F-22 Vote Delayed In DC

The fate of funding for the F-22 fighter jet has been delayed. The chairman of the Senate Armed Services committee says a key vote on the defense spending issue was expected today. Now, Democratic Senator Carl Levin of Michigan says he will pull the amendment temporarily so the Senate can focus on other bills.

The Lockheed-Martin built F-22 has been under hot debate in the Senate. Levin and Arizona Senator John McCain filed the amendment that would eliminate from the defense spending bill an additional $1.75 billion earmarked for another seven planes. President Barack Obama has threatened to veto extra spending for the F-22.

But Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss has lobbied heavily to keep the money in-place, given Lockheed’s main production plant is in Marietta. Thousands of jobs nationwide are connected to production of the F-22.

EPA's Jackson Worked to Shelve PFOA Study

Pretty interesting read here on efforts by Obama's EPA chief, Lisa Jackson, to scrap a PFOA study during her time in New Jersey.

You can find all of GPB's previous coverage on PFOA here.

President Names Atlanta Judge for US Court Post

President Barack Obama has nominated one of Georgia’s own for a vacant seat on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. U.S. District Judge Beverly B. Martin of Atlanta has been on the district court bench since 2000.

The 53-year-old grew up in Macon, graduated from Stetson University and the University of Georgia School of Law. After private practice in Macon, she worked for 10 years as an assistant state attorney general, then served as assistant U.S. attorney and U.S. Attorney in the Middle District of Georgia.

If confirmed by the Senate, Martin will fill the appeals court spot left by Judge R. Lanier Anderson, who assumed senior status February 1st.

The court hears appeals from Georgia, Alabama and Florida.

(Associated Press)

Sen. Isakson Promotes Healthcare Competition

U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson says competition is essential to solving the nation’s healthcare problems. His comments came Monday just before President Barack Obama addressed medical experts about national healthcare reform. Senator Isakson said it’s not the quality of American healthcare that’s the problem … it’s the number of uninsured. His solution? -- Improving the current system’s combination of private and public healthcare:

“Having private competition, facilities like Emory that are private, public like Grady competing with one another is a good system. What we have got to guard against is becoming a single-payer government paying system. You take competition out of healthcare and you’ll have less quality and a higher cost.”

Isakson says Medicare Part D is a model of success … where he says thanks to competing providers nearly all seniors now have prescription drug coverage, premium costs are down, and the number of providers is up.

Many Republicans fear the Obama Administration will bring the nation toward a single-payer government system. Several hours after Isakson’s comments President Barack Obama declared to the American Medical Association in Chicago that he does not favor socialized medicine.

Middle Georgia U.S. Attorney Resigns

U.S. Attorney Maxwell Wood of the Middle District of Georgia is resigning after almost eight years in office. Wood announced Thursday that he will step down midnight July 31, paving the way for a new lead prosecutor in the district to be nominated by President Obama. The 49-year-old Wood was nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the Senate on Nov. 7, 2001. The Middle District includes 70 Georgia counties, with offices in Macon, Athens, Albany, Columbus and Valdosta. Wood is a graduate of LaGrange College and the University of Georgia School of Law.

(Associated Press)

Advocates Push for Immigration Reform

Rallies titled "The Campaign to Reform Immigration for America" kicked off in more than 30 dozen cities across the country on Monday.

The group is made up of members of the faith, business and labor communities.

Its aim is to secure the federal votes needed so that millions of undocumented workers get to live inside the law.

State representative Pete Marin of Gwinnett County says granting some type of limited amnesty to undocumented workers means millions can live in the United States without fear of reprisals.

"People are afraid of getting out of their homes. People are afraid of engaging, of volunterism. People are afraid of going to the doctor, of going to the hospital. People are in fear. It is a sad story but I see families being split apart because of this, some of the racial laws that we're having."

Gina Perez is a third year accounting major at Georgia State University. She's got friends and family who are afraid to travel through some parts of the state.

