SEATTLE, WA – Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) announced that Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport has received $5.2 million to make critical improvements to their runway through the Airport Improvement Program (AIP).
Specifically, the grant will fund a runway realignment of 7,100 feet of Runway 6/24 to meet Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) design standards as well as provide for land acquisition and additional site grading and earthwork on the realigned runway.
“I am thrilled to see the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport reach this important milestone in their runway realignment project. This investment will enable the airport to continue to play an important role in the region's economy, creating job opportunities and providing key connectivity for businesses, students, tourists, and residents of the Palouse,” said Senator Cantwell. “Investments in infrastructure like this are critical to keep our economy moving, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to ensure these smart infrastructure investments continue.”
As former chair and current ranking member of the Senate Aviation Subcommittee, Cantwell has made airport infrastructure and air travel high priorities. Since 2014, Cantwell has helped airports across Washington state secure more than $21,240,000 in funding including for airport improvements and increased air travel. Cantwell has also lead the way in ensuring Sea-Tac Airport has the resources it needs to reduce security wait times, including bomb sniffing canines.
Cantwell is also a co-sponsor of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2017. In addition to reauthorizing the FAA, the bill increases authorized funding for the AIP, which pays for infrastructure like the Pullman-Moscow airport runway, by $400 million to an annual level of $3.75 billion. The bill also requires a study and recommendations on upgrading and restoring the nation’s airport infrastructure.
The impact air service has on the economy cannot be overstated. In Washington state, 97% of Gross Business Income is generated by businesses within 10 miles of an airport, and 70% by businesses within a short 5 miles of an airport.
Washington is a leader in aerospace manufacturing and aerospace jobs. With more than 132,000 workers and 1,350 aerospace-related companies, aerospace is a key economic driver for the state. Cantwell has been a tireless defender of the aerospace industry and airline passengers in Washington state, fighting to ensure rural airports have the resources they need, passengers are treated fairly, and the state’s manufacturers can compete and win on the world stage.
RELATED STORY FROM THE FAA: U.S. Department of Transportation Announces $167.6 Million in Infrastructure Grants to 64 Airports in 30 States
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 8/ 7/ 17
WASHINGTON – U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao today announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will award $167.6 million in airport infrastructure grants to 64 airports in 30 states across the United States as part of the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP).
“The Airport Improvement Program helps to maintain our aviation infrastructure and supports safety, capacity, security and environmental improvements,” said Secretary Chao. “This is an important investment in these airports and the economic vitality of their respective communities.”
The airport grant program funds various types of airport infrastructure projects, including runways, taxiways, and airport signage, lighting, and markings, all of which help to create thousands of jobs.
To date this year, the U.S. Department of Transportation has announced more than 1,300 new grants to nearly 1,200 airports for a total of $2 billion. These grants will provide funds for 546 runway projects and 459 taxiway projects that are important to the safety and efficiency of the nation’s system of airports.
Airports are entitled to a certain amount of AIP funding each year, based on passenger volume. If their capital project needs exceed their available entitlement funds, then the FAA can supplement their entitlements with discretionary funding.
OUR PARKS AND FOREST
NATIONAL LEVELUS DEPT. of INTERIOR: Secretary Zinke Supports Acceptance of 3,595 Acres of Wilderness for Sportsmen's Access to Sabinoso Wilderness Area in New Mexico
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 8/ 9/ 17
WASHINGTON – Following a trip to New Mexico, Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke today announced he and the Department - through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) - intend to finalize the process to consider whether to accept the donation of 3,595 acres (formerly known as the Rimrock Rose Ranch) that are adjacent to Sabinoso Wilderness to be included as part of the wilderness.
If approved, the donated land will provide public access to the 16,000-acre Sabinoso Wilderness, which is wholly surrounded by non-federal land. By adding the donated land, the Sabinoso will connect with neighboring BLM land and make the Sabinoso accessible to the public for the first time ever.
