Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., will hold a field hearing in Grand Forks on Monday to discuss efforts to broaden the airspace available for flying military unmanned aircraft in the country.
Dorgan, who serves as chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety and Security, said in a news release that the hearing Monday will address the status of the Federal Aviation Administration's work on the issue.
Unmanned aircraft primarily fly in restricted U.S. airspace. But Dorgan said finding ways to integrate these vehicles in the general national airspace system is important in order to expand their potential in military and commercial applications.
He held a meeting in February 2009 to develop solutions to allow the military to fly the aircraft around Grand Forks Air Force Base. Monday's hearing will examine progress made since to address the needs of the Predator drones, which are scheduled to become operational later this year.
The field hearing is schedule for 8 a.m. in UND's Memorial Union, and witnesses from the FAA, U.S. Air Force and the Department of Defense are expected to attend.
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Franken pleased with appointment of Asian carp director
Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., praised the appointment of John Goss as the Asian carp director for the Council on Environmental Quality.
The invasive fish pose a danger, experts warn, because of their large size and rapid rate of reproduction.
In a Wednesday news release, Franken said he was pleased the Obama administration recognizes the importance of dealing with the threat Asian carp pose to the Great Lakes.
"We must take swift action to separate the Mississippi River Basin and the Great Lakes water systems to protect against the spread of these carp," Franken wrote. "John Goss' background has prepared him well to coordinate the government's response, and I look forward to working with him to protect the ecology and fisheries of the Great Lakes."
Franken has co-sponsored two bills that would address ways of preventing the potential entry of Asian carp into the Great Lakes.
Johnson reports on local politics. Reach him at (701) 780-1105; (800) 477-6572, ext. 105; or send e-mail to rjohnson@gfherald.com .
