Bay Planning Coalition » News

Port Of Oakland Celebrates Golden Gate Bridge 75Th Anniversary Through Art, Trade And Tourism

BPC Staff — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:20:05 +0000

Port calls for artist participation in two contests depicting the Golden Gate Bridge to Oakland connection

Jock O’Connell, 2012 DMC Key Note, in The Sacramento Bee

BPC Staff — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:14:45 +0000

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Should California spend more money on infrastructure for ports and expedite completion?

Click here for Mr. O’Connell’s article

House Subcommittee Holds Oversight Hearing on Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund and Tax

BPC Staff — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:21:01 +0000

On February 1, 2012, the House Ways and Means Subcommittees on Oversight and Select Revenue Measures held a joint hearing on harbor maintenance funding and maritime tax issues. The hearing focused on the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund and Harbor Maintenance Tax, maintenance underfunding, and the tax treatment of foreign shipping operations.

Testimony was heard from: The Honorable Michael Strain, Commissioner, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry; Mr. Gary LaGrange, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Port of New Orleans; Mr. Steven A. Fisher, Executive Director, American Great Lakes Ports Association; Mr. Morten Arntzen, President and Chief Executive Officer, Overseas Shipholding Group; Mr. James C. McCurry, Jr., Director of Administration, Georgia Ports Authority; and Mr. Michael Leone, Port Director, Massachusetts Port Authority.

All witnesses supported various measures currently under consideration by Congress. Mssrs. Strain, LaGrange, Fisher and Leone testified in support of the Realize America’s Maritime Promise (RAMP) Act, or H.R. 104 (Mr. McCurry testified in support of the general ideas embodied it). Mr. Arntzen testified in support of the American Shipping Reinvestment Act (H.R. 1031).

Topics discussed included:

- Recent free-trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, Korea, and the Panama Canal extension (scheduled to be complete in 2014), and their potential impact on the need for waterway infrastructure improvements.

- The RAMP Act, which would ensure funds in the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) are utilized for the intended purpose of dredging and maintaining coastal ports, harbors and waterways.

- The American Shipping Reinvestment Act (H.R. 1031), which would make substantial changes to taxes and earnings regulations of foreign shipping companies doing business in the U.S.

- Misuse of Harbor Maintenance Tax revenues (including $6.1 billion in unspent funds in the Trust Fund). Some believe that this underfunding is causing an increasing need for major dredging operations to keep shipping routes viable.

- The concepts of “sort sea shipping” and “marine highways.”

- The Harbor Maintenance Tax, which may discourage companies from shipping by water when other options exist. This includes “double taxing” of cargo taken from freighters and further shipped by smaller craft.

For the testimony of the witnesses, go to: http://waysandmeans.house.gov .

Tell Congress our maritime highways are critical to our transportation infrastructure!

BPC Staff — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:13:22 +0000

“The port industry generates economic benefits, supporting about 13 million jobs and accounting for $4 trillion in economic impacts. As a nation that needs to compete in a global economy it is important to recognize that international trade represents about 30 percent of the U.S. GDP, much of which is transported through our nation’s ports and harbors.”

Senate Ltr to EPW re HMTF in transportation

Please send a letter to the Committee on Environment & Public Works today!

White House Announces National Strategy for Global Supply Chain Security

BPC Staff — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:10:08 +0000

Notice of Public Workshop – Tomales Bay Mercury TMDL

BPC Staff — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:51:29 +0000

San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (Water Board) staff will hold a public workshop to explain and seek public comment regarding the content of the Tomales Bay Mercury TMDL.

Meeting Details:

Monday, February 13, 2012

4:00 – 5:30 p.m.

Red Barn Classroom at Point Reyes National Seashore

Near the Bear Valley Visitor Center

76 Bear Valley Road, Point Reyes Station, California

Air Quality Regulations for New Development in San Francisco

BPC Staff — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:16:05 +0000

BIA of the Bay Area is hosting an informational program about new BAQMD regulations. Meeting will include representatives from Bay Area Air Quality Management District and San Francisco Department of Public Health.

For more information, visit BIA of the Bay Area website

Boustany Holds Hearing on Harbor Maintenance Funding and Maritime Tax Issues

BPC Staff — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:23:49 +0000

(Washington, DC) – Congressman Charles W. Boustany, Jr., M.D., (R-South Louisiana) issued the following statement after holding a House Ways & Means Oversight Subcommittee hearing on the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund and Maritime Tax Issues earlier today:

“At a time when Americans are concerned about our nation’s competitiveness, the federal government seems to be content with allowing for our ports and waterways to fall in disrepair. There is a blatant abuse of the dedicated federal tax to maintain and care for our nation’s main avenues for trade.

“Years of chronic underfunding finally has caught up with our country’s ports and waterways. In order to combat this, I have introduced H.R. 104, the Realize America’s Maritime Promise (RAMP) Act. The bill requires the total amount available for spending from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund each year be equal to the Trust Fund receipts. This ensures funds will be used for their intended purposes. This legislation guarantees the Calcasieu River remains an avenue providing the rest of the world with South Louisiana products such as Crowley rice and St. Landry Parish soybeans. American exports cannot afford to lose competitiveness due to Congress’s inability to responsibly allocate dedicated funding.”

For info on the hearing, click here

USACE posts Dredged Material Management Office’s 2010 Annual Report

BPC Staff — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:33:23 +0000

View 2010 Annual Report

BPC Executive Director, John Coleman, at California Maritime Leadership Symposium

BPC Staff — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:08:09 +0000

John Coleman was a panelist at the California Maritime Leadership Symposium this morning. The topic for the mornings session, “2012 “STATE OF THE STATE” MARITIME TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM” enabled the BPC Executive Director to highlight the Greater San Francisco Bay Area maritime industry’s economic impact to the state and beyond.

Download BPC Members Economic Impact – Ports Data Slides Jan 2012.