Innovation Newsbriefs
Vol. 25, No. 6
For all its stirring of discussion on a myriad of important policy issues, this proposed legislation demonstrates at a core level that the revenue necessary for any such bill is nearly impossible to add up in a way that is both fiscally plausible and politically palatable in the current moment. The “details” the Administration is providing come with an important asterisk (*), denoting the blank slate it ascribes to something called “corporate tax reform,” the very pillar on which the rest of the proposed bill is supposed to stand. As such, the funding plan is not considered to be a serious proposal, but rather a place-holder designed to prompt a “dialogue” with Congress on funding, while encouraging others to come up with something that is more politically realistic in this election year.
Archive for the ‘National’ Category
The End of the Road? The Looming Fiscal Disaster for Transportation
Wednesday, May 7th, 2014
SMART GROWTH AMERICA
Unless Congress adds new revenue to the trust fund, the federal government will be unable to commit to funding new projects, depriving states and localities of resources critical to maintaining and improving the infrastructure that makes our economy possible. At the same time, Congress has an opportunity to reform and reinvigorate one of our most important infrastructure programs in order to boost today’s economy and ensure future prosperity. The federal law that sets national transportation policy and investment levels — known as MAP-21 — expires on October 1, 2014. As Congress reconsiders this vital program, business and elected leaders across the country are calling on their representatives not only to save the transportation trust fund, but also to refocus federal transportation policy on locally-driven, innovative transportation solutions.
The GROW AMERICA Act: Response from the Infra Community
Tuesday, May 6th, 2014
On Friday, May 2, the Obama Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation released the GROW AMERICA Act, a $300-billion transportation bill aiming to provide comprehensive solutions to our nation’s transportation woes. According to the GROW AMERICA fact sheet. Despite the bill’s cumbersome acronym (Generating Renewal, Opportunity, and Work with Accelerated Mobility, Efficiency, and Rebuilding of Infrastructure and Communities throughout America) the bill promises to resolve a slew of nagging transportation problems, from environmental impact to financing.
View this complete post...The GROW AMERICA Act Fact Sheet
Tuesday, May 6th, 2014
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
The Generating Renewal, Opportunity, and Work with Accelerated Mobility, Efficiency, and Rebuilding of Infrastructure and Communities throughout America Act, or GROW AMERICA Act, is a $302 billion, four year transportation reauthorization proposal that provides increased and stable funding for our Nation’s highways, bridges, transit, and rail systems. The Administration’s proposal is funded by supplementing current revenues with $150 billion in one-time transition revenue from pro-growth business tax reform. This will prevent Trust Fund insolvency for four years and increase investments to meet national economic goals.
Guest on The Infra Blog: Marcia Hale, President, Building America’s Future Educational Fund
Wednesday, April 30th, 2014
As President of the Building America’s Future Educational Fund, Marcia Hale is one of the leaders of Infrastructure Week 2014.
“If you take this down to a local level or a state level almost all these projects get approved in referendum…When you take it to a larger scale and it’s Washington…that’s when things get stymied. It’s more a debate about the money and investment, but what this country really needs is a vision, a long-term vision for what it needs to be able to compete and what that means on all various levels of infrastructure.”
View this complete post...Bicycling and Walking in the United States: 2014 Benchmarking Report
Tuesday, April 29th, 2014
ALLIANCE FOR BIKING & WALKING
For government officials and advocates who promote bicycling and walking in the U.S., it is clear that active transportation is gaining momentum. Protected bicycle lanes are popping up on more city streets, Open Streets initiatives are being organized in communities of all sizes, public bicycle sharing programs are finding success even in sprawling car-centric cities, and business owners are scrambling to install bicycle parking near their front door. In order to meet the growing desire for more bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly communities, policy makers and advocates need a comprehensive analysis of current trends and trials. The Alliance for Biking & Walking’s Benchmarking Project strives to meet this need by tracking and measuring these efforts across the country.
What’s the Big Fracking Deal?
Thursday, April 24th, 2014
In Search of a Reasonable Debate on Hydraulic Fracturing
One of the touchiest subjects in today’s discussion on environmental protection laws and energy independence is the exploration of the new natural-gas-retrieval technology known as hydraulic fracturing, or more commonly, “FRACKING.” Much confusion is a result of both opponents and proponents of fracking screaming their versions of the truth at the top of their lungs on any media outlet that will allow it. Trying to search the web for answers is just as difficult, as search engine results are flooded with a cacophony of biased studies from self-interested non-profit organizations or corporately funded, cherry-picked research groups.
Blackout: Extreme Weather, Climate Change and Power Outages
Wednesday, April 23rd, 2014
CLIMATE CENTRAL
Climate change is causing an increase in many types of extreme weather. Heat waves are hotter, heavy rain events are heavier, and winter storms have increased in both frequency and intensity. To date, these kinds of severe weather are among the leading causes of large-scale power outages in the United States. Climate change will increase the risk of more violent weather and more frequent damage to our electrical system, affecting hundreds of millions of people, and costing Americans and the economy tens of billions of dollars each year.
U.S. Crude Oil and Natural Gas Production in Federal and Non-Federal Areas
Friday, April 18th, 2014
CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE
A key question in this discussion is how much oil and gas is produced in the United States each year and how much of that comes from federal versus non-federal areas. Oil production has fluctuated on federal lands over the past five fiscal years but has increased dramatically on nonfederal lands. Non-federal crude oil production has been rapidly increasing in the past few years partly due to favorable geology and the relative ease of leasing from private parties, rising by 2.1 million barrels per day (mbd) between FY2009-FY2013, causing the federal share of total U.S. crude oil production to fall by nearly 11%.
Future of Fuels
Wednesday, April 16th, 2014
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR CONVENIENCE AND FUEL RETAILING
In December 2013, the U .S . Energy Information Administration (EIA) released the early publication of its Annual Energy Outlook 2014 (AEO2014), providing projections for the energy markets through 2040 . NACS used EIA’s report to prepare the following analysis. “Future of Fuels 2014” seeks to determine how EIA’s projections will directly affect the retail fuels market, consumer use of specific types of light duty vehicles, and the pace at which alternative fuels may gain market share.
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