"You know how lately there's been a lot of checkpoints on the road? There's this thing, like the prohibited counties. Cobb, Hall and Whitefield or Gwinnett. You do not go to those counties ‘cause you know if you go those counties and they check you, it's bad. How is it fair the regular police can act as ICE agents. It baffles my mind."

Immigration advocates say previous attempts to reform federal immigration laws under Presidents Regan and Clinton have failed and left undocumented workers with few, if any, constitutional protections.

Shuya Ohno is the national spokesman for the Campaign to Reform Immigration for America.

He describes immigration reform as a political hot potato, which no one wants to touch, until it’s politically advantageous to do so.

"I think a lot of people used it for kind of heated rhetoric more than policy solutions. That's why it became such a hot topic on talk radio and cable TV. Cause it was against the back drop of electoral politics."

It's estimated that five-percent of America's workforce are undocumented. That comes out to about 10 to 12 million people. Advocates say, those workers should be given a chance to work for equal pay, to pay back taxes, even a fine if that's required.

However, those who oppose amnesty of any kind for the undocumented -- including DeKalb County resident Joe Patricia Aaronstein -- say those workers should 'go home, get in line and wait their turn.'

"I'm for immigration that's legal. I've done it. I've lived in other countries. And, I did it the legal way. They should do it legally. They should apply for citizenship. There's a way to enter legally."

The Campaign for Immigration Reform for America hopes to persuade U-S legislators to create an independent commission, one which assesses nationwide labor shortages, including in agriculture.

The Obama administration has signaled that it wants to begin a discussion on comprehensive immigration reform before the end of the year.

Congressmen Pledge Support for Death Row Inmate

After meeting for nearly two hours with death row inmate Troy Davis on Friday, two Georgia congressmen and the president of the NAACP say they are convinced of his innocence and committed to saving his life. Congressmen John Lewis and Hank Johnson say they plan to pursue other legal means to resolving Davis' case, which is in the U.S. Supreme Court on appeal. NAACP President Ben Jealous says the case is now a national priority for his organization. Davis was convicted in the 1989 killing of Savannah police officer Mark MacPhail. His guilt was put in question after several witnesses from his trial changed their testimony. Supporters are calling for a new trial. Lewis says he has considered asking for a presidential pardon for Davis, but has not yet spoken to President Barack Obama about intervening in the case.

(Associated Press)

Obama Official Offers Water War Help

Georgia’s protracted legal-fight with neighbors Florida and Alabama over water supply from the Chattahoochee basin has extended nearly two decades. Earlier this year during a trip to Washington, Governor Sonny Perdue met with Obama administration officials hoping for a fresh look at the situation. At the time, a promise was made for an official to visit Georgia for a first-hand look at the major reservoir in the battle-Lake Lanier. That happened Wednesday with the Interior Secretary’s trip south.

This morning, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar took a helicopter tour over the north Georgia reservoir:

"My own view of Lake Lanier as I walk away from it is it’s one of the great assets here in the state of Georgia that has multiple uses including the generation of power that we use in homes and industry here in GA."

Getting a full sense of the scope of Southeast water issues was a charge given by President Obama to Salazar when he took the reigns of Secretary of the Interior in January. Flanked by Governor Sonny Perdue at a state Capitol press conference, Salazar said the water war is one of the "cardinal issues" for his department.

While Lake Lanier has benefited from good rainfall that’s swept the state in recent months, Perdue acknowledged the basin is still recovering—it remains about five feet below normal.

Meanwhile, in the tri-state fight for Lanier’s water, a Florida U.S. District judge is considering the latest arguments made earlier this month. The question-whether metro Atlanta is entitled to use Lanier as a main drinking water source.

Perdue says costly legal wrangling is going nowhere:

"Ultimately, one litigation leads to another litigation to another appeal, and as Secretary Salazar so wisely talks about what he accomplished in Colorado, the ultimate solution is a mutual agreement among the three affected states."