"I'm happy to announce today the Department intends to finalize the process to consider whether to accept 3,595 acres to make the Sabinoso Wilderness area accessible to hunters and all members of the public for the first time ever," said Secretary Zinke. "Expanding access to hunting, fishing, and recreation on federal lands is one of my top priorities as Secretary. I originally had concerns about adding more wilderness-designated area, however after hiking and riding the land it was clear that access would only be improved if the Department accepted the land and maintained the existing roadways. Thanks to the donation of a private organization, we we continue to move toward delivering this nonpartisan win for sportsmen and the community."
The Sabinoso Wilderness is some of the most pristine elk habitat in the country. Sportsmen from all over the world have expressed interest in gaining access to the area.
"The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation congratulates Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, New Mexico Senators Heinrich and Udall, the Wilderness Land Trust and the many sportsmen and women who helped make this incredibly important access project happen," said David Allen, President and CEO of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. "The Interior Department’s acceptance of the 4,000 acre Rimrock Rose Ranch will provide public access to the 16,000 acre Sabinoso Wilderness and its premier habitat for elk, mule deer and other wildlife—and just in time for hunting season!"
“On behalf the NRA’s five-million members, I want to thank Secretary Zinke for his leadership in opening access to the Sabinoso Wilderness Area for hunters and sportsmen,” said Chris W. Cox, Executive Director of the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action. “Secretary Zinke continues to champion the rights of America's hunters and sportsmen by increasing access to our nation’s public lands.”
Secretary Zinke and New Mexico Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich toured the Sabinoso by horseback and hike on Saturday, July 29. Photos are available here.
"Sabinoso is the only American wilderness without public access, so I am heartened that Secretary Zinke is moving to finalize an agreement with the Wilderness Land Trust that will allow hikers, sportsmen and others to enjoy this pristine New Mexico landscape. This collaboration is a testament to how beautiful this land is and the tremendous opportunity it holds for sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts and our state's growing recreation economy," said U.S. Senator Tom Udall. "Enabling access to this wilderness is something that many New Mexicans have worked toward for years, and while there are some details to work out to ensure the property is managed in accordance with the Wilderness Act, I want to thank Secretary Zinke for coming to New Mexico to see this stunning land for himself and for moving quickly to accept the donation of the Rimrock Rose Ranch property."
“The Sabinoso is the only legally inaccessible wilderness area in the entire nation. Surrounded by private land and without a legal road or trail to get there, the public has effectively been locked out of this stunning landscape that we all own. By accepting this land donation as part of the wilderness, the Department of Interior will finally unlock the Sabinoso to the public,” said U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich. “This is a major gain for New Mexico and would not be possible without the generosity of the Wilderness Land Trust and the dedication of the local community and sportsmen who have championed this effort for many years. I am grateful that Secretary Zinke visited our state and recognizes just how special the Sabinoso truly is. Traditions like hunting, hiking, and fishing are among the pillars of Western culture and a thriving outdoor recreation economy. Through this collaborative effort to create public access to the Sabinoso we will ensure that outdoor enthusiasts from near and far can finally experience all that this special landscape has to offer and that it will be protected for our children and all future generations.”
The Sabinoso Wilderness is some of the most pristine elk habitat in the country. Sportsmen from all over the world have expressed interest in gaining access to the area.
The area offers exceptional opportunities for hiking, horseback riding, backcountry camping, and hunting. Public interest in accessing the wilderness for hunting and fishing has been significant. The donated lands include a large portion of Cañon Largo, a scenic canyon that would also become legally accessible to the public for the first time through donation.
The BLM will now prepare a number of realty actions that are expected to take three-to-four months to complete.
US DEPT. of INTERIOR: Secretary Zinke Expands Hunting and Fishing Opportunities at 10 National Wildlife Refuges
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 8/ 9/ 17
WASHINGTON - In his latest effort to increase access to hunting and fishing on public lands and waters, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke today announced a proposal to open or expand opportunities at 10 national wildlife refuges. If finalized, this would bring the number of refuges where the public may hunt up to 373, and up to 312 where fishing would be permitted.
