Energy & Water Roundup

ENERGY

Consumer Group Opposes Missouri Energy Rate Reform Bill

The Midwest Energy Consumer Group (MECG) has come out in opposition of HB2689 (and its parallel in the Missouri Senate, SB1028), which would make significant changes to the way electric rates are regulated in the Missouri. The group claims that the bill would remove the voice of customers from the electric rate setting process and pave the way for regular, uncontested rate increases. The Office of Public Counsel, which officially represents customers in Missouri utility rate cases, expressed concern that the bill might limit the ability of the agency, as well as the state’s Public Service Commission, to review rate increases.

Related Posts

Bill Would Change Electric Ratemaking in Missouri

Senate Passes Energy Bill

The U.S. Senate passed its first major energy bill in a decade. The bill emphasizes development of alternative energy, natural gas, and lesser used sources such as geothermal and hydropower. It also focuses on energy efficiency and safety. The bill will need to be reconciled with the energy bill passed in the House of Representatives, which differs significantly, particularly in its approach to fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas). Senate leaders are confident they can work out differences with the House and develop a compromise bill that can pass both chambers latter this year.

What Is a Microgrid?

I’m seeing a lot about microgrids in utility publications and on the Internet. I thought it might be worthwhile to write something that could serve as an introduction to the subject for those who are unfamiliar with it, as well as educate myself in the process. I intend this to be the first in a series of short posts on the subject.

Let’s start with the basics. What is a microgrid?

A microgrid is a local energy grid that can disconnect from the larger grid and operate independently. It connects to the main grid at a location where the voltage of the two systems can be maintained at the same level. A switching system can manually or automatically switch the connection on or off.

Though the name “microgrid” implies something small, size is not a defining point. Microgrids are defined by

-local control, and

-functioning both connected to and disconnected from the main grid.

If you’re interested in finding out more about microgrids, here are some resources to get you started.

About microgrids (Berkeley Lab)

How microgrids work (Lantero, A., Energy.gov, June 17, 2014)

WATER

A Little Sewer History

The Guardian posted an article on the Great Stink of 1858 and how it prompted officials in London to improve the city’s overwhelmed system of handling storm water and wastewater. The Thames of that time was a stinking mess of sewage and a hazard to health. The sewer system devised by Joseph Bazalgette was a marvel of the age (and much of it is still in use) that moved wastewater discharges away from the populated areas around London.

You can read this very good article here. If it whets your appetite to find out more about this project, you may also want to read Dreams of Iron and Steel by Debora Cadbury. The Great Stink by Clare Clark is a fictional thriller set during this time that partly takes place in the changing sewers of London.

Energy, Transportation & Water News

ENERGY

Bill Would Change Electric Ratemaking in Missouri

State Rep. Rocky Miller, who represents parts of Camden and Miller Counties near Osage Beach, introduced the 21^st Century Grid Modernization and Security Act (HB2816). The bill would substantially change the state’s method of regulating electric utility rates. The method is modeled on processes in Illinois and would allow annual adjustments to electric rates.

Another portion of the bill substantially changes provision related to special electric rates for aluminum smelters. This is largely driven by Noranda, which operates smelter in New Madrid. It seems unlikely that lower or more flexible electric rates will save the company from plummeting aluminum prices.

With the exception of Noranda, large electricity users in Missouri have generally come out against the proposal. Some companies that have expressed opposition to the bill are Purina, Bayer, Ford, General Motors and Procter & Gamble. You can read more about this topic here.

Poop to Power Project Coming to North Carolina

Duke Energy has contracted with Carbon Cycle Energy for the construction and operation of a facility to process animal waste to produce methane gas for fuel. Waste will come from area pig and chicken farms. The gas will be piped to Duke plants as fuel in electric power generation.

North Carolina is the second largest pork producing state in the U.S. Duke is a major electric power producer, particularly in the Carolinas. Carbon Cycle is based in Colorado.

TRANSPORTATION

Barrel Bob Found

Barrel Bob, a character that serves as spokesman for worksite safety for the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), was found in Columbia on April 1 (no fooling) after he was stolen from his roadside station at highway construction site in Jefferson City on March 19.   The statue, constructed from used orange and reflective white barrels and cones, was previously set on fire by vandals at this location.

This statue was one of seven Barrel Bobs. Each of MoDOT’s districts has one. Bob was scheduled to make appearances at events to promote highway worksite safety beginning April 11, so the agency had resorted to building a new statue before Bob was found. You can find out more here, here and here.

Missourians Could Vote on Fuel Tax Increase

A bill (SB623) is making its way through the Missouri Senate that could increase the state fuel tax from 17 cents per gallon to 22.9 cents per gallon. The tax, if implemented, is expected to bring in $240 million annually. The bill would place a referendum on the November ballot, meaning it would have to be approved directly by voters. Before getting that far, it must complete its path through the General Assembly. The Senate is expected to pass the bill in its final vote in the first full week of April. Afterward it will be considered by the state House of Representatives, where it is not expected to be warmly received. You can read more about this here, here and here.

Significant funding for Missouri roads comes from the federal government (which has its own funding issues). MoDOT is preparing to use cash reserves to match federal grants for transportation projects (more here).

Name a Missouri Highway

An alternative to increased fuel taxes could be the auctioning of naming rights for highways. There is no estimate of how much revenue it could raise, but I’ll go out on a limb to say not enough to persuade the General Assembly to this bill. You can read the bill here. I have the impression the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter who covered this story must have chuckled as he typed.