As attorney general for Colorado in 2002, Salazar helped engineer a tri-state water agreement between Colorado and neighboring Kansas and Nebraska. After tens of millions of dollars spent in the courts, the Governors and attorney generals of those states hashed-out a deal themselves:

"It’s a model that essentially projects what the water supply entitlements are to each of the states, and sets forth an agreement under which any disputes are in fact resolved. And it’s worked well. I’m hoping some of those lessons that we’ve learned in those kinds of situations might be useful here."

Salazar’s position as Interior Secretary doesn’t allow for the power to impose a solution to the tri-state water battle here. Instead, he says he wants to be "helpful when called upon":

"I do not see us as playing the role of coming in and hammering heads and trying to get the deal done. It really is something that has to come from the three respective states, and if we can play a facilitating role in that, we would be very happy to help."

Thursday, Salazar heads further south to meet with Florida Governor Charlie Crist to get that state’s perspective.

Political Heavyweights Debate Health Care

Four political heavyweights sparred on Wednesday over whether creation of a government-run health care program would drive down skyrocketing costs. But they agreed that some overhaul of the nation's health system would make its way through the Democratic-led Congress.

Republicans Karl Rove, a former top adviser to President George W. Bush, and ex-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist warned that a public health care plan could have a huge price tag and quash private-sector innovation. But former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and one-time Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle said a public plan could help bring down costs and insure more Americans. Dean proposed a 10 cent carbon tax on gasoline to pay for the costly overhaul, expected to cost at least $1.2 trillion.

The four debated the virtues of government-run health care at the 2009 BIO International Conference in Atlanta on Wednesday. The faceoff came as the battle over health care heats up in Washington.

Majority Democrats are aiming to bring health care overhaul bills to the floor of the House and Senate by August. It's a priority for President Barack Obama, a promise he made during his campaign.

Rove predicted that if the final bill contained a public health care system "it will pass with little or no Republican support."

I"m for choice," Rove said. "There is no reason you have to have a public plan to have competition and choice."

Frist, a heart surgeon before his election to the U.S. Senate, acknowledged that if the government comes to the table with a public plan it would bring costs down. But he said the bill for taxpayers would eventually swell as companies abandon private coverage for their employees and dump them on the government rolls.

But Dean said the GOP was missing the impact health care reform would have on America's ability to compete in the global marketplace.

"This is a business proposition," he said. "What are we going to do to make American businesses more competitive? Driving down the cost of health care will help."

Daschle said too much is paid on administrative costs in health care plans and any reform needs to look at how "to wring inefficiencies out of the system." He said the trick would be to strike the right balance between public and private coverage. Daschle had once been expected to lead the charge for health care reform in Washington as Obama's choice to lead the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He withdrew from consideration amid questions about unpaid taxes.

Sparks flew at one point Wednesday as Rove jokingly referred to Dean's home state of Vermont as "dinky," smaller than some ranches in his own state of Texas. That led to Dean to chide Rove for years of budget deficits under Bush. Rove countered that Obama was only making matters
worse.

(Associated Press)

Rove, Dean, Daschle, Frist Debate Healthcare

Karl Rove, a former top adviser for President George W. Bush and former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean will be on hand for the panel discussion in Atlanta. So will a pair of one-time Senate majority leaders - Democrat Tom Daschle and Republican Bill Frist. They will debate health care at the BIO International Conference on Wednesday. The faceoff comes as President Barack Obama launches a push to overhaul the nation's health care system to drive costs down and cover more Americans. Republicans have warned Obama's plan
would expand the size of government, and favor a market-driven approach.

(Associated Press)

Proposed Coal Plant Loses Support

Four electric cooperatives have pulled-out of a deal to build a coal plant in Washington County.

Both GreyStone Power, based in Douglasville, and Metter-based Excelsior EMC recently decided to leave the 10-member group of electric cooperatives. Georgia Public Broadcasting learned Tuesday another two have also dropped out: Jackson EMG in Jefferson, and Diverse Power based in LaGrange. That leaves six co-ops in the coalition Power4Georgians, originally formed to invest in the Washington County plant.