“I grew up in the mountains of northwest Montana, where I spent my time hunting and fishing on our shared public lands. I was lucky to take my boys out on the same land that my dad and granddad took me,” said Secretary Zinke. “As the steward of our public lands, one of my top priorities is to open up access wherever possible for hunting and fishing so that more families have the opportunity to pass down the heritage. The last thing I want to see is hunting and fishing become elite sports. These ten refuges will provide incredible opportunities for sportsmen and anglers across the country to access the land and connect with the wildlife.”
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages hunting and fishing programs to ensure sustainable wildlife populations while also offering other traditional wildlife-dependent recreation on public lands, such as wildlife watching and photography. The unparalleled network of 566 national wildlife refuges and 38 wetland management districts means that there is a national wildlife refuge within an hour’s drive of most major metropolitan areas.
“With Secretary Zinke's leadership, the team at the Fish and Wildlife Service is happy to expand hunting and fishing opportunities where they are compatible with wildlife management goals,” said USFWS Acting Director Greg Sheehan. “Sportsmen and anglers play a huge role in the conservation of wildlife and their habitat, so it only makes sense that refuges provide opportunities for folks to get outside to hunt and fish. Refuges provide all Americans with places to hunt, fish, observe the natural world firsthand and experience the great outdoors.”
Hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities contributed more than $144.7 billion in economic activity across the United States according to the USFWS National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, published every five years. More than 90 million Americans, or 41 percent of the United States’ population 16 and older, pursue wildlife-related recreation.
Hunting and/or fishing will expand or be opened on the following refuges:
Georgia and South Carolina
Savannah River National Wildlife Refuge: Expand migratory game bird hunting, upland game and big game hunting. The refuge is already open to migratory game bird hunting, upland game and big game hunting and sport fishing.
Indiana
Patoka River National Wildlife Refuge: Expand migratory game bird hunting, upland game and big game hunting and sport fishing. The refuge is already open to migratory game bird hunting, upland game and big game hunting and sport fishing.
Minnesota
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge: Expand migratory game bird hunting, upland game and big game hunting. The refuge is already open to migratory game bird hunting, upland game and big game hunting and sport fishing.
North Dakota
Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge: Open moose hunting for the first time. The refuge is already open to upland game and other big game hunting.
Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge: Open moose and turkey hunting for the first time. Expand upland game and big game hunting. The refuge is already open to upland game hunting, other big game hunting and sport fishing.
Oklahoma
Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge: Expand upland game and big game hunting. The refuge is already open to migratory game bird hunting, upland game and big game hunting and sport fishing.
Oregon
Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge: Expand migratory game bird hunting. The refuge is already open to migratory game bird hunting.
Siletz Bay National Wildlife Refuge: Open sport fishing for the first time. The refuge is already open to migratory game bird hunting.
Wisconsin
Horicon National Wildlife Refuge: Expand migratory game bird hunting and upland game and big game hunting. The refuge is already open to migratory game bird hunting, upland game and big game hunting and sport fishing.
Fox River National Wildlife Refuge: Expand big game hunting. The refuge is already open to big game hunting.
The USFWS is seeking comments from the public for 30 days regarding information pertaining to the proposed rule. For additional information, go to www.regulations.gov, docket no. FWS-HQ-NWRS-2017-0005. The proposed rule will publish in the Federal Register on August 10, 2017. Comments must be received by September 8, 2017.
More than 50 million Americans visit refuges every year. National wildlife refuges provide vital habitat for thousands of species and access to world-class recreation, from fishing, hunting and boating to nature watching, photography and environmental education. In doing so, they support regional economies to the tune of $2.4 billion dollars per year and support more than 35,000 jobs.
