August 1, 2007

COMMENTARY

        The most recent meeting of the Aerospace Technical Advisory Committee of the General Assembly's Joint Commission on Technology and Science (JCOTS) was held in Crystal City to coincide with the New Space 2007 Conference on the commercialization of space. As one who remembers the United States' first effort at launching a grapefruit-size satellite into space resulting in the rocket blowing up and the satellite emitting its beeping sounds from the ground where it landed, I can say we have come a long way.
        I introduced the legislation establishing the Aerospace Advisory Committee because Virginia with a launch facility at Wallops Island can become a major player in commercial space. As we held our meeting, more than 250 attendees at the conference were hearing reports on the progress we are making in using rockets for cargo and passenger flights. This new industry is happening in our back yard. Orbital Sciences Corporation located on Route 28 with nearly 1500 employees developed, built, and delivered 568 systems from 1982 to 2006. Under contract for delivery between this year and 2014 are 208 systems. They have a 10-year contract backlog of $3.7 billion. The satellites are built right out on Route 28; their rockets are built in Arizona. Their business is roughly divided with over a third to Department of Defense and intelligence agencies, nearly a third to commercial and international satellite operators, and less than a third to NASA and other civilian agencies and universities.
        Orbital is the big operator but is far from being alone in the business of space. Transformational Space Corporation located in Reston has as its goal to deliver people and cargo to orbit at dramatically lower prices with greatly improved safety and quick response to customer needs. They work primarily in the NASA and defense markets with the expectation that the commercial market will grow with the arrival of affordable launch services. A strong potential market will be with NASA to provide transportation services to the International Space Station when the space shuttle is retired in 2010.
        According to a recent Greater Washington Board of Trade publication, the greater Washington area has nearly 138,000 workers in aerospace-related occupations. The report is available at www.greaterwashington.org, or request a print copy from KathyMcCorkle@bot.org.
        In the August, 2007, issue of Popular Mechanics in an article entitled "Rocketeers Get Real," Michael Belfiore, author of a new book Rocketeers: How a Visionary Band of Business Leaders, Engineers and Pilots is Boldly Privatizing Space is quoted as saying that "the new entrepreneurial space world is starting to resemble the personal computer world in the mid-1970's: It hasn't broken through yet, but it's got the critical mass to make that kind of breakthrough possible."
        Reminiscent of the prize Charles Lindbergh won for his flight to Paris, V Prize Foundation of Reston (www.vprize.org) seeks to establish a prize for the first suborbital commercial flight of a human from the U.S. to Paris.
        With an investment in upgrading the facilities at Wallops Island, Virginia through its Spaceport Authority can play a significant role in the future of commercial space flight. Other states, notably Florida and New Mexico, are making huge investments. Space flights to the moon and into orbit for scientific purposes were just the beginning; passenger tickets on rocket flights are available in Russia today. Virginia can be a leader in this new form of transportation. It is not science fiction.

Delegate Ken Plum's Weekly "Virginia Report"
on Reston Comcast Channel 28

Tonight – Wednesday, August 1 at 10:30 p.m. – Delegate Ken Plum's "State of the Commonwealth – 2007" Report

Tuesday, August 7 at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, August 8 at 10:30 p.m. – Douglas Koelemay, Commonwealth Transportation Board, "Traffic Relief in Sight?"

Announcements

Virginia now has a website on which dogs that have been found to be dangerous must be registered: www.vdacs.virginia.gov/animals/dogs.shtml.

The "Commonwealth Datapoint" at http://datapoint.apa.virginia.gov allows public access to historical revenue collections and appropriations with related demographic information. Use this searchable database to find public state expenditures, revenue, and demographic information for the 10 most recently ended fiscal years of the Commonwealth.

The Fairfax Chapter of Virginia Master Naturalists will begin training volunteers in natural history and forest and aquatic ecology in September. Once certified as Master Naturalists, volunteers will participate in vital community activities like wildlife tracking and surveys, stream monitoring, trail development, and nature education. This is a great way to meet people while protecting public lands and waterways. For more information about the program or to download an application, visit www.virginiamasternaturalist.org/fairfax.html or email Stacey Evers at FMNvolunteer@cox.net.

Calendar of Events

The 5th Annual Multicultural Business Conference is scheduled for Thursday, August 2, 2007 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Northern Virginia Community College's Ernst Community Cultural Center, 8333 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA. The theme is "Access to Business Success: Expanding Business Opportunities with State and Local Government Agencies for Small Business." Governor Timothy M. Kaine is scheduled to speak. For more information on registration, contact Lauryn Han at 703.538.7418, fax 703.237.3996 or LHAN@BDAG.org.

