|
Whether your organization's cause is the environment or public safety, health care or transportation, public finance or international trade, Smith Dawson & Andrews has the experience and expertise to help you reach your legislative goals. Here are a few examples of the hundreds of victories we have achieved on behalf of our clients:
Challenge
In 1998, the City of Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, came to SDA with a problem not uncommon in tropical regions: flood damage. Again and again, this city of 20,000 had been devastated by large tropical storms and hurricanes, which cause the Rio Grande de Manati to overrun and cause widespread flooding. To contain the river, the City desperately needed a series of new dams and levies.
Unfortunately, the timing was bad. When Barceloneta contacted Smith Dawson & Andrews, Congress was working on legislation known as the Water Resources Development Act, which authorizes federal funding through the Army Corps of Engineers for flood-control projects. Initially, the Mayor of Barceloneta and other City officials thought funding had been earmarked for their needs in this legislation.
By the time the case reached us, however, the Senate and House had already approved two different versions of the bill, and neither included the Barceloneta project. In fact, the Corps of Engineers had not even included the project in its proposal for the year.
Strategy & Results
We went to work immediately. Quickly putting together a case for authorizing the project, we identified target Members of Congress, brought the Mayor of Barceloneta to Washington and set up meetings between him and the staff of key authorizing committees. Despite overwhelming odds, the project was authorized and approved, and Barceloneta received roughly $3 million for the dams and levies it so desperately needed.
Challenge
This small pharmaceutical company had spent years and millions of dollars to develop Hectorol, an oral medication for patients with end-stage renal disease. The profit potential was enormous, so the company was delighted when it won FDA approval for the medication. Unfortunately, Medicare reimbursement covered only intravenous drugs in this category, and intravenous manufacturers dominated the market.
Strategy & Results
Smith Dawson & Andrews helped Bone Care to develop a complete legislative and political strategy to secure reimbursement for its oral medication. Among other steps, we targeted key members of the Administration and congressional committees, such as the Senate Special Aging Committee and the House Prescription Drug Task Force; established working relationships with potential allies; developed communications and media targets; and identified senior citizen, consumer, and patient support groups.
The effort is paying off. Legislation has been introduced in Congress and is expected to lead to Medicare/HCFA reimbursement.
Challenge
In the late 1970s, Eugene, located in the Willamette River Valley in central Oregon, invested more than $12 million in infrastructure development to support the industrial expansion of a 500-acre area west of the city, with the hope of attracting businesses, jobs and economic diversification. Businesses followed, including Spectra Physics, a major employer.
In 1987, it was determined that more than one third of this area contained wetlands, the development of which required expensive mitigation and a long and complex permitting process. This finding threatened to curtail the expansion plans of firms such as Spectra Physics and the city's ability to attract further development.
Strategy & Results
Smith Dawson & Andrews assessed the situation and suggested that Eugene conduct a study to evaluate the relative value of wetlands identified in the entire area. We secured $500,000 from the federal government to develop the study, then pulled in many different stakeholders-businesses, environmental groups, citizens, property owners, engineers, planners, etc.-to develop a cooperative effort.
Among the results, Eugene became the first community in the nation to secure regional permitting authority from the U.S. Corps of Engineers for development in wetland areas-a one-stop shopping alternative to the 15 or so stops that such permits typically require. Additionally, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management agreed to provide several million dollars to buy high-quality wetlands from private landowners for protection and to offset mitigation costs. Developers now pay into a "mitigation bank" that enables public agencies to purchase and maintain the wetlands.
Today, the West Eugene Wetlands Plan is a vibrant, economically and environmentally sound network of light industry, protected wetlands, and outdoor recreation, with bike paths and nature trails. Besides attracting businesses, the plan has received several awards and has served as a model for other communities seeking to turn "wetlands problems" into "wetlands opportunities."
Challenge
In 1995, Lane Transit District, in Eugene-Springfield Oregon, began to consider how their transit system could be improved to attract more riders and guarantee on-time performance without worrying about growing traffic congestion. The most popular solution involved light rail, but there were serious questions about whether the community could afford it. Consequently, LTD began to wonder if there was a "next step" for transit service that fit in after fixed route service but before light rail.
