AgHAUL Update

Highway Bill Postponed / Fly-In Postponed

At a November 30 press conference, House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-Florida) announced that action on Surface Transportation Reauthorization would be postponed until early 2012, due to persisting unsettled questions about finding a funding source to support infrastructure projects in excess of what current tax structures could raise—questions that Chairman Mica estimated could not be negotiated to a successful conclusion within the few legislative days remaining in 2011.

The Chairman did not indicate any withdrawal of House Leadership’s commitment to finding that funding (in some source other than a tax increase).  Meanwhile, the existing Continuing Resolution supporting infrastructure spending still extends through March 31, 2012.  We are optimistic about obtaining a long-term Reauthorization bill well before that date.

In view of this new timetable, AgHaul and the Coalition for Transportation Productivity assessed the policy landscape and concluded that the scheduled December 6-7 Fly-In would have much less impact than necessary, with Congress’s (and the T&I Committee’s) policy focus directed elsewhere, so we decided to postpone the scheduled Fly-In until dates yet to be identified, but probably in late January or early February—pending better information about the Committee’s work schedule.

Preregistration for the December 6-7 Fly-In had totalled 27 by the time we took action to postpone it.  AgHaul and CTP would like to thank all those volunteers who stepped forward to form part of the Fly-In team.  We will be calling on you again, to help get our message points about truck weight reform firmly imprinted on the Surface Transportation Reauthorization process—at this stage in the legislative process, agility will be what carries the day.

Momentum for including the terms of the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act (HR 763) in the Reauthorization bill is in our favor.  Thanks to the push during the last month, we added four new co-sponsors to HR 763—Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tennessee), Rep. Francisco Canseco (R-Texas), Rep. Diane DeGette (D-Colorado), and Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas)—bringing total co-sponsorship to 60.  In addition, in canvassing House T&I members to gauge support for truck weight reform within the Committee, we have several new indications of passive support from members who, for various reasons, are hesitant to step forward as co-sponsors—all good, in terms of pushing T&I negotiations in the right direction.

In the Meantime . . .

Transportation & Infrastructure Committee members—who have been the focus of rail interests’ intimidation campaign over the truck weight issue—have told us that what will help them the most in building the political will to win in the Committee, then in the House, and finally in conference with the Senate is visible support for truck weight reform in their home districts.  That means press contacts with in-district media, letters to the editor, and contacts with local government, community groups, and business leaders.  There is no better Christmas present that you can give to the cause of efficient trucking than to make the points for reform visibly to opinion leaders in your community during the next two months.

Please contact us (nward@forestresources.org) if you need help developing your message.

Maine/Vermont Solution Passes

On November 10, following several weeks of very sensitive negotiation, House and Senate conferees agreed to endorse Sen. Susan Collins’s (R-Maine) proposal to revive the terms of the lapsed 2010 “Maine-Vermont pilot program,” and extend them, if not indefinitely, at least until the year 2032.  The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, containing that provision, passed both chambers and received the President’s signature a few days later.

Beginning immediately, conventional six-axle trucks in Maine, currently allowed on state roads at gross vehicle weights up to 100,000 pounds, will again be allowed on all Interstate highways within the state, at least for the next 20 years.  Similar provisions will apply in Vermont, although—in view of Vermont’s varying state road limits—the exact terms of the provision are more complicated there.  Although the House version of this Appropriations bill did not have a truck-weight reform provision, the strong advocacy of Rep. Mike Michaud (D-Maine) during conference negotiations built consensus that led to House members of the conference committee accepting and endorsing the Senate’s proposal.

AgHaul congratulates Maine and Vermont on this much needed and too long delayed reform, and Rep. Mike Michaud (D-Maine), the lead sponsor of the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act, indicates that obtaining this solution for his own state will not in any way detract from his commitment to leading the effort to enable any state to opt for a similar reform.

Building AgHaul Membership

We anticipate critical action on building Truck Weight Reform into a comprehensive Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill in the coming months, with the critical period likely to be this coming January through March.  We would like to be prepared for a strong push during that period, building the depth and breadth of Aghaul's membership even further.  As we move into a Truck Weight Reform endgame, the forest- and farm-dependent industries have a strong story to tell, and we want to be sure we can bring all voices together to tell that story.

AgHaul's campaign to reform gross vehicle weight limits on the Interstate system has come a long way in three years:  the issue is in the center of the 112th Congress's agenda, as an acknowledged and visible piece of the transportation efficiency amalgam; and AgHaul and the Coalition for Transportation Productivity find that as we make repeated contacts we find better understanding and acceptance of the merits of the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act--what reform means for handling cargo at ports and barge transfers, for harmonizing commerce with Canada and Mexico, and for building a comprehensive program of bridge maintenance.  We have seen the push for reform extend beyond forestry and agriculture to other basic materials, and to secondary manufacturing and retail, particularly in high-density products such as beverages.

We now represent 109 businesses and associations committed to pressing for the safety, conservation, cost-efficiency, and ultimately competitiveness goals that meaningful Truck Weight Reform implies.

Please review AgHaul's current membership at this link.  If you have a business associate or belong to a relevant association that does NOT appear on this list, make our case to the decision-maker; it's free to sign up on line, and those who would like to provide a voluntary contribution to support AgHaul's work in 2012 should fill out and return the Form below.

The voluntary categories for financial support the AgHaul Coalition are:

Associations:
Small associations - $500 (budget less than $1 million)
Large associations - $1000 (budget over $1 million)

Businesses:
Sales under $1 million dollars - $500
Sales of $1 - 5 million dollars - $1000
Sales of $5 - $10M – $2500
Sales over $10M - $5000

Friends of AgHaul Coalition: $250 - $500

Please indicate your level of commitment and support below:

Company or Organization Name _____________________________________

Contact Person __________________________________________________

Address ________________________________________________________

Telephone ______________________________________________________

Email _________________________________________________________

Fax Number ____________________________________________________

Level of voluntary commitment/support for AgHaul - $__________ Amount

Please request an invoice--or send payment (checks payable to: "AgHaul Coalition") directly to:

AgHaul Coalition
c/o Forest Resources Association Inc.
600 Jefferson Plaza, Suite 350
Rockville, Maryland 20852

Thank you!

Note: contributions to AgHaul cannot be treated as charitable donations or as necessary and ordinary business expense deductions. AgHaul will use the restricted funds to pay for direct costs associated with this project. At the end of the project, any remaining funds will be released to pay for administrative costs and overhead or to general administrative expenses of the Forest Resources Association if there are no further administrative costs and overhead expenses associated with the project.