Things to add for future Impacts for addons Bio-d / Amazon rainforest impact 1ac Plan
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- This is a clear federal responsibility --- government has two centuries of involvement in the area
- Federal action is key to effective coordination
- Federal coordination key to national security and economy
Off Case Answers2ac States CPThe counterplan is clearly unconstitutionalToohey, 11 --- President and CEO of Waterways Council, Inc. (9/21/2011, Mike, Congressional Documents and Publications, House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment Hearing - "The Economic Importance and Financial Challenges of Recapitalizing the Nation's Inland Waterways Transportation System," Factiva, JMP) Mr. Chairman, the inland waterways system is one of this country's greatest assets. In fact, that system has been recognized as a matter of fundamental Federal responsibility and stewardship since the earliest days of our country's existence. In advocating for the U.S. Constitution's adoption, James Madison (in the Federalist No. 14) spoke of the general commercial advancement of the country, in furtherance of which "an interior navigation on our eastern side will be opened throughout, the whole extent of the thirteen states." Alexander Hamilton (in the Federalist No. 11) plainly pointed out that, without a Federal governing power, commercial "intercourse would be fettered, interrupted, and narrowed by a multiplicity of causes ... ". Almost immediately after our u.s. Constitution was approved, one of the initial actions of the first Congress was enactment of legislation providing for Federal upkeep of the Nation's navigational aids. Twenty-five years later, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled definitively in its landmark Gibbons v. Ogden decision that "the power of Congress comprehends navigation, within the limits of every State in the Union ... ". And, since Gibbons, the Supreme Court has repeatedly upheld this preeminent need for, and role of, the Federal Government to, as it discussed in an 1883 case, " ... improve the navigation of rivers by dredging and cleaning them, and making new channels and jetties, and adopting every other means of making them more capable of meeting the growing needs and extending demands of commerce." This is a clear federal responsibility --- government has two centuries of involvement in the areaStern, 11 – Analyst in Natural Resources Policy (10/17/2011, Charles, “Inland Waterways: Recent Issues and Proposals for Congress” http://natural-resources-reports.blogspot.com/2011/10/inland-waterways-recent-proposals-and.html) Inland waterways are a significant part of the nation’s transportation system. Because of the national economic benefits of maritime transport, the federal government has invested in navigation infrastructure for two centuries. As a result, barge shipping has received significant support through federal funding for operational costs, capital expenditures, and major rehabilitation on inland waterways. Since the Water Resources Development Act of 1986, expenditures for construction and major rehabilitation projects on inland waterways have been cost-shared on a 50/50 basis between the federal government and users through the Inland Waterway Trust Fund (IWTF). Operations and maintenance costs for inland waterways typically exceed these construction costs, and are a 100% federal responsibility pursuant to WRDA 1986. Future financing for the inland waterway system is uncertain. The IWTF is currently supported by a $0.20 per gallon tax on barge fuel, but the trust fund’s balance has declined significantly in recent years. Without major changes to the current user revenue stream or the federal/non-federal cost-share requirements for construction, spending on inland waterway projects may be limited. Previous administrations have recommended replacing the fuel tax with one or more user fees that would increase revenues beyond their current baseline. However, Congress and industry interests have rejected these proposals. In 2010, the Inland Waterways Users Board (IWUB), a federal advisory committee advising the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on inland waterways, endorsed an alternative proposal that is supported by many barge industry interests. The proposal would increase the fuel tax by $0.06-$0.08 per gallon, but would also require an even greater increase to the federal share of inland waterway costs (i.e., increased costs borne by the federal government). Recently, the Obama Administration included its own proposal among the recommendations to the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction. It would increase user fees by levying a two-tiered system of annual fees on waterway users: a fee for all vessels operating on inland waterways, and a separate (greater) fee on vessels that use locks. The Administration estimated that the fees would raise $1.1 billion in new revenue over 10 years. These revenues would be in addition to those received under the IWTF fuel tax. The user industry (including the barge industry and agricultural groups) argues that changes are necessary to shore up the trust fund, improve the deteriorating state of inland waterway infrastructure, and distribute cost responsibilities more equitably among those who benefit from the system (i.e., more funding by federal taxpayers). They argue that these changes would support jobs for a vital component of the nation’s transportation mix. The Obama Administration agrees that major changes are needed to meet new infrastructure needs, but argues against increased costs for the federal government. Some taxpayer and environmental advocacy groups call for an increased share of waterway costs to be borne by users (i.e., a decreased share for the federal government), and have also suggested that operations and maintenance costs should also be a user responsibility. Congress may consider whether to increase the overall level of inland waterway funding in the future (and by what amount); the appropriate type of user fee to fund the nonfederal share of these costs (fuel taxes, lockage fees, etc.); and the division of cost-share responsibilities between the federal government and commercial users for both construction and operations and maintenance