Under the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997, the Service permits hunting and fishing along with four other types of wildlife-dependent recreation, including wildlife photography, environmental education, wildlife observation and interpretation, when they are compatible with an individual refuge’s purpose and mission. Hunting, within specified limits, is currently permitted on 336 wildlife refuges and 36 wetland management districts. Fishing is currently permitted on 276 wildlife refuges and 33 wetland management districts.
OUR PARKS ON THE STATE LEVEL....
WDFW: Commission approves various changes for hunting seasons
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 8/ 7/ 17
OLYMPIA – The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission approved steps to reduce the spread of elk hoof disease among other actions at a meeting Aug. 4-5 in Olympia.
The commission is a nine-member citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
Commissioners adopted a measure requiring hunters to remove and leave behind the hooves of any elk harvested in six game management units in an effort to reduce the spread of elk hoof disease, a debilitating bacterial disease.
WDFW already requires these precautions in many management units in southwest Washington. Beginning this fall, those hunting in game management units 633 and 636 in Mason County, and 407, 418, 437, and 454 in north Puget Sound also will need to take the preventative steps.
The commission also voted to modify regulations for auction, raffle or special incentive permits for hunting elk. The changes clarify where permit holders can hunt and which animals can be legally hunted.
In other business, commissioners agreed with wildlife managers' recommendations to keep leatherback sea turtles listed as a state endangered species and green sea turtles listed as state threatened species.
The population of western Pacific leatherback sea turtles has declined by 80 percent since the mid-20th century, while the global population of green sea turtles has declined by 67 percent in the last 100 to 150 years. Both species continue to face significant threats including harvest by humans.
The commission also received briefings on a variety of issues including:
Proposed changes to Puget Sound clam and oyster seasons.
Staff recommendations on the protective status of yellow-billed cuckoos and loggerhead sea turtles.
Planned changes to spring black bear hunting seasons.
Results of the 2016 Puget Sound shrimp and Dungeness crab fisheries.
WDFW's 2018 legislative proposals and budget requests.
An agenda for the meeting is available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/
WDFW seeks public comment on draft North Cascades (Nooksack) Elk Herd Plan
PRESS RELEASE DATED JULY 25th
OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is accepting public comments through Sept. 7 on a draft plan for future management of the North Cascades elk herd, the northernmost herd in Western Washington.
The draft plan for the herd, also known as the Nooksack herd, can be found on WDFW’s website at: http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01916/
In addition to the public comment period, state wildlife managers plan to hold a public meeting on Aug. 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Sedro-Woolley Community Center.
Written comments can be submitted online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RDCSVVM or mailed to North Cascades Elk Herd Plan, Wildlife Program, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, PO Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98504.
The North Cascades elk herd is spread out over a large area of Skagit and Whatcom counties. Since the last herd management plan was adopted in 2002, the population of the herd – the smallest that WDFW manages – has rebounded from just a few hundred animals to more than 1,200 elk within the recent survey area.
But a growing elk population also comes with increased potential for elk/human interactions and conflicts. The new draft plan includes several strategies to address those concerns and other management issues.
Key goals of the proposed plan include:
Reducing elk/human conflicts, including minimizing elk damage on private property and elk-vehicle collisions along a stretch of State Route 20;
Offering sustainable hunting opportunities, including an increase of at least 100 square miles available for hunting on private and public lands;
Coordinating and cooperating with the Point Elliott Treaty Tribes on herd management and setting hunting seasons;
Increasing elk viewing and photography opportunities.
WDFW will consider comments received online, in writing, and during the public meeting in drafting the final version of the plan.
DNR: Campfires prohibited in many northeast Washington counties
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 8/ 9/ 17
The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced today campfire restrictions on lands that it protects in many northeast Washington counties.
Effective 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 11, 2017:
All campfires are prohibited in Ferry, Lincoln north of Highway 2, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane and Stevens counties.
