Government Relations Consulting, LLC Hired by One Client so far in 2022 for 38,500 USD
Jay B. Levin, of Government Relations Consulting, LLC (Government Relations), was hired to lobby on behalf of economic development, transportation, and maritime concerns along with other issues by Cross Sound Ferry Services, Inc (Cross Sound). Cross Sound is located out of New London, Connecticut and has been in operation since 1975. Levin was hired for 25,000 USD by Cross Sound who was hired by a single client last year for 82,750 USD. Levin has lobbying experience in many areas including roads and highways, environment and superfund sites, and taxes and the Internal Revenue Code. Government Relations was hired to specifically lobby to support infrastructure to ease entry and exit to port facilities as well as safe pedestrian access to ferries.
The Rocky Hill-Glastonbury Ferry is the oldest continuously operating ferry in the United States since services began in 1655.
Other issues Cross Sound wanted to champion are port and ferry security, dredged materials disposal, funding and tax cuts for lower emission vessels. Cross Sound is also highly invested in COVID-19 relief requesting recovery funds for the loss of tourism and assistance to rebuild after the devastating job losses of COVID-19. There are three bills of interest that Cross Sound may be backing.
The first is H.R. 8934, the Ferry Service Expansion Act, which would increase authorizations for the passenger ferry competitive grant program as well as increase authorizations for ferry boats and terminal facilities. H.R. 1189, the Deepwater Port Parity Act, would authorize the Maritime Administration (MARAD) to permit construction of deepwater ports in federally owned waters if directly connected by pipeline and under the coastal zone management program. Presently, Alaska is the only state that meets the requirements, but that is subject to change. Finally, H.R. 7776, the Water Resources Development Act, authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to carry out projects dealing with water resources management, water supply, wastewater infrastructure, flood control, and several other areas of importance.
Flood Management and the Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) constructed dams and reservoirs, hurricne protection barriers, and flood risk management pools in Connecticut to reduce damages of majot water events. Across Connecticut there are twleve Corps built dams of which eight are owned and operated by the Corps. Of particular interest to Cross Sound is the New London hurricane protection barrier, which was completed in May of 1986. The barrier is nearly one-thousand feet long and run by the state and protects about 173 acres of commercial and industrial areas.
