Details

Written by: Editor

Published: 01 July 2007

Created: 01 July 2007

Last Updated: 01 July 2007

 

 

CLEARLAKE OAKS – Shannon Ridge Winery celebrated the grand opening of its new tasting room on Saturday and Sunday.

The event also offered the winery to show of it's newly completed demonstration “vinegarden” and picnic area. The vinegarden aims at increasing visitors’ awareness about the Lake County wine grape growing region.

A portion of the proceeds from the grand opening event benefited Operation Tango Mike, a community group that sends care packages to U.S. troops overseas.

 

 

{mos_sb_discuss:2}

Details

Written by: Editor

Published: 29 June 2007

Created: 29 June 2007

Last Updated: 29 June 2007

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On Thursday, the House Transportation Committee released the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization bill, including language from Rep. Mike Thompson's (D-CA) "Passengers Bill of Rights." This is the first time that passenger rights have been included in both the House and the Senate versions of the FAA Authorization.

"This is good news for American travelers," said Thompson. "Right now, passengers are at the mercy of the airlines. When delays occur, passengers have absolutely no assurance that they'll be provided with basic necessities, like food, drinking water and a reasonable temperature. This bill is an initial step toward ensuring passengers are treated fairly and decently when flying."

The House FAA Authorization bill requires that airlines develop emergency contingency plans, including how each aircraft will "provide food, water, restroom facilities, cabin ventilation and access to medical treatment" during delays. It also requires that airlines make a plan for accessing facilities and gates during an emergency or extended delays so passengers can deplane.

The House Transportation Committee conducted a mark-up of the bill today. The Senate version of the FAA Authorization has already been finalized, but has not been voted on by the full Senate.

In March, Thompson introduced comprehensive Airline Passenger Bill of Rights legislation, which requires airlines provide passengers with basic necessities during delays and deplane passengers after a four-hour delay (or three hours if departure is unlikely to occur before four hours).

Thompson's bill also calls on the Department of Transportation and the FAA to review airport policies and infrastructure to help ensure airlines can meet these new standards.

"While the FAA Authorization language is a good start, we need concrete standards for the treatment of passengers, including a limit to the amount of time people are held on the tarmac,” added Thompson. "The airlines have promised Congress multiple times that they'd stop stranding passengers, but nothing has changed. We want to keep our airlines in business, but there must be a minimum standard for treatment of passengers."

“The coalition is encouraged that now both the House and Senate FAA bills include the concept of passenger rights,” said Kate Hanni, executive director of the Coalition for an Airline Passenger's Bill of Rights. "We intend to work with our champions, Sens. Barbara Boxer and Olympia Snowe and Rep. Mike Thompson, through the floor and conference process to make sure that the final bill guarantees stranded passengers enforceable rights including a clear and explicit right to deplane when left on the tarmac. While we are excited that passenger rights is further down the runway than ever before in Congress, the bills aren't ready for takeoff."

The FAA Authorization also requires the Department of Transportation to provide monthly statistics on diverted flights and the amount of time passengers are held on an aircraft during diversions. This is the first time the government would be collecting this information, and Thompson applauded the committee for including it.

{mos_sb_discuss:3}

Details

Written by: Editor

Published: 29 June 2007

Created: 29 June 2007

Last Updated: 29 June 2007

SACRAMENTO – A key Assembly Committee voted 8-0 Wednesday to approve SB 562, a bill by Sen. Patricia Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa) to clarify that plants raised for biofuel production may participate in the Williamson Act.

The bill also expands the Williamson Act definition of “open-space use” to include areas enrolled in the United States Department of Agriculture's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) or Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP).

Under the Williamson Act, a landowner and city or county agree to enforceably restrict land to an agricultural or compatible use for a period of at least 10 years. In return, the landowner receives a reduced property tax incentive.

Also under the Act, “agricultural use” means the production of an agricultural commodity (any and all plant and animal products commercially produced in this state), while “open space use” is defined as the use or maintenance of land in a manner that preserves its natural characteristics, beauty or openness for the benefit and enjoyment of the public, to provide essential habitat for wildlife, or for the solar evaporation of seawater in the course of salt production for commercial purposes, within a scenic highway corridor, wildlife habitat area, salt pond, managed wetland area, or submerged area.

In her testimony before the committee today, Wiggins said that “SB 562 updates and clarifies two provisions of the Williamson Act.

“The first includes the definition of agricultural commodities, which are plants that are grown for the production of biofuels. This will ensure that crops which may represent a source of renewable energy can be grown on lands under Williamson Act contract.

“The second update clarifies that lands under the federal Conservation Reserve Program are allowed on Williamson Act lands,” Wiggins told committee members. “These two simple changes will update the Williamson Act to keep pace with changes in California’s dynamic agricultural community.”

According to an analysis by committee staff, the agricultural industry “must adjust to changing markets in order to survive. There is a growing trend borne out of climate change proposals at the state and federal levels for farmers to respond to the demand for alternative fuels.

“Because those crops are not strictly for food or fiber, proponents are concerned that eligibility for Williamson Act contracts may be challenged,” the analysis continued. “Similarly, pursuant to the demand for environmental and habitat mitigation, proponents are concerned that participation in CRP and CREP may be challenged. This bill is intended to clarify definitions set forth in the Williamson Act, and to ensure continued participation in the program.”

Wiggins' spokesman, David Miller, said the bill has one more stop to go – the Assembly Natural Resources – before going to the full Assembly for a vote.

{mos_sb_discuss:3}