Federal Aviation Administration officials are warning Congress to figure out how to address a looming gap between aviation costs and revenue in the Aviation Trust Fund. FAA Chief Marion Blakey told a congressional committee that as Congress prepares to deal with reauthorization of aviation programs in 2007, a long-term funding solution must be found. She describes an “unattractive list of options” if the cost-revenue gap is not addressed and the status quo remains in place. These include imposing limits on facility modernization. FAA has not drafted options for dealing with the funding gap, but is pushing for “a consistent, stable revenue stream that is not tied to the price of an airline ticket but rather reflects our actual cost to provide service.” An FAA analysis of the problem points to competition among carriers forced by the expansion of low-cost carriers, who are now driving pricing. With half of the trust fund receipts coming from a tax on airline tickets, lower fares translate to decreasing revenues to the fund.

Mixed Support for Water Infrastructure Funding

Congress is giving mixed support to funding water infrastructure programs. The House approved an energy and water development appropriations bill that would fund the Army Corps of Engineers' civil programs at $4.7 billion, which is $293 million below the appropriated level for FY2005. The legislation does not include funding to initiate any new projects or those not previously authorized by law. It is part of the ongoing effort to keep the Corps on a tight leash after controversies over projects with mixed environmental results. The legislation also includes procedural changes aimed at improving financial management and contract oversight. The House also has passed an Interior appropriations bill that would provide $850 million for the clean water state revolving program, which helps states finance water infrastructure projects. This is a $241 million decrease compared with FY2005. An effort to increase funding for the program by $100 million was spurned on the house floor.

MSHA Silicosis Action a Long-Term Priority

The Bush administration issued an updated list of forthcoming regulations from agencies including the Mine Safety and Health Administration and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Among key developments at MSHA is that action on exposure to respirable crystalline silica, previously on the list of regulations in the pre-rule stage, has shifted to the list of long-term actions without a timeline for action. Also at OSHA, a proposal to develop a standard on occupational exposure to crystalline silica has advanced from the pre-rule stage to the list of proposed rules. The agency says it will issue a peer review of health effects and a risk assessment by the end of this year with a notice of proposed rulemaking slated for mid-2006.

Silicosis Deaths Drop, but Controls Needed, Report Says

Deaths associated with silicosis have declined, according to a new government study. But the assessment also concludes that “silica overexposure remains widespread, indicating a need for hazard surveillance and developing workplace-specific interventions.” The study was issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and assesses deaths from silicosis from 1968 to 2002. The analysis concludes the drop in deaths can be explained by the imposition of workplace exposure standards and by a decline in employment in the affected industries.

Charlotte Garvey is a Washington, D.C.-based writer specializing in environmental, natural resources, and other public policy issues.