Daily Archives: 05/15/2014

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Road Block


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Transportation Funding Is Running Out And Hundreds Of Thousands Of Jobs Are At Risk

 

New estimates show that if Congress fails to act, transportation funding for projects to fix roads, bridges, and rails will run out by the fall.

A bit of background. The overwhelming majority of this transportation money comes from the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), which in turn is generated from a federal gas tax of 18.4 cents per gallon on gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon on diesel. But it’s been 20 years since that tax has been increased. A combination of inflation, better fuel efficiency, and reduced driving have substantially reduced the amount it brings into the HTF and threatened its solvency. Congress has transferred money into the fund in recent years to give it a boost, but, according to the Department of Transportation, the HTF is set to experience a shortfall as early as July that will halt much-needed infrastructure improvements around the country.

America used to be a world leader when it came to investing in transportation infrastructure. Look at us now: the most recent report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers graded the nation’s infrastructure a ‘D+’. As of 2011, the United States was ranked 28th among industrialized countries for the percent of GDP we invest in transportation infrastructure:

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It’s time to act. We not only need to solve our short-term problems with the Highway Trust Fund, we need to commit to making long-term investments to modernize transportation in America. President Obama urged such action today, announcing a plan to accelerate and expand infrastructure permitting by traveling to the Tappan Zee Bridge to tout it as a success story. Furthermore, the President’s budget calls for a $302 billion investment in infrastructure, a large portion of which would come from closing tax loopholes that benefit special interests.

But it is up to Congress–and conservatives who refuse raising revenues no matter what–to follow through on solving this crisis and truly investing in a strong American economy. Most immediately, here is a look at some of the numbers if Congress fails to fund the Highway Trust Fund:

  • 700,000 construction jobs lost in the next year;
  • 112,000 roadway projects delayed;
  • 5,600 transit projects delayed.

And of course, a Congressional decision to think down the road and fund transportation infrastructure for the long-term could mean that we could get to work fixing the nearly 8,000 bridges that are at risk of collapsing at any moment; preventing the train derailments that put lives at risk and pollute our environment; and invest in 21st-century programs like faster broadband and high-speed rail.

BOTTOM LINE: It’s time for Congress to act to fund our roads and bridges before it becomes too late, forcing cities and states to halt projects and lay off workers in the prime of construction season. But we shouldn’t have to get to this point: Congress should commit to funding transportation long-term so that we have the resources necessary to truly invest in our country’s future.

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Fact – Averse


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Marco Rubio Is In Denial, But Man-Made Climate Change Is All Around Us

Two years ago, when Marco Rubio was asked about how old the earth was, the Republican Senator from Florida punted: “I’m not a scientist, man.”

Apparently Rubio, a potential Republican candidate for President in 2016, was feeling more confident with his credentials this Sunday. The recent National Climate Assessment (NCA) once again confirmed that climate change is here now and it is up to us how much worse it will get. Rubio, however, offered his own alternative opinion:

I don’t agree with the notion that some are putting out there, including scientists, that somehow, there are actions we can take today that would actually have an impact on what’s happening in our climate. Our climate is always changing. And what they have chosen to do is take a handful of decades of research and — and say that this is now evidence of a longer-term trend that’s directly and almost solely attributable to man-made activity.

And today, when pressed on his climate denialism (which he shares with the majority of Republicans in Congress), Rubio couldn’t name a single source that shares his climate views.

On the flip side, the 300 climate scientists and experts who authored the lengthy Assessment do have evidence of how man-made climate change is affecting diverse regions in America right now. Here’s a glimpse of those regional impacts, drawing from exhaustive reporting done by Climate Progress after the report’s release last week.

The Southeast is “exceptionally vulnerable to sea level rise, extreme heat events, hurricanes, and decreased water availability,” according to the National Climate Assessment. And as Jennifer Jurado, Director of the Natural Resources Planning and Management Division in Broward County, Florida, puts it, many of these impacts are already being felt: “It’s not just coincidence — we really are seeing these things taking place.” The region has already experienced more billion-dollar disasters in the past 30 years than the rest of the country combined.

Temperatures in the Midwest have already risen over 1.5°F from 1900 to 2010, with the increase speeding up in the last 30 years. That means crop reductions, as warmer temperatures cause lower yields. It means more droughts, heavier rains, and more heat waves. And it even threatens the Great Lakes, whose water levels have fallen significantly over the last decade or two. Dozens of communities along Michigan’s shoreline had to be dredged in 2013 to keep shipping lanes open. This climate change impact caused economic losses.

The Northeast quickly became familiar with the threat posed by sea level rise in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, which caused up to $80 billion in damage. But the East Coast faces not just sea level rise, but also flooding from the skies. The region has experienced a greater recent increase in extreme precipitation — 71 percent — than any other region of the United States. Only the Midwest even comes close, with a 37 percent increase in extreme precipitation events.

Ocean acidification and wildfires are taking their toll on the Pacific Northwest. Ocean waters in Willapa Bay, for example, have become so acidic that one company can’t grow oyster larvae off the coast of Washington anymore. Meanwhile, Oregon experienced one of the worst fire seasons since 1951 last year: wildfires burned through 100,000 state-protected acres and cost the state $122 million in firefighting costs alone.

