[va-bird] CBBT/Eastern Shore in grave trouble, part 1

  • From: Susan Heath <sheath@xxxxxxx>
  • To: VA Birds <va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2006 17:27:30 -0500

It is not my intent to reopen the debate about birding on the CBBT but this was passed to me and I thought it important enough to pass along. I do not know anything more about this issue than what is contained in this message. I have broken the message up into three parts as it is too long for VA Birds in it's original form.

Sue

To all birders who enjoy the Eastern Shore -

A new Senate bill - which may be considered as soon as TOMORROW in the Virginia Senate - proposes to combine all bridge-tunnel governance under a single Commission. Although this may sound sensible, the repercussions would be terrible for wildlife and wildlife-viewing, both on the CBBT and on the Eastern Shore. The momentum behind this bill is clear: it seeks to open the Eastern Shore to rapid, high-density development, such as that in Virginia Beach, by reducing the voice of the Eastern Shore on the Commission by 75% - and giving control of the structure to those who would very likely favor such development. Furthermore, it is likely that the privilege to bird on the CBBT would be lost (it is disallowed on the other crossings). The letters below explain the situation in greater detail. Please fax and email the relevant lawmakers listed below. Time is of the absolute essence.

+++++
Senate Bill 192 proposes to
regionalize the CBBT Commission and District. SB 192 is patroned by Senator
Martin E. Williams, Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. The CBBT
Commission agrees unanimously that the District and Commission should remain
unaltered. We feel that if the General Assembly approves tolling of other
marine crossings in Hampton Roads, legislators should establish a regional
toll authority separate from the CBBT Commission and District.
Commissioners and I have met with 26 senators to gather support to oppose
this bill as introduced. We sense that the nine Senators listed at the
bottom of this email are "leaning our way". Your support is integral in
assuring that these nine votes (in addition to the support that we know we
have) will kill this bill in the Senate Transportation Committee. To show
your support, it is recommended that you write a brief letter (no longer
than 250 words) that is written in your own subjective style to fax or email
the respective Senators. No duplication or "cutting and pasting" as this
would have a dilutive or negative impact. Faxing or emailing will assure
prompt receipt of your letter as this bill may be presented to the
transportation committee as early as Jan. 19.

Below you will find a summary of SB 192 and then points to consider for
letter writing.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel Commission. Changes the composition of the
Commission from 11 members appointed by the Governor to 11 members chosen by
certain local governments. There would be only one Commission member
appointed from the Eastern Shore, compared to the four appointees currently
serving on the Commission. This proposed bill gives the Commission
responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the George P. Coleman
Memorial Bridge, the James River Bridge, the Monitor Merrimac Memorial
Bridge-Tunnel, the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel, the Midtown Tunnel, and the
Downtown Tunnel. The bill also allows the Commission to charge tolls for use
of these facilities and use toll proceeds for operation, maintenance, and
improvements, and further provides for annual payments to the Commission by
the Commonwealth Transportation Board based on the moneys that would
otherwise flow from the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF) and the Highway
Maintenance and Operating Fund (HMOF). The amount of these latter payments
would increase annually to reflect increases in the moneys flowing into the
TTF and HMOF.

The Commission is also authorized to construct new facilities if necessary
to carry out its other responsibilities under the bill. If new facilities
are to be constructed, the Commonwealth Transportation Commissioner would
exercise his power of eminent domain in connection with the construction
upon request of the Commission. Any such construction project would be
funded by the Commonwealth Transportation Board from funds available for
allocation to construction projects in the highway system of which the new
facility would be a part. The Commission is also authorized to construct
additional facilities by acting as a responsible public entity under the
Public-Private Transportation Act of 1995.

The bill also provides, in final clauses, that, in carrying out the
provisions of this bill, the Commission cannot divert the proceeds derived
from tolls on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel to the support of any other
facility or improvements to any other facility until all bonds and other
financial obligations of the authority issued or entered into prior to July
1, 2006, have been paid in full and that no provision of this bill shall be
so construed as to infringe any indenture or contract associated with any
bonds or other financial obligations entered into by the Commissioner prior
to July 1, 2006.

see part two

--
Susan A. Heath
George Mason University
Environmental Science Department
Fairfax, VA

Secretary, Virginia Avian Records Committee
Keeper, Virginia Comp List at www.virginiabirding.org


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  • » [va-bird] CBBT/Eastern Shore in grave trouble, part 1