[HCCN] "Drones" flight center in Maine -- correction

[Dick Atlee]

Bruce Gagnon just send out a correction on the issue of Chellie's 
position -- she's apparently asking for "public input" on the issue, 
rather than supporting it.  I don't understand why she doesn't have a 
firm position against this, given her recent history, but I guess we'd 
better give her input on it -- 202-225-6116.

Judith Robbins wrote:
> *see below for Rep.Pingree's position on this...*
> *
> *
> *From: *"Global Network" <_globalnet at mindspring.com_ 
> <mailto:globalnet at mindspring.com>>
> *Date: *July 14, 2009 2:55:21 PM EDT
> 
> *Just say ‘no’ to drones*
> 
> _http://www.timesrecord.com/articles/2009/07/14/opinion/letters/doc4a5cc5d1149b8887888917.txt___
> Tuesday, July 14, 2009
> Times Record
> Our organization has become quite concerned that the town of Brunswick 
> might soon become a host test facility for the “Unmanned Aerial Vehicle” 
> (drones) that are today being used by the Pentagon in 
> Afghanistan-Pakistan and that are killing many innocent civilians.
> 
> These weapons, flown by pilots sitting in chairs at bases in Nevada and 
> New Mexico, are called the Predator and the Reaper. They are outfitted 
> with missiles and offer the United States a so-called "hands-off" way of 
> killing people on the ground.
> 
> We have learned that there are now plans under way to try to turn the 
> Brunswick Naval Air Station into the Brunswick Unmanned Flight Center, 
> where these dreadful killing drones would be flight tested. We’ve also 
> learned that there was a possibility the drones from BNAS would be 
> flying up and down the Maine coast peering at boats and people for 
> "homeland security" reasons.
> 
> Some time ago we saw a reference in The Times Record quoting John 
> Richardson, commissioner of Maine’s Department of Economic and Community 
> Development, saying he wanted to bring these drones to BNAS.  Lately, 
> though, the story seems to have gone underground.
> 
> We strongly oppose basing or flight testing these Unmanned Aerial 
> Vehicles at BNAS.
> 
> We don’t want our community involved in the expanding war in Central 
> Asia nor do we need these drones spying on the people of Maine.
> 
> We believe there are many other fine ideas for usage of the closing 
> naval air station and hope that our elected officials will ensure we 
> don't turn our community into such a test center.
> 
> In peace,
> 
> /Maureen Block, Bob Dale, Christine DeTroy, Bruce Gagnon, Rosalie Tyler 
> Paul, Selma Sternlieb, Mary Beth Sullivan, Karen Wainberg as members of 
> PeaceWorks in Brunswick/
> 
>  -------------------------------------------------
> 
> *Rep. Chellie Pingree has request $12,750,000 for the Brunswick Unmanned 
> Flight Center.  See below for more details:*
> *Unmanned Flight Center, Brunswick, Maine*
> _*http://pingree.house.gov/legis/appropriations-requests.shtml*__**_
> 
> *As your Member of Congress, I am committed to doing everything I can to 
> support the economic and community development important to the people 
> of the First District—that means fighting for the federal investments in 
> our community that can grow our economy and create jobs. *
> 
> *Below you will find a list of all the appropriations requests that have 
> been made of my office. Working with my staff and a team of members of 
> the community, we measure each request against these basic core principles:*
> 
>     * *Retention and creation of jobs in Maine*
>     * *Long-term economic development and stability*
>     * *Support of ongoing, valued, community based projects*
> 
> *$12,750,000*
> 
> *Grifin, LLC
> 10 Mast Ln, Brunswick ME 04011 No Fax*
> 
> *Continuing operations at NAS Brunswick as an Unmanned Flight Center is 
> a means to utilize this multi-billion dollar asset to its full 
> potential. The transition will help close an eminent national security 
> gap, revitalize the regional economy that is suffering from the BRAC 
> closure of the base, provide job retention and creation and lead to the 
> development of a technology center for the emerging $62 Billion unmanned 
> flight industry. The Unmanned Flight Center meets specific DoD 
> objectives for the integration of unmanned flight and associated sensor 
> technology, DOT (FAA) objectives for airspace integration regarding 
> unmanned flight, and DHS objectives regarding Border Patrol and Coast 
> Guard operations.*