Great Plains: The second-most severe category of drought now covers almost half of Kansas, pushing outward from Oklahoma and Texas. This week a brutal heatwave sent temperatures over 100 degrees, putting a major strain on utilities and threatening to devastate this year’s wheat crop. And according to the National Climate Assessment, even in an optimistic scenario where we cut back on carbon emissions, those in the Great Plans should expect significantly more drought and water scarcity in the next 50 to 100 years.

As its population surges, the harsh climate of the Southwest will only get harsher. “Just think of this year’s California drought — the type of hot, snowless, severe drought that we expect more of in the future,” said Gregg Garfin, a lead author of the Southwest portion of the National Climate Assessment and assistant professor of climate, natural resources, and policy at the University of Arizona. That’s the kind of change that could have a tremendous impact on not only the availability of water for nearly 100 million people, but also on a critical part of the economy, agriculture.

BOTTOM LINE: Conservatives like Marco Rubio may be in denial when it comes to climate science, but changes to our climate are real, and humans play a major role by burning fossil fuels. And no matter what region of the country, the negative effects are already hurting our economy. Reducing carbon pollution and investing in clean energy are essential steps to restrain future damages.

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Update for our Progressive Radio Enthusiasts


TumblrOrcasIslandWe’re happy to report that Progressive Radio Northwest (PRNW) recently incorporated as a nonprofit organization and elected our first Board of Directors – important milestones in our mission to:

  •          bring strong-signal progressive talk radio back to the Pacific Northwest, and
  •          promote progressive programming on the free public airwaves and digital technologies.

We can’t do it without you.

Those of you who have signed up on our website, attended Party On with Norman Goldman or one of our free community forums, “liked” us on Facebook, or just sent random thoughts and comments are all an important part of our progressive radio community. You send a strong message to potential advertisers and investors that the greater Seattle area can support progressive talk programming … BIG time!

We’ll be making an announcement soon about some exciting plans for the summer and beyond. As they say, stay tuned….

In the meantime, check out the video from our March 26 Forum on Progressive Media in the Social Media Age: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGRvh4cCr10

 

Moderated by PRNW Vice President Phil Harrison, the panel featured independent journalist Mark Taylor Canfield (https://www.facebook.com/mtaylorcanfield), online radio host Space Dog of the Seattle-Portland based Space Dog Radio (http://spacedogradio.com/) and Jacob Dean of Portland-based Filter Free Radio (http://filterfreeradio.com/).

 

If you haven’t already done so, please sign up on the Progressive Radio Northwest website to receive updates and invitations to PRNW events.

www.progressiveradionorthwest.org

“Like” us on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/progressiveradionorthwest

With appreciation,

The PRNW Team

progressiveradionorthwest@gmail.com

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America’s Roads and Bridges Are Crumbling


America’s Roads and Bridges Are Crumbling

The funding to fix our nation’s roads and bridges is quickly running out — and it’s up to Congress to act.

65% of America’s major roads are rated in less than good condition, and 25% of our bridges require significant repair or can’t handle today’s traffic. If Congress doesn’t reauthorize transportation funding, more than 112,000 construction projects and nearly 700,000 jobs will be at risk.

Here’s what’s at stake if Republicans in Congress fail to act:

Find out why we need to rebuild our infrastructure.

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What grade would you give your roads?


Washington’s roads, transit rate a D+, engineers say

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 SeattleWAthumbpix
Washington state road and transit systems deserves a D+ grade, and overall infrastructure a C, says a report issued Tuesday by the Seattle chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers.The good news is that “Washington state has got a very good track record in safety, in both road and transit systems,” said Shane Binder, one of 15 co-authors. The state’s goal of zero road deaths by 2030 is attainable, he said.  Road deaths declined from 633 in 2006 to 424 in 2011, a 28 percent drop, federal statistics show.But the ASCE scored the state low because of its tenuous funding systems.  Pierce Transit and Community Transit have cut service, while King County Metro begs for new taxing authority to replace expiring sources and to grow with demand. On the other hand, Sound Transit is moving forward with most of its $18 billion expansion, including three rail lines, which voters approved in 2008.

Laura Ruppert, co-chair of the report-card committee, called the C score mediocre.

The group said Washington state highways are average, but city and rural streets are worse and drag the score down.

Meanwhile, the Legislature is considering a gas-tax hike of up to 10 cents a gallon along with other fees to fuel an $8.4 billion program — mostly highway expansions. Only $900 million is earmarked for maintenance and preservation. The plan has been blasted by retired WashDOT Secretary Doug MacDonald. Among other problems, it puts off a full redecking of Interstate 5 to some future round of tolls or taxes.

The Seattle ASCE’s report suggests gas taxes that keep pace with inflation, along with public-private partnerships that might save money. But the group wouldn’t judge OIympia’s 2013 package, when asked Tuesday. “We’d like to see a good balance between maintenance of projects, and new projects,” said Larry Costich, legislative correspondent for Seattle ASCE.

Washington’s scores by category were: aviation C, bridges C-, dams B, drinking water C-, rail C-, roads D+, schools C, hazardous waste C, and transit D+.

Seattle ACSE issued the report to mark its 100th anniversary. In March, the national ASCE declared U.S. infrastructure a D+ and in need of $3.6 trillion investment by 2020, to help the U.S. economy stay competitive.