03.14.08
Maria's Monday Memo
Poor Radar Coverage on Washington’s Coast Must be Addressed
Last Thursday, in Grays Harbor, I convened a meeting of local, state, and federal officials to discuss the lack of adequate equipment to track weather patterns in Washington state and what that means for the safety of communities in the state. This week, I will hold a hearing on the fiscal year 2009 budget for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and plan to address this issue. Washington state has the worst weather radar coverage of any U.S. coastline, and we need to have a plan to stay on top of weather conditions in our state. Our nation’s weather radar system has a gaping blind spot right over the outer coast of our state, placing our communities at risk and hindering the everyday lives of our citizens. Last November, Washington’s coast experienced hurricane force winds, accompanied by major flooding and landslides. Considering the critical nature of weather for a wide range of Northwest industries including fishing, shipping, and timber and the frequent use of coastal waters for military transport and military exercises; weather radar coverage for these areas must be addressed and solved. I will continue pushing NOAA for a solution to what is clearly an unacceptable situation.
Coast Guard Needs To Cut Through Red Tape and Enforce Oil Spill Laws
For years, I have been a Congressional leader in strengthening oil spill laws nationwide. In last week’s hearing on the Coast Guard’s fiscal year 2009 budget, I secured a firm commitment from Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen that the Coast Guard will finally enforce critical oil spill laws passed by Congress in 2004. I am encouraged that the Coast Guard has made the decision to cut through the regulatory red tape and begin enforcing oil spill laws. Congress knew this was wise policy years ago, and I’m glad to see that the Coast Guard is stepping up to the plate to protect our nation’s waterways.
Also in the hearing, I continued my aggressive oversight of the Coast Guard’s troubled Deepwater acquisition program. In December 2007, the Senate passed my Deepwater reform bill to ensure open competition for future Deepwater contracts, end Coast Guard reliance on a single private sector entity to oversee the entire project, and mandate better technical oversight by Coast Guard engineering staff. The Deepwater program is the Coast Guard’s $24 billion effort to modernize its aging fleet of approximately 90 cutters and 200 aircraft used in missions more than 50 miles off the coastline. It is the largest procurement effort in the Coast Guard’s history, and I am committed to ensuring the problems of Deepwater are fixed. We need to get Deepwater back on track, stop the waste of taxpayer dollars, and deliver the men and women of our Coast Guard the assets they need.
Washington Senators Secure Additional Funding For DOE Nuclear Cleanup Program
Working together, Senator Patty Murray and I helped secure additional funding for the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Environmental Management (EM) Program, which funds cleanup at the Hanford site, in the budget resolution passed by the Senate Budget Committee. Last month, I sent a letter, joined by several Senators to Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Ranking Member Judd Gregg (R-NH) requesting increased funding for the EM program to accelerate the cleanup progress that is currently failing to meet agreed-upon benchmarks. Last week, the Senate Budget Committee, of which Senator Murray is a member, incorporated the letter’s recommendations and provided an additional $500 million for the EM program in the fiscal year 2009 budget. The EM program was created in 1989 to safely manage the cleanup of nuclear weapons production sites, like Hanford, and focuses on completing clean up of these sites efficiently and effectively. For years, the Administration has talked about accelerated cleanup of waste at nuclear sites and not followed through. This is a step in the right direction to clean up these nuclear sites and keep our communities safe and secure.
The Time is Now to Roll Back the FCC's New Media Ownership Rules
Last week, I lent my support to a resolution of disapproval introduced by Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) that makes null and void the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) new media ownership rules. In December 2007, the FCC eliminated its long-standing ban on the common ownership of a daily newspaper and a television or radio station in the same market for the nation's top 20 media markets and made it easier for waivers to the rules be granted in all markets. Congress needs to move quickly on passing this resolution of disapproval and stop these rules from ever going into effect. Increased media consolidation is not consistent with the public interest. The FCC's new rules will lead to increased cross ownership of newspapers and broadcast outlets that will open the gates to increased media consolidation in media markets of all sizes. The resolution of disapproval is an important step. I will continue working to ensure a diversity of voices and views in the media. I have been an original co-sponsor of the legislation and have firmly expressed directly to Chairman Kevin Martin of the FCC my concerns that the FCC’s proposed new rules will increase media consolidation and hurt competition, diversity, and localism.
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Last Thursday, in Grays Harbor, I convened a meeting of local, state, and federal officials to discuss the lack of adequate equipment to track weather patterns in Washington state and what that means for the safety of communities in the state. This week, I will hold a hearing on the fiscal year 2009 budget for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and plan to address this issue. Washington state has the worst weather radar coverage of any U.S. coastline, and we need to have a plan to stay on top of weather conditions in our state. Our nation’s weather radar system has a gaping blind spot right over the outer coast of our state, placing our communities at risk and hindering the everyday lives of our citizens. Last November, Washington’s coast experienced hurricane force winds, accompanied by major flooding and landslides. Considering the critical nature of weather for a wide range of Northwest industries including fishing, shipping, and timber and the frequent use of coastal waters for military transport and military exercises; weather radar coverage for these areas must be addressed and solved. I will continue pushing NOAA for a solution to what is clearly an unacceptable situation.
Last week, I lent my support to a resolution of disapproval introduced by Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) that makes null and void the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) new media ownership rules. In December 2007, the FCC eliminated its long-standing ban on the common ownership of a daily newspaper and a television or radio station in the same market for the nation's top 20 media markets and made it easier for waivers to the rules be granted in all markets. Congress needs to move quickly on passing this resolution of disapproval and stop these rules from ever going into effect. Increased media consolidation is not consistent with the public interest. The FCC's new rules will lead to increased cross ownership of newspapers and broadcast outlets that will open the gates to increased media consolidation in media markets of all sizes. The resolution of disapproval is an important step. I will continue working to ensure a diversity of voices and views in the media. I have been an original co-sponsor of the legislation and have firmly expressed directly to Chairman Kevin Martin of the FCC my concerns that the FCC’s proposed new rules will increase media consolidation and hurt competition, diversity, and localism.
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