costs. Federal action is key to effective coordinationDOT 2011 (United States Department of Transportation, April 2011, “America’s Marine Highway Report to Congress”, http://www.marad.dot.gov/documents/MARAD_AMH_Report_to_Congress.pdf”) External benefits of America’s Marine Highway that are often unrecognized in current transportation planning and investment decisions belong to the following categories: 14 �� Support for new and existing vessels and mariner jobs that are useful to the nation in times of both peace and national emergency; �� Immediate relief of surface transportation congestion, particularly on routes that provide landside access to urban ports; �� Abundant and cost-effective new freight capacity; �� Reductions in highway and bridge maintenance and repair costs; �� Creation of a diverse and more resilient transportation system; �� Improved environmental sustainability of the surface transportation system, including reduced per ton-mile energy consumption and emissions; and �� Benefits to public safety and security. All of these benefits are in addition to the low-cost freight and passenger services that water transportation has historically provided and which are already considered in private decisions concerning the use of the Marine Highway. These external benefits are described in the sections of this report immediately following this introduction. The correct valuation of such benefits in planning and investment decisions could justify a much greater role for America’s Marine Highway as part of a balanced national transportation system. USDOT, with its responsibility to develop and implement national freight and passenger transportation strategies and target public resources to satisfy public needs across State and other jurisdictional lines, is best positioned to see that this role is realized. The Federal government is also well-situated to coordinate the development of national standards to ensure the compatibility of infrastructure and equipment throughout the Marine Highway system. MARAD is currently working closely with other USDOT modal administrations and the Office of the Secretary of Transportation to develop national transportation strategies that maximize the positive contributions of Marine Highway services. Federal coordination key to national security and economyColonel Donald E. Jackson Jr. March 14 2007, Leveraging the Strategic Value of the U.S. Inland Waterway System, USAWC STRATEGY RESEARCH PROJECT, http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA469583) Conclusion The inland waterway system of the United States stands as a minimally exploited system that, if optimized, could help eliminate the congestion of overland transport, pollution, and provide a low cost alternative to long haul passages. 78 The USDOT should aggressively promote inland waterways as an effective alternative to overland transportation. U.S. Inland Waterway System stakeholders must embrace emerging technologies that more efficiently manage traffic on inland waterways to mitigate lock-imposed delays. An intra-governmental approach to managing national water resources must be better integrated at the local, state, and federal level, eliminating political impediments to system efficiency. Integrated planning to effectively link the national transportation network with state and local intermodal infrastructure must be encouraged and managed strategically. The federal government must lead efforts to develop adequate funding strategies, seeking public-private collaboration, to maintain the investment streams that support new construction, operations, and maintenance of the inland 16 waterway system, making it a reliable and affordable means of transportation in the future. Inland waterway infrastructure must be prioritized and resources focused on the most value-added gateways supporting objectives of the national freight transportation system. Overall the system should be repaired and modernized and, in certain cases, enlarged to meet the industry standard requirement for locks of 1200 feet. The federal government and the USDOT, using an interagency approach, must continue to develop transportation strategies that encourage the balanced growth of each industry sector, leading leads to more effective integration of inland waterway transportation. The USTRANSCOM deployment and distribution model should be commercially replicated at the national level to highlight alternative freight transportation planning opportunities that leverage the capabilities of each transport mode. The USDOT must provide shippers incentives for increased use of inland waterways, expanding container-onbarge opportunities to alleviate congestion and increase capacity of the freight transportation system at the national level. In order to maintain our competitive edge, we must assure the strategic mobility of our economic and military elements of power. The inland waterway system can provide a key, strategic capability that enables the current and future economic prosperity and national security of the United States. The federal government, however, must efficiently manage, adequately fund, and effectively integrate inland waterways with other modes of transportation at the national level for this to achieve success. Promotion of the inland waterway system, using an interagency and intra-governmental approach, positions this capability to provide the additional capacity necessary to meet current and future freight transportation requirements. Leveraging the strategic value of inland waterways is integral to building an effective and reliable national transportation network for the 21 st Century. Directory: files files -> Answer True False 2 points Question 2 files -> Integer programming and game theory files -> 4 Integer Programming files -> Bpa vehicle Window Repair Scenario #1 task: Procure vehicle window relacement. Objective files -> Pop Warner History files -> North Carolina Inclusion Initiative Mapping Where Children with ieps are Being Served Purpose files -> Fall 2013 Spring 2014 Program Data: Standard 1 Exhibit 4d files -> Hanban – asia society confucius classrooms network 2010 request for proposal files -> Northern England’s set-jetting locations Download 0.97 Mb. Share with your friends:
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