Virginia's second sales tax holiday is set for Friday, August 3, through Sunday, August 5. During the three-day event, certain purchases will be exempt from the 5 percent state and local retail sales tax. Sales tax will not be charged on school supplies priced at $20 or less per item, or on articles of clothing, including footwear, costing $100 or less each. The "holiday," approved unanimously by the 2006 General Assembly, will take place each year on the first Friday-Saturday-Sunday period in August. Earlier this year, the General Assembly approved two additional sales tax holidays. A four-day tax holiday is set for October that exempts certain energy-efficient appliances. Another weeklong tax holiday will begin in May 2008 for purchasing equipment to prepare for hurricanes. It is estimated that Virginia taxpayers will save about $3.8 million for this year's back-to-school holiday. Visit www.tax.virginia.gov for information about the three tax holidays and answers to frequently asked questions.

This year's 4-H Fair and Farm Show will be a two-day event held at Frying Pan Farm Park on August 4 and 5, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 4-H is a community of young people across America who are learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills. If you require assistance or special accommodations while at the 4-H Fair and Farm Show, notify Heidi Crocket, Extension Agent at 703.324.5353 or TTY 711 during business hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Bring the kids out to see all the vehicles that Reston Association uses, including a dump truck, trash truck, back hoe, bobcat, mowing tractor and more on Friday, August 17, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. to noon at the Reston Association's Central Services Facility, 12250 Sunset Hills Road (next to the YMCA). No reservations are required, and this opportunity is free. Call 703.435.6530 for more information.

Intelligent Transportation Society (ITS) of Virginia and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, along with ITS America, will be having a Vehicle Infrastructure Integration Technology Showcase and a VTTI/Smart Roads Open House from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, August 23, 2007. If you would like to attend, RSVP by August 3 to ITS Virginia by calling 434.977.3716 or email amy.shaw@easterassociates.com.

Governor Timothy M. Kaine will host a Campus Security Conference on Monday, August 13 at Virginia Commonwealth University's Stuart C. Siegel Center in Richmond. Participants will share information on campus security strategies, participate in panel discussions on security issues, and examine the latest products and services to improve campus security from a wide variety of venders. For more information, contact the Office of Commonwealth Preparedness at 804.692.2597.

Learn how to build and certify an EarthCraft House by attending EarthCraft House Builder Training on August 14 and 15 in Chantilly. The EarthCraft House designation verifies that the homes will perform 30% better than code built homes in the area of energy efficiency and include elements of durability and indoor health as well. Contact the Virginia Sustainable Building Network at 703.486.2966 or email pam@vsbn.org for information.

The 12th Annual Works Sunday sponsored by the churches and synagogues in Reston is August 19. There will be 15 action projects and 5 donation projects to help those in need. Visit www.workssunday.org to find a way you can be of service.

SIDS Mid-Atlantic, The CJ Foundation for SIDS, and Wawa Food Corporation will sponsor the 11th annual Walk to Fight SIDS at Locust State Park in Triangle, Virginia, and at Buddy Attick Park in Greenbelt, Maryland on Sunday, September 9, 8:45 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. The mission of SIDS Mid-Atlantic is to support family members and others who have been affected by the sudden, unexpected death of an infant and to provide education and outreach to help prevent SIDS. For more information about this event and about SIDS, visit www.sidsma.org.

Attend the Sully Quilt Show and Sale, "Stitches of Friendship - Quilts from the Quaker Community," on Sunday, September 9, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Show and Sale will be held at the Sully Historic Site, 3601 Sully Road, Chantilly. Visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/sully or call 703.437.1794 for more information.

The 2007 International Children's Festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday, September 22 and 23, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. There will be entertainment on four stages featuring over 20 performing groups form near and far including interactive art experiences. This event is fun for the kid in all of us!

This year's Commonwealth of Virginia Energy & Sustainability (COVES) Conference will be held on October 16-18 at Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, VA. Visit www.covesva.org for registration and conference details.

The Aaron Burr Association (www.aaronburrassociation.org) will meet in Richmond on October 5 and 6 for the 200th Anniversary of Burr's trial. On Friday night, October 5, members of the association will return to the "scene of the crime," the Old House Chamber in the Virginia State Capitol, to witness a dramatization of the 1807 trial that pitted the most brilliant legal minds of their day against each other and against President Thomas Jefferson. On October 6 they will convene at Sam Miller's Warehouse Restaurant for lunch and a lecture by historian Charles Hobson, noted for his work as the editor of the papers of John Marshall. Contact association president Stuart Johnson at 301.641.0494 for more information about events and cost.

Authorized and Paid for by Kenneth R. Plum

Delegate Kenneth R. Plum | 2073 Cobblestone Lane | Reston | VA | 20191