(2012) part 1: canada-u.s. trans-border issues (3.2 mb)
TRANSCRIPT
Canada-U.S. Trans-border Issues
Bridges, Pipelines, Trade and Tourists
NCSS Saturday, November 17, 2012 ____________________________________
Betsy Arntzen, University of Maine [email protected]
Ruth Writer, Western Michigan University [email protected]
Statistics Canada:
“North America increasingly appears to be a single continental market tied together by ribbons of steel and asphalt.
North America is now one market for overseas container trade, with ports in Canada and the U.S. competing with each other for traffic to the interior of North America. “
www.statcan.ca
North American Bridges and Pipelines: Perfect foci for Social Studies investigations
MOVEMENT
BRIDGES •History •Economics –International trade –Jobs –Tourists
•Political Science –Policies, Agreements
•Geography –Movement of goods and people
MOVEMENT
PIPELINES •History •Economics
–International trade –Jobs
•Political Science –Policies, Agreements
•Geography -Movement of commodities
Land and Water Boundaries
Bridges
Bakers’ dozen plus one◦ Ontario/New York—7◦ Ontario/Michigan—3◦ Ontario/Minnesota—2◦ Quebec/New York—1 ◦ New Brunswick/Maine—1
Tunnels—3 and all Michigan/Ontario
Bridges
BILATERAL--$195 million per day $70.2 billion each year
◦ Exports—$23.4 billion◦ Imports--$46.8 billion
Largest market in world is U.S. and Canada Michigan sells more to Canada than any other
country in the world—largest of 50 states 46% of Michigan exports go to Canada More than next 19 foreign markets combined 218,000 Michigan jobs depend on this trade 15,300 in Michigan employed by Canadian owned
businesses
Canada/Michigan Trade
Michigan Trade with Canada
Mich. Exports $23.4 B Mich. Imports $46.8 B
50% transportation 17% equipment &
machinery 12% minerals and
metals 8% energy 4% agriculture 3% plastics and rubber 6% other
64% transportation 13% energy 6% equipment &
machinery 6% minerals and
metals 2% plastic & rubber 2% agriculture 6% other
Michigan Ohio Illinois North Carolina Kentucky Indiana Ontario
Top exports/imports
Completed in 1930 [Holland Tunnel & Posey] 5160 feet under the Detroit River 72 below surface at lowest point Owned by Detroit and Windsor—50% each Second busiest crossing 13,000 vehicles [no trucks] each day
Detroit-Windsor Tunnel
Completed in 1929 amidst Great Depression Longest suspended central span at that time 1850 feet span with total length 7500 feet Towers at 386 feet above river and 115 below Road as high as 152 feet above Detroit River Four lanes with 10,000 commercial vehicles
each day—60-70% of truck traffic in region Canadian end connects to busy Windsor
streets=Congestion Privately owned by Matthew Moroun—Grosse
Point billionaire
Ambassador Bridge
Ambassador Bridge
Peak in 1999 with 12.3 million crossings 9/1/01 Recession in 2009 2011—7.2 million crossings plus 3.7 million
at tunnel DIBC assumes it will never return to 1999
levels—”best days are behind us”
MDOT projections with new DIRC bridge 20% reduction on Ambassador Bridge
Traffic on Ambassador
DIBC proposed second span for some time◦ Accommodate most traffic with 6 lanes◦ Overflow would be on original bridge
Does not address Canadian concern about congestion◦ Lack of support on both sides of border
Second Ambassador Bridge
June 2012 agreement in Windsor[cost of NITC $2.2 billion] ◦ Prime Minister Stephen Harper [Conservative]◦ Michigan Governor Rick Snyder [Republican]
Attempt to cancel NITC—Let the voters decide
Cost of the campaign to pass Prop 6◦ Petition drive Campaign contributions◦ Ads◦ Almost $35 million ◦ All funded by DIBC
Election 2012
Proposal 6 was on the Michigan Ballot “Let the people decide” DIBC vs. DRIC or NITC
◦ Detroit International Bridge Co.—Ambassador Bridge◦ Detroit River International Crossing◦ New International Trade Crossing
YES—DIBC [Ambassador Bridge Company], owner Matthew Moroun, Grover Norquist, Teamsters in exchange for promise by Moroun for union jobs
NO—Over 180 organizations and groups including all current and former Michigan Governors—bipartisan
