Sunday, May 02, 2004

Huntsville Times

Issues members of the local Chamber of Commerce plan to lobby for while in Washington this week include:

Memphis-Huntsville-Atlanta freeway

With the route defined and environmental impact studies now complete, they want Congress to approve money to start construction of the $3 billion highway.

Initial funding should cover engineering, right-of-way acquisition and construction of the two new Tennessee River bridges. Priority should be on the Southern Bypass, which would cut through Redstone Arsenal off Interstate 565 near Gate 9, and cross Memorial Parkway near Hobbs Island Road. From there, it would continue southeasterly toward the New Hope area.

The chamber will also press for funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission for upgrades to U.S. 72 east through Gurley, including interchanges at Moores Mill/Shields Road, Jordan Road, Moontown Road, Brock Road, the planned Eastern Bypass crossing, and Gurley Pike.

Taxiway extension and new ramp at Huntsville International Airport

This would accommodate the new Williams International engine manufacturing plant and airline maintenance and repair facility at the airport, which is expected to create 700 jobs. The taxiway and ramp projects will cost about $4.2 million.

A new air traffic control tower at Huntsville International Airport

Chamber members will argue it's needed because of new and extended runways, increased air traffic and the planned development of the Jetplex Aviation Center. Estimated cost: $20.7 million. To date, the project has received just under $10 million.

Energy legislation

The chamber supports the proposed restructuring of the board that oversees the Tennessee Valley Authority.

President Bush's NASA goals that emphasize manned exploration.

The chamber will urge Alabama's congressional delegation to push for Huntsville's Marshall Space Flight Center to play a central role in Bush's call for manned flights to the moon and Mars. The chamber also supports the return of shuttle flights and completion of the International Space Station.

More research money for the missile defense technology budget

This would help development of "next generation'' weapons systems.

The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command in Huntsville has been in the forefront of developing missile defense technology since the mid-1950s and would make a logical "cost effective choice'' for a top missile defense research facility, the chamber said in a statement released before this week's trip.

Full funding of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense missile defense program.

Much of that work would be managed from Huntsville.

Locate the headquarters for the Research Development and Engineering Command at Redstone Arsenal.

Redstone's "technical community" has the capability to integrate across centers of technology and commodities to quickly transition technologies to the field, the chamber states. Also, several top command executives and project managers are already located at Redstone.

Money for the U.S. Space & Rocket Center

The chamber contends the center contributed $53 million to the local economy in fiscal year 2003 and generated $1.5 million in state and local taxes.

Chamber members will argue that improving the center and its advertising for the U.S. Space Camp will boost the economic impact.

The space museum also requests $1.5 million in a math/science technology grant for school programs and $1 million for a training/education center for educators. Center officials also want $1.5 million to relocate and restore the Saturn V rocket that stands in front of the museum.

Funding for several programs managed by the Huntsville-based Army Space and Missile Defense Command

Projects include a missile interceptor program ($25 million), a wide bandwidth technology program ($5 million), and a "battlevision'' program ($5 million) featuring high-tech imagery.

Full funding for public schools to teach students with disabilities and to cover provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind Act

The chamber also wants Congress to continue to support funding for the Alabama A&M Research Institute and pay for development of a land-based transportation system on campus and fund an A&M environmental research program.

The chamber also seeks $15 million for an intermodal parking building at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and $10 million to renovate and build laboratories and classrooms at UAH.