During today’s House Transportation Committee hearing, state Rep. Jeff Morris, D–Mount Vernon, questioned the consistency of a policy that includes $11.7 million for the Enhanced Driver License (EDL) program, while cancelling the primary maritime route between Washington and Canada.

While the merits of the Enhanced Drivers License program — allowing vetted American and Canadians more efficient border crossings — is not in question, Morris said the added funding is inconsistent with a plan to cancel the Anacortes-to-Sidney ferry.

The governor’s policy staff’s response: The decisions were made separate from each other.

“I am a bit dumbfounded how cutting the major marine tourism route to Canada helps get people into Canada more efficiently,” Morris said in a press release. “When we looked at this in 1997 we found the Sidney route critical to circle tours by tourists who went through Port Angeles or back over to Blaine via ferries.

“This is a classic example of the left hand not knowing what the right is spending.”

Gov. Christine Gregoire proposes spending $11.7 million on the EDL next biennium, having issued 32,000 EDLs. British Columbia has issued 521 EDLs.

Savings by canceling the Anacortes-Sidney ferry run is estimated to be $9.4 million over a number of years.

Meanwhile, Washington State Ferries will hold a public hearing on its draft long-range plan options aboard the inter-island ferry Thursday from 11:35 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The choices made in the plan could have a profound impact on the future of San Juan County. One of the key questions facing planners is the future level of state financial support for the ferry system.

The division’s proposal includes two alternative visions: Option A, which assumes the state will be forthcoming with additional revenue and “will continue in its current role as owner, operator and principal funder of ferry services …”

Option B assumes that the state cannot provide new revenue and the draft “proposes an alternative where the State takes responsibility for the core marine highway system and a locally funded entity or entities would take responsibility for a new marine transit system.”

WSDOT is accepting public input on the draft long-range plan through Jan. 21. The final plan is scheduled to be released on Jan. 30.

The full draft of the long-range plan is available on the WSDOT Web site at www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/planning/eshb2358.

San Juan County’s transportation planner, Shannon Wilbur, has prepared a brief summary of Plans A and B which points out similarities and differences in the plans and highlights specific items which will affect San Juan County. That summary is available in PDF file format at www.sanjuanco.com/docs/news/FerryPlanReview_public.pdf