MAJOR concern of 2012
VOTE NO: New bridge will create jobs, fortify Michigan's economic future
Cost $2.2 billion By 2016 carry 5.6 million vehicles 34.5% of overall border traffic by 2025
DIRC/NITC Bridge
I-75 interchange: $385.9 million U.S. Customs plaza: $413.6 million NITC bridge: $949.1 million Canadian Customs plaza: $387.6 million Windsor Essex Parkway: $1.4 billion*
*The Windsor-Essex Parkway is entirely a Canadian project and has a separate public-private partnership concession. It previously has been estimated at $1.67 billion but was contracted for less
Source—Michigan Department of Transportation
Cost of the New International Trade Crossing by project component:
Michigan: Zero Federal Highway Administration: Zero General Services Administration: $263.6 million
Canada: $2.337 billion** Private sector partner: $949.1 million Total: $3.536 billion
** Includes $550 million of U.S.-side costs that Canada has offered to coverSource—Michigan Department of Transportation
Cost breakdown by agency:
NO—60% Yes—40% Bridge building to begin in 2013 or 2014"We are happy with the investment made in this campaign on behalf of taxpayers and the 5,000 families employed by Ambassador Bridge family of companies,” Mickey Blashfield [Moroun’s director of government affairs] said. “Like any family business, we would do it again - and will in different ways - to defend economic freedom and limited government. If the governmental proposal doesn’t collapse from the weight of legal and congressional scrutiny, the NITC will never be built over unstable salt mine foundations, where land speculators are lining up to get rich on the government’s tab.”
http://michigantruthsquad.com/the-people-should-decide-anti-new-detroit-bridge-tv-ads/
Results of Proposal 6
Tourists
119 border crossings between Canada and U.S. 300,000 cross this border each day Almost 16 million between two nations by air Canadian trips to U.S.—over 39 million U.S. trips to Canada—over 20 million Total spent by travelers—almost $14,000,000,000 State statistics:
◦ Florida—state where Canadians spent most time◦ New York received the most visits by Canadians ◦ Michigan visits by Canadians
2,435,700 $445 million spent
◦ Canadian visits by Michigan residents 3,217,100 $491 million spend
Tourism
December 2011
Better balance in dealing with regulations◦ Coordinating regulations that cost $16 billion
Smoother trade: world largest trade partners◦ Improve travel—dedicated lanes for trucks
Ease cross-border business◦ Ease of market standards—medical
Improved security◦ Shared information about citizens
Key to President Obama’s plan to grow the U.S. economy
Perimeter Security and Trade Agreement—December 2011
“These agreements represent the most significant step forward in Canada-U.S. co-operation since the North American Free Trade Agreement.” ~~Stephen Harper
Pipelines
Kalamazoo River Oil Spill
Transcontinental pipeline—1950s debate—1760 miles◦ Enbridge Energy to Sarnia refineries
Northern Route—UP and Lower Peninsula Southern Route—circles Lake Michigan then across
Michigan 2010 accident—840,000 gallons leaked into Kazoo
River Still cleaning up after more than 2 years
◦ Half owned by U.S. company
•1,149,109 gallons of oil collected •189,205 cubic yards soil/debris disposed
CHICAGO (Oct. 3, 2012) — “The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today notified Enbridge that more work is needed in Michigan's Kalamazoo River to clean up oil from the company's pipeline spill in July 2010. EPA is proposing further action upstream of Ceresco Dam, upstream of the Battle Creek Dam (Mill Ponds area), and in the delta upstream of Morrow Lake.”
Cleanup by the numbers
Crews use "stingers" to pump water into the sediment and flush oil to the surface. (6/25/2011)
Crews remove oiled vegetation in Delta A of Morrow Lake. (6/28/2011)
Swamp Buggy performing submerged oil remediation in the Delta of the Kalamazoo River (7/18/2011
http://www.epa.gov/enbridgespill/