The president and CEO of Greystone is fully behind coal fueling the nation’s needs in years to come. But Gary Miller says his company’s decision to drop-out is based on an uncertain political climate, and how the dust will settle on carbon legislation:

"The price has always been very attractive...the supply is there. The issues now clearly are how much more cost is the government going to impose on that due to carbon. That’s the uncertainty that we really can’t plan around."

President Obama’s "cap and trade" proposal has been hotly-debated with push-back in Washington from coal-producing states and industry. Under "cap and trade", companies like coal plants that need to go over the issued limit of emission permits must buy credits from those who pollute less. In effect, the buyer pays more to pollute more, and costs could be passed to the consumer.

Dean Alford with Power4Georgians says these defections from the coalition will NOT affect the timetable in getting the proposed $2-billion-plus plant built and online:

"The reality of it is the number of co-ops that we would require to not only build the plant but take off-take agreements on the power plant are a whole lot less than the ones that were involved in this. So this doesn’t change anything about the plant at all."

Alford says he respects the decision of any business to figure any certainty in risk with investments.

Construction could start early next year with the plant up and running by 2014. The proposed coal plant still needs clearance on an envirmomental permit, followed by a round of public hearings.

Obama Names New CDC Chief

President Barack Obama has appointed Dr. Thomas Frieden as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, turning to New York City's health commissioner to deal with the swine flu outbreak and other major health issues.

Frieden has served as NYC's commissioner for the past seven years, where he led a campaign to ban smoking in restaurants and bars, boosted the number of New Yorkers getting HIV tests and helped to distribute millions of free condoms.

In a statement announcing Frieden's appointment, Obama said the new CDC chief had been a "leader in the fight for health care reform, and his experiences confronting public health challenges in our country and abroad will be essential in this new role."

Frieden will inherit a looming decision on how best to manage a swine flu outbreak, including whether or how to produce a swine flu vaccine. The virus has infected more than 66-hundred people in 35 countries.

Health experts say the CDC needs to make immediate improvements in employee morale and organization as the Obama administration works to overhaul the national health care system.

The 48-year-old Frieden is expected to take office next month. His appointment does not require Senate confirmation. He will succeed Dr. Julie Gerberding, who resigned in January.

Dr. Richard Besser has served as acting head of the Atlanta-based CDC in recent months.

(Associated Press)

Chrysler to Shutter 13 Stores in Georgia

Big Three automaker Chrysler has announced it will close nearly 800 of its dealerships, including more than a dozen here in Georgia. The company said its network is antiquated and has too many stores competing with each other.

Chrysler filed for bankruptcy protection in late April, citing weak domestic sales. Thirteen Chrysler dealerships in Georgia will close, including two in Newnan. The others are in Acworth, Claxton, Clayton, Cleveland, Dalton, Decatur, Jackson, Milledgeville, Savannah and Thomaston.

In a written statement, U-S Treasury officials say the company’s decision to shut down dealers was a "necessary" step to help the troubled carmaker rebound. The Obama administration's auto task force "played no role" in deciding which or how many dealers would close in the consolidation plan, the Treasury said.

Dems Meet in ATL for Annual Jefferson/Jackson Fete

Tonight Georgia democrats will meet in Atlanta for their annual Jefferson Jackson dinner.

Georgia went for the republican in the 2008 presidental election. Yet, as the 2010 governor’s race heats up, state democrats are optimistic can they can win. In 2008, forty seven percent of the state went for Obama. And, earlier this year, four democrats replaced republicans in the state house while 16 Georgia counties went blue.

Jane Kidd chairs the state's democratic party. She says the numbers signal Georgians are looking for a change.

"People have had almost eight years of republican dominance and they see that it has not been very successful. The republicans were able to win the election but they have proven they are not ready to lead."

Among those expected to attend tonight's dinner, the candidates for governor, including former state Labor Commissioner David Poythress, state Attorney General Thurbert Baker and state House Minority Leader Dubose Porter.

And, look for two as yet undeclared potential candidates, including current Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond and former Governor Roy Barnes.

