"Lawmakers fight plan to cut rural air service"

Thursday, September 4, 2003

Lawmakers fight plan to cut rural air service 
By TED MONOSON
The Billings (MT) Gazette


WASHINGTON -- Under pressure from Montana and Wyoming senators and other
rural legislators, a congressional panel on Wednesday turned back a Bush
administration effort to cut funding for rural air service. 

Appropriations Committee member Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., and Sen. Max
Baucus, D-Mont., are not satisfied and plan to push for more money for the
rural air service subsidies. 

"It's always a battle to keep (it) funded," Burns said. "I am not happy with
this figure because it is not enough to cover the nation, but it is enough
to maintain stability for Montana."
  
The Bush administration proposed giving the Essential Air Service program
$50 million next year. Under the bill approved Wednesday by the
Appropriations Committee's transportation panel, the program would receive
$102 million, or $11 million less than it received this year. 

"It's a lot better than it could have been," Baucus said. "This is a sign
that the Senate will not give in to Bush's draconian cuts." 

Sens. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., and Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., joined Burns and Baucus
in pressing their colleagues to reject the Bush administration proposal. 

Congress created the program in 1978 as part of legislation eliminating
federal regulation of airline travel. The program provides subsidies to
airlines to guarantee that rural communities that were served before
deregulation continue to receive air service. The program has been a
frequent target of both Democratic and Republican administrations. 

Big Sky Airlines, based in Billings, serves several communities under the
provisions of the Essential Air Service program. Among the communities
served are Glasgow, Glendive, Havre, Lewistown, Miles City, Sidney and Wolf
Point. 

In all, the regional airline serves 20 cities in five states - Montana,
Colorado, Idaho, North Dakota and Washington with its fleet of 19-passenger
Metro III and Metro 23 aircraft. 

"Congress is living up to its promise," Baucus said. "Without this program,
towns in Montana will shrivel up and die." 

The committee also rejected a Bush administration plan that would have
required communities that are more than 250 miles from the nearest hub
airport to match 10 percent of the federal funds they receive and those that
are less than 250 miles from the nearest hub airport to match 25 percent of
what they receive. 

"It looks like we beat back that plan, which would have meant the end to
(Essential Air Service) in Montana," Baucus said. "Now we must work to
secure additional funds for the program." 

On Wednesday, another Appropriations Committee panel also began work on the
spending bill for veterans health and federal housing programs. 

The bill would provide $3.9 million in funding for the Mine Waste Technology
Program in Butte, which is $400,000 more than the program received this
year. 

Deaconess Billings Clinic Research Division would receive $650,000 and St.
Vincent Healthcare's Northern Rockies Health Center would receive $500,000. 

For Missoula, the legislation would provide $1.5 million for the University
of Montana's National Center for Space Privatization and $1.2 million for
Space Sciences Inc.'s Inland Northwest Space Alliance. 

The bill also has $1 million for Helena's wastewater system and $400,000 for
Hamilton's wastewater system. 

The bill would provide $500,000 for restoring the Daly Mansion in Hamilton,
which is $200,000 more than Congress provided this year. The 50-room mansion
was purchased and remodeled by copper baron Marcus Daly in 1886.


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