These questions led to a rail study. The conclusion was obvious: Eugene-Springfield was too small a community to support the investment in rail infrastructure. Rail costs were projected at $30-60 million per mile, while projections on the cost of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) were in the $3-4 million per mile range. Taking buses out of the car lanes while not interfering with the car traffic became the sensible solution.
Strategy & Results
LTD took the idea out to the community, to city councils, to the board of county commissioners, and with SDA's help, to the Oregon Congressional Delegation. Together, we saw the first phase of LTD's Bus Rapid Transit project authorized in the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21), with subsequent appropriations for an important hub in the system, the Springfield Station, along with funding for buses and innovative BRT vehicles. The first phase of the project is a four-mile long segment connecting the downtowns of Eugene and Springfield. Phase I follows a corridor that is their most heavily traveled arterial, with the University of Oregon and a major regional medical facility. It has exclusive right-of-way for 60% of its length and features signal priority, queue jumpers, median stations, limited stops, off-board fare collection, at-grade boarding, real-time passenger information, and state-of-the-art vehicles.
Lane Transit District is now recognized as an industry innovator and leader in this new mode. LTD envisions Bus Rapid Transit as a total system that mirrors light rail performance but is based on a a rubber-tired application that is far more cost-effective.
Challenge
George Washington University Aviation Institute (GWU Consortium) sought congressional authorization and contract award to develop an Air Safety and Security Management Certificate Program. The Program would improve safety oversight and the security of foreign air carriers that conduct operations in the United States.
Strategy & Results
With SDA's assistance, the Air Safety and Security Management Certificate Program received authorization in the Air 21 bill. The bill awarded the contract to the GWU Consortium and appropriated $9 million in funds over 3 years ($3 million each year for 3 years). Air 21, the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century, authorizes the FAA to establish a three-year program to support a university consortium to develop and administer an Air Safety and Security Management Certificate Program working in cooperation with FAA and U.S. air carriers. It directly supports the FAA International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) program, which conducts assessments of all countries that conduct revenue flights into the U.S.
Challenge
Litton Advanced Systems (Litton), a division of Northrop Grumman, held a contract with the FAA to provide key elements of the air traffic control system including terminal voice-switching equipment, voice recorders and other systems. Although the FAA was appropriated funds for this program, Litton sought to secure funds while an evaluation was ongoing that could have redirected funds to other programs.
Strategy & Results
Litton retained SDA to represent their interests to Congress. Litton sought an increase in the appropriation of funds to the FAA under this contract. As a result of SDA's representation, Litton was awarded increased funding in two successive years-securing $26M in FY2002 and $19M in FY 2001.
Challenge
One of the most extensive public transportation systems in the world, the New York MTA accommodates nearly 2 billion customers each year.
Strategy & Results
For the past 19 years, Smith Dawson & Andrews has been part of a team representing the MTA and its operating subsidiaries, including the NYC Transit Authority, Long Island Railroad, and Metro-North, helping them secure an astonishing $5 billion in direct federal assistance through annual congressional appropriations and grants from the Department of Transportation.
Additionally, we have worked successfully on behalf of the MTA for favorable provisions in the Clean Air Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act, the Surface Transportation Efficiency Act and more.
Challenge
San Francisco Airport needed to secure federal funding to become fully compliant with the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) new safety and security regulations.
Strategy & Results
Smith Dawson & Andrews continues its five-year history of working with the San Francisco Airport on several FAA-related issues. The successful delivery of air traffic control equipment ahead of schedule allows the airport a 5-10% greater landing capacity on bad weather days-approximately 25-35% of the year.
In addition, SDA helped in the deployment of Explosive Detection Systems (EDS) equipment in the international terminal. When the new equipment is deployed, the San Francisco Airport will have the first U.S. terminal to be fully compliant with the recently passed Airport & Transportation Security Act (November 2001). In addition to legal compliance, the new system ensures passenger safety and security while offering travelers peace of mind.
We continue to work on securing federal funding and environmental approval of new runways, which will make the airport fully compliant with all FAA-safety regulations.
|
