June
7, 2006 Transportation Committee
Meeting Summary
Frank J. Ambrosio, URS Corporation
Fred
Buse Schwartz, Heslin Group, Inc.
Peter
D. Cohen, Amtrak
John Dietrich, Fuss & O’Neil
of New York
Bob Doyle, Golub Corporation
Terry Everetts,
Dresser-Rand Company
Bill Fahey, NY School
Bus Contractors Assn
Kathryn Gorman, Access
Health System
Jack Guinan, NYS Department
of Transportation
Steve Hewitt, NYS Department
of Transportation
Ray Lang, Amtrak
Brian McMahon, Edwards & Kelcey
Tom
Minnick, The Business Council of New
York State, Inc.
Brian Osterhout, Fuss & O’Neil
of New York
Norm Schneider, Railroads
of New York
Donald J. Smith, Urban Engineers
of New York, PC
Richard Stack, Albany
Port Railroad Corporation
Steve Stallmer,
Associated General Contractors
Lynn Weiskopf,
NYS Department of Transportation
Meeting Summary
June
7, 2006
1:30 - 4:00
PM
Call to Order & Welcome
Tom Minnick, The Business Council
Tom
called the meeting to order shortly
after 1:30 PM at The Corporate Woods
offices of The Business Council.
GAO Letter on the Western Hemisphere
Travel Initiative
Last year
at our June 2005 committee meeting,
Garry Douglas, President and CEO of
the Plattsburgh-North Country Chamber
of Commerce briefed the group on the
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.
The WHTI grew out of The Intelligence
Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of
2004. It required that a passport or
other document or combination of documents
that the Homeland Security Secretary
deemed sufficient to show identity and
citizenship be used by U.S. citizens
and citizens of Bermuda, Mexico and Canada
when entering the United States. Homeland
Security was to implement this requirement
by January 2008.
The proposed new requirement was very
controversial especially in the northern
Border States because it would cause
considerable economic and social interruption
for business and casual travelers. Roundtable
meetings were held across several border
states including two in New York State.
On behalf of The Business Council, Tom
Minnick attended and testified at one
such meeting last October in Buffalo
chaired by Senator Schumer and Congresswoman
Slaughter and attended by a variety of
local business, civil and public officials
from WNY and Canada.
Based on information received at this
and other meeting held by New York Congressional
members and a recently released Government
Accounting Report, Rep. Slaughter and
Rep. McHugh introduced in early June
bi-partisan legislation designed to:
- extend implementation of WHTI until
September 2009
- require DHS and State to develop
a plan to re-admit spontaneous travelers
who do not possess a passport or alternative
document
- require DHS and State to complete
a cost-benefit analysis of the final
plan
- exempt children younger than
16 from the new WHTI documentation
requirements
This legislative proposal is called
the Protecting American Commerce and
Travel Plan Act or PACT Act.
The Press Release and GAO letter/summary
on the WHTI was included in the meeting
packet and will be posted on the Business
Council’s Transportation Committee
web page.
Guest Speakers
Lynn
Weiskopf
Jack
Guinan
New York State
Department of Transportation
Lynn and Jack
presented a “report
card” of progress on the state’s
five year capital plan.
Lynn reviewed the background: a $35.9
billion package split between DOT and
MTA, including a $2.9 billion bond act
approved by the taxpayers in November
2005.
She then focused on the DOT portion
of the capital program with sources of
funds including $7.125 billion from the
feds, $9.383 billion from state dedicated
funds and $1.45 billion from the bond
act. The $17.958 billion total will be
allocated over the five years as follows:
- Highway & Bridges $15.246 b
- Industrial Access $45 million
- CHIPS/Marchiselli $1.681 b
- Multi-Modal $350 million
- Rail/Ports $235 million
- Aviation $116 million
- Non-MTA Transit $235 million
- Canals $50 million
Lynn went on to discuss construction
targets for 2005 through 2010 and details
of programs delivery including a new
3 zone organizational concept for improved
deliverability and reliability. She then
broke out the bond act modal programs
and discussed a few details of rail & ports,
the aviation program, non-MTA transit
and the canal program. She wrapped up
with a briefing on the status of the
Transportation Development Partnerships
(public/private partnerships) and suggested
we check the web site for more information.
www.dot.state.ny.us/partnerships
Jack briefly reviewed the DOT’s
involvement in the Senate’s High
Speed Rail project and the $22 million
allocated for this year. This is the
project that John Egan reported in detail
to us at our last committee meeting.
Other Issues
The group discussed the likelihood
of getting Candidates Faso and Spitzer
to discuss transportation issues. We’re
going to see if the Rudin Center might
sponsor a forum that we could get involved
with. More information to come.
The meeting
adjourned shortly before 4 PM.
Please contact Tom Minnick at tom.minnick@bcnys.org or 518-465-7511 for meeting questions or further information.