Daily updates on burn restrictions are available at 1-800-323-BURN or on the Fire Danger and Outdoor Burning risk map at fortress.wa.gov/dnr/protection/firedanger/ and Industrial Fire Precaution Levels map at dnr.wa.gov/ifpl.
PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL
EPA: EPA Awards Kansas $499,000 Grant for Air Quality Programs
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 8/ 10/ 17
(Lenexa, Kan., Aug. 10, 2017) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7’s Air Program has awarded an additional $499,009 to the Air Pollution Control Program at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), in support of implementing the requirements of the Clean Air Act.
KDHE will use these funds to support air quality programs across the state. The Air Pollution Control Program includes National Ambient Air Quality Standards, like ozone, particulate matter and sulfur dioxide mitigation, and implementing and maintaining an ambient air monitoring program.
“Working with our states in partnership is how EPA will fulfill our ‘back to basics’ agenda. Providing this funding directly to the states, where the work on air quality is accomplished, allows us to make great strides forward in keeping the air we breathe clean," said EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt.
PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT ON THE STATE LEVEL
DOE: Intalco fined for air quality violations
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 8/ 4/ 17
FERNDALE – Intalco Aluminum has been fined $32,500 for air quality permit violations at its Ferndale smelter tied to issues with the facility’s operations and to a November 2016 fire at the plant.
The operational issues at Intalco stem from a planned shutdown of the plant in 2016. That curtailment was cancelled in June 2016 after the company signed a new agreement with the Bonneville Power Administration, but the process of stopping the curtailment preparations, combined with the loss of trained personnel, resulted in a number of emission limit violations in the potlines. The potlines are the area of the smelting facility where electric current is used in the creation of metallic aluminum.
The violations were tied to these ongoing issues, and Ecology issued a $27,500 penalty for these problems. Ecology is also fining the smelter $5,000 for separate violations that occurred as it worked to restore production following a fire in the bake oven in November 2016.
An Ecology toxicologist analyzed the reported emissions from the potlines and bake oven and concluded that they were not likely to have caused exposure levels that would result in adverse health effects or impacts to the environment.
Ecology is also ordering the company to improve its training programs to help minimize emissions in the future.
“Intalco worked in good faith to minimize and correct the problems,” said James DeMay, manager of Ecology’s Industrial Section, which regulates the Intalco smelter. “We recognize Intalco has faced some challenges, but the company still needs to meet its air quality permit requirements.” The company may appeal the penalty within 30 days to the state’s Pollution Control Hearings Board.
COMMENTARIES ON WORLD & NATIONAL EVENTS
WP: Why we aren’t ‘winning’ in Afghanistan
President Trump has reportedly been asking two questions about Afghanistan: Why has the United States been there for so long? And why haven’t we won the war? Afghanistan is complex and confusing but the answers to these two questions are not. Unfortunately, answering them won’t get the president much closer to an effective Afghanistan policy.
WP: What Trump should know about the Cuban missile crisis
Hearing President Trump threatening to bring “fire and fury” down on North Korea because of its nuclear defiance reminded me of an incident during the Cuban missile crisis. The State Department had gotten slightly ahead of the White House by mentioning the possibility of “further action” by Washington — and President John F. Kennedy was irate.
CSM: The lesson of the Google firing for innovation
In an era of slow productivity, companies need greater diversity of thought to innovate. Workers who stereotype people and their qualities by sex only put limits on diversity of thinking.
THE DAILY SIGNAL: Environmentalist and Labor Groups Have Bashed NAFTA. Here’s Why They Are Mistaken.
As the United States, Canada, and Mexico prepare for next month’s North American Free Trade Agreement negotiations, several environmental and labor groups have slammed the agreement, calling for an overhaul of NAFTA priorities.
Daily Bible Verse: [ God the Refuge of His People and Conqueror of the Nations ] [ To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. A Song for Alamoth. ] God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
Psalm 46:1 NKJV
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