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Wild Horse numbers see dramatic increase
Supporters of upgrading the Port of Wild Horse at the U. S.-Canadian border north of Havre are saying the traffic numbers in October prove their point: If the port is upgraded, more vehicles — and commerce — will pass through.
"I think they're jaw-dropping numbers, " Paul Tuss, executive director of Bear Paw Development Corp., said this morning "I think this will add fuel to the fire. It shows that there's all the reason in the world we need to expand the hours. "
Havre Mayor Tim Solomon, who co-chairs the Wild Horse Border Committee with Medicine Hat, Alberta, Mayor Norm Boucher, said the numbers show even more of a need to promote the extended summer hours next year.
"I definitely think it will have a very positive impact for us, " he said.
U. S. Customs and Border Protection released data showing the number of vehicles and the number of passengers within them in October of the last three years, including 2008 when the port ran on winter hours of 8 a. m. to 5 p. m.
The number of commercial vehicles, which decreased from October in 2008 to October in 2009, were up nearly 75 percent from last October to this year, the data shows. The number of passenger vehicles is up more than 35 percent.
Montana's U. S. senators, both of whom have been active in pushing for an upgrade at the port, say the numbers show the need.
"There's a lot of need for more access at Wild Horse, " Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said this morning. "It's another sign we're rebuilding our economy. And when you expand access, you expand opportunities for stronger business, new jobs and healthier commerce here at home. "
Tester sponsored a bill in 2008 that would have made Wild Horse a 24-hour commercial port. He now is working with Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., on customs legislation authorization that includes a pilot project of upgrading three northern ports of entry to 24-hour commercial status and plans to include his bill in that process.
"The increase in traffic over the years at the Port of Wild Horse just reinforces what I have been saying all along: Extending hours at the Port of Wild Horse makes good sense, " Baucus said about the new traffic numbers. "Small businesses and folks along the Hi-Line agree. … More traffic through the Port of Wild Horse will bring good paying jobs to the hi-line and all across Montana. "
This fall, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Alan Bersin announced the summer hours again would be extended, following an extension of the hours first tried in 2009.
The summer hours of 8 a. m. to 9 p. m., which normally run from May 15 through Sept. 30, were extended to run from March 1 through Oct. 31. While in Havre in August, Napolitano and Bersin announced the summer hours would again be extended, through Oct. 31 of this year and from March 1 through Oct. 31 in 2011.
The Canadian agency that oversees its country's borders, Canadian Border Services Agency, did not match the extended hours in the spring of 2009, although it did match the October extension that year.
This year, CBSA did not extend the Wild Horse hours in October. The agency did make an about-face this month and announce it would match next year's extension.
Tuss said the extended hours are even more amazing because they only were operating on one side — people traveling from Montana into Canada had the 8 a. m. to 5 p. m. hours.
"You almost have to wonder how big these numbers would have been if both sides had expanded hours, " he said.
Len Mitzel, a member of Alberta's Legislative Assembly and of the Wild Horse Border Committee, made similar comments.
"Certainly it is highly probable that numbers would have been even higher if CBSA had immediately mirrored the extended hours of CBP, " he said. "I am sure this will manifest itself in the coming year. "
Solomon said the committee is meeting next week to discuss how to promote next year's extended hours. The numbers from this October highlight the need — and success — of doing that, he said.
"I think, a lot of it, you'll see more commercial traffic because that seems to be where a lot of the interest is, " he said.
Tuss said the numbers also will likely impact the federal governments' attitudes toward upgrading the port's status.
"I can't imagine the policy makers on both ides of the border not taking note of these numbers, " he said.
Supporters of upgrading the Port of Wild Horse at the U. S.-Canadian border north of Havre are saying the traffic numbers in October prove their point: If the port is upgraded, more vehicles — and commerce — will pass through.
"I think they're jaw-dropping numbers, " Paul Tuss, executive director of Bear Paw Development Corp., said this morning "I think this will add fuel to the fire. It shows that there's all the reason in the world we need to expand the hours. "
Havre Mayor Tim Solomon, who co-chairs the Wild Horse Border Committee with Medicine Hat, Alberta, Mayor Norm Boucher, said the numbers show even more of a need to promote the extended summer hours next year.
"I definitely think it will have a very positive impact for us, " he said.
U. S. Customs and Border Protection released data showing the number of vehicles and the number of passengers within them in October of the last three years, including 2008 when the port ran on winter hours of 8 a. m. to 5 p. m.
The number of commercial vehicles, which decreased from October in 2008 to October in 2009, were up nearly 75 percent from last October to this year, the data shows. The number of passenger vehicles is up more than 35 percent.
Montana's U. S. senators, both of whom have been active in pushing for an upgrade at the port, say the numbers show the need.
"There's a lot of need for more access at Wild Horse, " Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said this morning. "It's another sign we're rebuilding our economy. And when you expand access, you expand opportunities for stronger business, new jobs and healthier commerce here at home. "
Tester sponsored a bill in 2008 that would have made Wild Horse a 24-hour commercial port. He now is working with Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., on customs legislation authorization that includes a pilot project of upgrading three northern ports of entry to 24-hour commercial status and plans to include his bill in that process.
"The increase in traffic over the years at the Port of Wild Horse just reinforces what I have been saying all along: Extending hours at the Port of Wild Horse makes good sense, " Baucus said about the new traffic numbers. "Small businesses and folks along the Hi-Line agree. … More traffic through the Port of Wild Horse will bring good paying jobs to the hi-line and all across Montana. "
This fall, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Alan Bersin announced the summer hours again would be extended, following an extension of the hours first tried in 2009.
The summer hours of 8 a. m. to 9 p. m., which normally run from May 15 through Sept. 30, were extended to run from March 1 through Oct. 31. While in Havre in August, Napolitano and Bersin announced the summer hours would again be extended, through Oct. 31 of this year and from March 1 through Oct. 31 in 2011.
The Canadian agency that oversees its country's borders, Canadian Border Services Agency, did not match the extended hours in the spring of 2009, although it did match the October extension that year.
This year, CBSA did not extend the Wild Horse hours in October. The agency did make an about-face this month and announce it would match next year's extension.
Tuss said the extended hours are even more amazing because they only were operating on one side — people traveling from Montana into Canada had the 8 a. m. to 5 p. m. hours.
"You almost have to wonder how big these numbers would have been if both sides had expanded hours, " he said.
Len Mitzel, a member of Alberta's Legislative Assembly and of the Wild Horse Border Committee, made similar comments.
"Certainly it is highly probable that numbers would have been even higher if CBSA had immediately mirrored the extended hours of CBP, " he said. "I am sure this will manifest itself in the coming year. "
Solomon said the committee is meeting next week to discuss how to promote next year's extended hours. The numbers from this October highlight the need — and success — of doing that, he said.
"I think, a lot of it, you'll see more commercial traffic because that seems to be where a lot of the interest is, " he said.
Tuss said the numbers also will likely impact the federal governments' attitudes toward upgrading the port's status.
"I can't imagine the policy makers on both ides of the border not taking note of these numbers, " he said.
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