John Hennessy III,
P.E.
THINKPROGRESS
By Alan Pyke
After hovering around $300 billion per year from the middle of President George W. Bush’s tenure through 2010, government spending on building things not related to defense fell by about $60 billion in just a few years. The drop is a result of Republicans blocking President Obama’s efforts to invest in infrastructure that the country needs.
“We really need to revamp our funding allocation process and develop outreach plans to engage more people. We must take advantage of the new technological tools to engage the younger generation, start talking about infrastructure at a younger age, in primary school, so people understand that infrastructure has a lifespan like any other organism. It has to live, it has to deteriorate, and if you don’t maintain it it’s going to die.”
View this complete post...By Patrick D. Jones, Executive Director & CEO, International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association (IBTTA)
With state governments and regional agencies leading the way, America might just be entering a renaissance in highway construction, reconstruction, and financing. Over the last year, more than 35 state legislatures have taken up bills to address the transportation funding gap. The trend extends to every part of the country, crossing the line between red and blue states. In the absence of federal policy action, as Kevin Robillard of Politico wrote earlier this year, states are coming up with their own prescriptions to deal with our national transportation woes.
KACHAN & CO
The global economy is undergoing a fundamental change. Companies are under increasing pressure to produce and consume more efficiently. This pressure is creating innovation and, above all, opportunity in cleantech.
“It’s fundamental: having people come together and raise their voice and speak up is the only way to get something done in Washington. I would urge any advocates of infrastructure to speak up and to send letters to their congressmen, and to join coalitions and never underestimate the impact you can have to get something done.”
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HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE
The Panel on 21st Century Freight Transportation conducted hearings, held roundtable discussions, and traveled
to key freight corridors across the United States to gain insight into the current state of freight transportation and
how improving freight transportation can strengthen the economy. The Panel identified many challenges and
impediments to the efficient and safe movement of goods into, out of, and through the United States.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
The U.S. offshore wind industry is transitioning from early development to demonstration of commercial viability. While there are no commercial-scale projects in operation or in the construction phase, there are eleven U.S. projects in advanced development, defined as having either been awarded a lease, conducted baseline or geophysical studies, or obtained a power purchase agreement (PPA). There are panels or task forces in place in at least 13 states to engage stakeholders to identify constraints and sites for offshore wind. U.S. policymakers are beginning to follow the examples in Europe that have proven successful in stimulating offshore wind technological advancement, project deployment, and job creation.
Maintaining America’s 140,000-mile rail network–and its approximately 100,000 bridges–is a top priority for the freight rail industry. In 2011, railroads invested $400 million in bridge maintenance to ensure freight is safely and efficiently transported across the country. Hear BNSF’s Stephanie Swanson and TTCI’s Duane Otter discuss the measures railroads take to ensure the nation’s rail bridges continue to deliver for America.
View this complete post...
A continuation of the conversation started in “Natural Gas 101” from the first season of Rational Middle Energy videos, “Natural Gas 201” discusses the ways natural gas can contribute to the recovery of the economy from the Great Recession, as well as taking a look at the relationship between renewables and gas now and in the future.
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BROOKINGS INSTITUTION
One of the lessons from the Great Recession is the need to grow and support the tradable sectors, typically manufacturing and high-end services, of our metropolitan economies. But to drive these tradable sectors, metropolitan areas need physical access to markets. Metropolitan freight connectivity enables this access and the ensuing modern global value chains. Without it, trade cannot occur.
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