New DOE Budget Reflects Little Change at Savannah River Site

The Department of Energy budget released yesterday calls for little significant change at the Savannah River Site near Augusta.

SRS is the leading manufacturer of the radio active material tritium, used in nuclear weapons. Under the 2010 budget they will maintain that position.

Damien LaVera, a spokesperson for the National Nuclear Security Administration, says that the approach to defense related programs will remain in line with the 2009 budget until a series of national reviews reevaluate the country’s nuclear position. However, he expects to see significant changes in the 2011 budget once those reviews are complete.

With the Obama administration’s pledge to reduce the nuclear stockpile, SRS faces the possibility of a significant reduction in the manufacturing of tritium, which could lead to the loss of jobs. But for now they will stay the course.

The new budget maintains the allocation of over $1 billion for environmental cleanup operations and close to $500 million for the mixed oxide fuel reprocessing plant (MOX). The MOX facility recently received criticism from the DOE inspector general for failing to meet quality control standards.

For the full budget click here.

Local West Georgia Police Department Banned From Stim Money

Police departments across the nation are sharing $1-billion of federal stimulus money to get more officers on the streets. But more than 20 local departments are banned from tapping those funds, including one in west Georgia.

The city manager of Manchester, Danny Walton, says his police department is feeling the pain:

"It just really hurts us not being able to get the stimulus money."

That’s because more than a decade ago, federal investigators found some departments across the country misused money from a Clinton-era program to put more police officers on the streets. Now, the Obama-administration is punishing the departments that erred by holding-back stimulus funding.

Walton says Manchester’s police department had bookkeeping problems, but to penalize them now is unfair:

"Sometimes we’ll go through six or seven officers a year, and when you try to backtrack that many years back...they didn’t say anything about it till two years ago, which was 10 years later. Trying to backtrack all that it’s just about impossible."

Walton says Manchester lost track of about $50,000 in grant money.

Without stimulus dollars, the city might have to consider layoffs—or worse—for its 19-member police department.

With new administration, new rules coming on deadly dust

The Obama administration is putting its stamp on workplace safety regulations, announcing a crackdown on combustible dust, the cause of last year's deadly explosion at Savannah's Imperial Sugar refinery. Fourteen people died and dozens were injured in the blast.

Officials with the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration announced a "comprehensive rulemaking" process for combustible dust. The action could result in regulations for combustible dust. The hazard is currently regulated under broader, less specific regulations.

“Over the years, combustible dust explosions have caused many deaths and devastating injuries that could have been prevented,” said Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis. “OSHA is reinvigorating the process to ensure workers receive the protection they need while also ensuring that employers have the tools needed to make their workplaces safer.”

Last year, the U.S. House passed legislation that would have required OSHA to beef up its combustible dust regulations. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board recommended in 2006 that the agency pursue such new regulations. But the legislation stalled in the Senate when the Bush administration made it clear that the President would veto it.

Imperial Sugar responded to the rulemaking process with an embrace.

"Imperial applauds this action as a milestone step toward elevating the awareness of this industrial hazard and the clear articulation of best practices," says Imperial President and CEO John Sheptor. "We have advocated for such a regulation since our February 2008 Georgia tragedy as a critical catalyst to transform the way that dust is managed across numerous U.S. industries."

OSHA fined Imperial Sugar $8.8 million because of what they agency said was egregious violations of workplace safety regulations. Victims of last year's disaster and their families are suing the company. The plantiffs' lawyers have said new regulations would not have prevented the explosion because Imperial Sugar ignored existing regulations.

Imperial Sugar has appealed the fine. A company spokesman recently outlined worker safety steps the company took before the explosion. These included $1.7 million in safety upgrades.

Several Georgia Counties Declared Disaster Areas

President Barack Obama has declared 18Georgia counties disaster areas following March storms. The action makes federal dollars available for people in South Georgia. In March severe storms struck the area causing tornado's, heavy rains, and eventually severe flooding.
The money can be used to help home and business owners make repairs, pay for temporary housing, and other things not covered by insurance. Some of the money will come in the form of grants, while other dollars will be available through low interest loans.
Farmers will also be eligible for help. Many were in the midst of planting when the storms hit and will have to replant their fields. The counties in the declaration area include; Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Coffee, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Echols, Lanier, Lowndes, Miller, Mitchell, Pierce, Tift, Ware, Wheeler, and Worth.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency will work with residents, helping them to apply for help.

