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Border Trade Alliance

Border Trade Alliance. Maria Luisa O’Connell BTA President March 11, 2008. About the BTA.

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Border Trade Alliance

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  1. Border Trade Alliance • Maria Luisa O’Connell • BTA President • March 11, 2008

  2. About the BTA • Founded in 1986, the Border Trade Alliance (BTA) is a tri-national, grassroots, non-profit organization that serves a forum for participants to address key issues affecting trade and economic development in North America.

  3. Who We Are • The BTA represents, through our members and sponsors, a network of 1.8 million public and private sector representatives, including: • Business leaders, chambers of commerce and industry, academic institutions, economic development corporations, industrial parks, transport companies, custom brokers, manufactures, and federal, state, and local government officials and agencies.

  4. Our Mission Our core values include a commitment to improving the quality of life in border communities through the development of trade and commerce, and a commitment to work as a community-based grassroots organization.

  5. Border InfrastructureTransportation and Ports of Entry • Challenges: • Increased inspection activity and security requirements at POEs • Increased wait-times and delays • Traffic volumes down at many crossings • Demand for federal and state investment far exceeds appropriated funds • Multiple federal and state agencies involved

  6. Increased inspection activity and security requirements at POEs • Security Requirements: ACE e-manifest, WHTI, US-VISIT, and terrorism watch lists

  7. Wait-times and delays increasing… • Blue Water Bridge* • St. Clair, MI *Based upon BWBA Toll Supervisors log

  8. …yet volume of crossings down • Peace Bridge Port Authority - Buffalo, NY • Data shows that processing time at the primary US Customs booth has increased by 32% for the first 2 weeks of August in 2007 compared to the same period of 2006… • …(resulting in) more frequent and longer delays entering the US even though traffic volume declined some 4% for the period analyzed.

  9. Border CrossingsPersonal Passenger Vehicles Source: Bureau of Transportations Statistics

  10. Demand for federal and state investment far exceeds appropriated funds • Estimated cost for construction of ONE new POE (Otay Mesa East): $550-660 Million • Total GSA FY08 Appropriations for Border Infrastructure/POEs: $339.5 Million

  11. Demand for federal and state investment far exceeds appropriated funds • A 2004 study* conducted by the Joint Working Committee of US-DOT and MX-SCT found that the funding shortfall on the U.S. side for border transportation infrastructure was $10.6 billion (the same study estimated a funding shortfall of $846 million on the Mexican side)… • … FHWA’s Coordinated Border Infrastructure program provides $833 million over 6 years (2005-09). • *The Binational Border Transportation Infrastructure Needs Assessment Study

  12. Multiple federal and state agencies involved • DHS, CBP, DOT, FHWA, EPA, Dept. of State, various state agencies • Differing funding mechanisms: multiyear funding for federal highways, annual appropriations for GSA • Lack of coordination between federal agencies

  13. Border Infrastructure/ POE Investment: Status • Last new border crossing - World Trade Bridge in Laredo in 2000 • Improvements in existing ports episodic at best

  14. Border Infrastructure/ POE Investment: Options • Public/Private Partnerships • Consider private-sector investments to accelerate delivery • Must involve state governments • To-date 23 states have passed legislation to permit PPPs • Private investors will prioritize investments based on expected return

  15. Near-term Alternatives to Financing:Leveraging Existing Infrastructure • Conduct assessments of congested ports • Identify efficiency improvements in inspection procedures and flow of traffic in approach lanes • Consider alternative hours of service, lower fees for non-peak hours at toll facilities

  16. Border Trade Alliance • Working with Congress and FHWA to conduct wait-time studies at land ports • Partnering with GSA leadership by providing input and feedback on best practices to enhance current and future border infrastructure • Advocating for the Dept. of State to develop a more streamlined process for Presidential Permits as they impact the ability to modify existing POEs

  17. Questions?

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