part to support you,
our members, in your efforts to rebuild the economy. All PNWA members are invited to our regional
meetings, even if you are unable to attend the Mission to Washington. These meetings will be your last opportunity
to help shape the message we will deliver in DC during the Mission. Throughout the remainder of the year, please be
sure to keep your PNWA staff informed as new issues develop or your needs change.
We look forward to working with all of
our members and partners, old and new, as Congress and the Administration begin
their efforts this year.
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