Ports of Entry

Dear Editor,

Customs & Border Protection has proposed a reduction of hours due to a decline in traffic over the past four years. I attended the Town Hall meetings at Plentywood to discuss hour reduction at the Port of Raymond / Regway of which is a 24 hour commercial port, the proposed hours of operation would be from 6 a.m. to midnight. Canada (Regway) remains 24 hours.

CBP had proposed the hour reduction in 2015, we resisted, they reconsidered and it has remained a 24 hour commercial port. We can't rail at CBP, they didn't create the problem, so it's up to "We the People" to work with Montana's Congressional Delegation to find a solution and there are solutions.

Perhaps, the first step should be to look for efficiencies in CBP. It was stated Dec 7, 2011, when details of the Parameter Security Agreement were revealed on the heels of a meeting between Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Barack Obama, that inefficiencies in CBP and CBSA was estimated at $16 billion. It should be noted that when Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President Barack Obama signed the Parameter Security Agreement, February 2012, a Border Working Group was established to iron out the details of the Agreement. Among their charge, they were to identify ways to provide freer access at the border and to enhance commerce and trade.

Reducing the hours at the four Montana / Saskatchewan Ports flies in the face of the Working Groups objective.

I have a tough time accepting the fact that the U.S. is sending billions to foreign countries (some don't even like us) yet we can't take care of our own economy and people at home.

It needs to be noted that Hwy. 2, State-line to Culbertson and north on Hwy 16 thru Plentywood to the Port of Raymond, is Montana's segment of the Theodore Roosevelt Expressway, which is one of three segments of the Ports to Plains Trade Corridor, Mexican border to the Port of Raymond and Canada.

Theodore Roosevelt Expressway received a High Priority corridor designation by Congress in 2006. Montana Hwy 2, Stateline – Culbertson, and Hwy 16, Culbertson – Port of Raymond, was recommended for twinning by two studies that were completed in 2008.

FHWA signed off because they saw the importance of Montana's connectivity to Saskatchewan, one of the strongest economies in North America. At issue, the decline of traffic at the Port of Raymond is attributed to the reluctance of the Montana Department of Transportation to upgrade Montana's segment of Theodore Roosevelt Expressway of which has had a negative impact on Northeast Montana's economy while North Dakota and Saskatchewan have strong economies. As a result, Saskatchewan has given up on Montana Commerce and Trade is skirting Montana for the most part. The Province is upgrading Hwy 39, through Wayburn and Estevan to the Port of Portal in North Dakota.

In 2015, the traffic on Hwy 39 had increased by 154 percent while at the same time decreasing at the Port of Raymond. We met with our Canadian partners on occasion, they shared that Hwy 6 from Regina to the Port of Raymond was a preferred route because its was a straight shot south from Regina to the U.S.

As per, the Ports of Scobey, Opheim and Morgan, the proposed hour reduction will negatively impact the economy in the region. Think about this – It shouldn't be as much about the CBP numbers as the fact that "We are a Community" we rely on each other for business and social activity. I can't think of anything more important than bringing students together for cross border athletic and school events.

Another consideration, should be given to the fact, our economies have always had swings, we have just gone through a downturn in the economy, but as an optimist, I'm bullish on the economy in what I term as "The Golden Economic Region of North America"- Alberta, Saskatchewan, North Dakota and Montana. The Region is energy, it's modern, productive agriculture and tourism, with a yet-to-be-realized potential.That being said, northern Montana communities received a Kiss of Death when Interstate 94 was completed in the mid '70s of which diverted 40 percent of the traffic away from the Hwy 2 corridor. Businesses closed and people left and the communities have never recovered due to a lack of an adequate highway of which inhibits their ability to compete and attract business. It's important to know that 80 percent of business locates in or near communities with a four lane highway or better.

Montana's Hwy 2 is one segment of the Great Northern Corridor - Seattle to Chicago and Rochester N.Y.,– serves some 40 million and enjoys a $2.5 trillion economy. Problem is – Montana's Hwy 2 is the only segment (except for a short distance in Idaho) that is not four lanes. As a consequence, Commerce and Trade is skirting northern Montana for the most part of which impacts cross border travel.

I would be remise if I didn't espouse just how important our relationship is with Canada, our largest and friendliest trading partners, Montana's economic future depends on it.

In conclusion – I attest, if there is a will to improve our regional economy, as politicians always promise, it would make sense to not reduce border hours but instead, increase them.

It is my hope that Gov Bullock will weigh in and lend support.

As well it's not too late for the legislature to weigh in, if there is any interest, I stand ready to provide more information.

Bob Sivertsen

Havre, Mont.