GA Nat'l Parks to Get Stimulus $$

Federal stimulus dollars will soon be headed our way to upgrade the state's national park sites. But, of the $750 million allocated to improve the nation’s parks, just a small portion of that … $2.4 million … is headed to Georgia.

At Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, a new $700,000 solar panel system at the visitors center, is expected to meet all of the park's electrical power needs. Park superintendent Stan Bond says the site will answer President Obama's call for developing green training opportunities.

"Part of this project will be with local colleges and universities and possibly local high schools, to help train students in green collar industries so they may have an opportunity then to move into that green collar industry as new and innovative technologies come about."

And, $380,000 will go to Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park to develop jobs for young people. Sam Whettle is the park's spokesman.

"They're going to work on trails and other projects that will improve the park's landscape. We're also going to do work on repainting historic plaques. These are the cast iron plaques that are located throughout the battlefield that show the strategic points of different units that were serving during that time. And, they'll also do work to restore trails and remove hazardous trees."

Additional stimulus dollars will go to the Cumberland Island National Seashore ($162,000 for solar powered lighting and to upgrade dormitories) and to the Chattahooche River National Recreation Area ($736,000 for five projects, including construction of a new comfort station).

Ft. Valley To Get Stimulus $$ for Superfund Site

The Superfund program was established during the Carter administration. It requires chemical and manufacturing companies to pay for cleaning up thousands of contaminated sites around the country. Sixteen such sites are in Georgia. They're part of the EPA's National Priority List or NPL.

The $5 million dollars heading toward Fort Valley is part of President Obama's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Fort Valley officials say the Woolfolk site will become the nexus of its redevelopment efforts in an area which includes downtown Fort Valley as well as Fort Valley State University.

Woolfolk sits close to downtown Fort Valley and to the state university which bears the city's name. Since the site was deemed eligible for Superfund in 1990, 27 million dollars has been spent to partially cleanup its 31-acres. Fort Valley mayor Dr. John Stumbo knows the site's history.

"The Woolfolk Chemical Plant started operations there in about 1924. They made agricultural pesticides that were arsenic lace. In those days, of course, there was no air conditioning and because of the heat, most of the mixing of this dry material was done in sheds that simply had a roof and no side walls. So, as the winds blew through there, it would carry this contamined dust all over the area. The second company came in there in the 1970s, they were called Canada in Georgia, and they were doing the same thing."

Recently, Fort Valley's City Council voted to designate Woolfolk part of its redevelopment plan. But, commercial developers have shied away from the area since in some places contaminated soil remains below the surface. So, instead the City Council is considering a recreation center and Fort Valley's mayor says he'd like a new police academy. And, there is also this idea from Fort Valley State University.

"They're trying to develop plants that indeed clean on their own by their growing process, contaminants out of soils. Well, this would be an ideal situation, because there is still some contamination in the soil."

In the early 1980s, citizen complaints prompted the Georgia environmental officials to investigate Woolfolk amid allegations of discharge of waste products into a drainage corridor heading away from the site. No injuries have been reported but one lawsuit forced a former Woolfolk owner to reimburse residents for declining property values.

Today, according to the US EPA, all excavation of arsenic from residential soil is complete, as well as the removal of arsennic contaminated dust from residential attics.

Finally, in 2002, then President Bush elmininated the Superfund tax for chemical companies, which generated approximately $1 billion dollars a year. The Obama administration has reinstated the program starting in 2011, which is expected to add about $17 billion dollars over ten years to the program.

Fort Valley hopes this latest infusion of $5 million dollars from President Obama's stimulus plan will complete the cleanup of Woolfolk, fulfilling its promise of downtown revitalization.