WATER

Antibiotic Resistance Found in Bacteria Downstream of Wastewater Discharge

Researchers studying the biofilm in a Spanish river found antibiotic resistance genes. These genes occurred as far as 1 km (0.6 mile) downstream from the of a wastewater treatment plant. The genes provide resistance to some antibiotics commonly used in hospitals. You can find more here. In response to the issue of pharmaceutical pollution, some chemists are considering biodegradable drugs.

Energy, Transportation, Water & Missouri News

ENERGY

U.S. Military Agency Seeks to Protect Grid

The Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) has announced plans to develop systems for the protection of critical infrastructure from cyber-attacks. You can find out more in this article or the DARPA Web site. If you’d like to find out more about the vulnerabilities of the U.S. electric grid, you may be interested in Lights Out by Ted Koppel.

TRANSPORTATION

Could You Pay to Name a Missouri Road?

A bill introduced into the Missouri House of Representatives, HB 728, would allow the state Highways and Transportation Commission to sell naming rights to roads and bridges. You can find more about the bill here.

Hyperloop Considers Missouri

Missouri is one of the semifinalists for consideration for the construction of a Hyperloop, a high-speed transportation system that could go from Kansas City to St. Louis in 23 minutes. The Missouri Department of Transportation conceives of it as part of a reconstructed Interstate 70 corridor—the segment of I-70 that crosses Missouri is considered the first completed portion of the interstate system. You can find more about this proposal, about which there remain many questions, here or here.

Missouri Bill: Move Over for Utility Vehicles

A bill recently passed in the Missouri House, HB 85, that would require drivers to pull over or slow down when driving by a utility vehicle that is flashing lights. A similar requirement exists for emergency response vehicles such as fire and police. The bill will move on to the Senate. You can find more here.

Missouri and Illinois Rivers Could be Part of Trump Infrastructure Plan

Though President Donald Trump’s proposed infrastructure plan is not final, locks and dams on the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers could make the list. Seven locks, five on the Upper Mississippi River and two on the Illinois River, aid barge transportation to Chicago and Minneapolis. A proposal to improve the seven locks and undertake related stream and habitat restoration projects was taken up by Congress in 2007, but never received an appropriation. If the project is supported by the Trump administration, it is not certain that the president would support the environmental aspect of the program, which would likely undermine the support it has received from major environmental groups. You can read more about this here.

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WATER

Trump Order Could Roll Back Federal Regulation of Streams

President Trump issued an executive order that lead to rescinding the 2015 Clean Water Rule. It is not clear what rule may replace it, but some suspect it will limit or eliminate federal regulation of intermittent streams.

The 2015 rule, promulgated under the administration of President Barrack Obama, clarified federal jurisdiction over certain waters. Opponents sued claiming that the rule actually extended federal jurisdiction. A federal court ordered federal agencies to not implement while it considered the case.

You can find more about this issue here.

Energy & Transportation News

ENERGY

Missouri Municipal Electric Utilities, Governor Support Power Line Project

Earlier this year, the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC) rejected a proposal for a power line that would carry electricity generated at wind farms in Kansas to the grid in Indiana. The PSC’s decision was based, in part, on the fact that no Missouri customers would use the line or the energy it carried.

Clean Line Energy, which proposed the project, has been looking to overcome this object. It has brokered a deal with the Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission (MJMEUC), which represents a pool of municipal utilities that pool resources to by power. MJMEUC has 67 municipal utility member and 35 are expected to take part in the deal if it is approved.

In addition, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has expressed his support for the transmission line. In his statement, Nixon emphasized the energy savings and jobs that would be created the $500 million construction project.

The line must be approved by the Missouri PSC. It is likely to be opposed by affected landowners who campaigned against the original proposal. Official in Kansas, Illinois and Indiana have already approved the project.

What Are the Advantages of Microgrids?

This is the second in a series of posts on microgrids. See the previous post for a description of what is a microgrid.

Microgrids have several potential benefits. These include

-backup energy supply and improved reliability,

-environmental benefits,

-exploitation of local and alterative resources,

-increased energy efficiency and reduced energy consumption, and

-reduced cost.

Backup Energy Supply and Improved Reliability

Because microgrids can operate independently of the larger grid, they may be able to continue to operate when there is an outage elsewhere on the main grid.

Environmental Benefits

Microgrids are not inherently less polluting than large grids, but they may afford opportunities to manage energy resources in manners that may reduce pollution. Microgrids may be more easily able to exploit variable or small renewable sources including solar and wind energy. These smaller power supplies may also be able to address local peaks and reduce the need to ramp up production at larger, and potentially more polluting, power plants.

Exploit Local and Alternative Resources

Sometimes local energy resources are available that are not suitable for use on a large grid because they are not sufficiently powerful or reliable. Solar energy, an alternative energy source that is variable and relative low power, is an example of a resource that may be more easily exploited by a microgrid.

Reduced Cost

Microgrids might be managed in a manner to reduce costs. For instance, when prices are high during periods of peak demand, a microgrid might switch to a local power supply that is less expensive. This will also reduce the peak on the larger grid, meaning larger power plants do not have to ramp up production as much or be built to address large peaks.

If you’re interested in finding out more about microgrids, here are some resources to get you started.

How microgrids work (Lantero, A., Energy.gov, June 17, 2014)

What is a microgrid? (Infrastructure Watch, April 23, 2016)

TRANSPORTATION

60 Years of Interstate Highways

President Dwight Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 on June 29 of that year. Though previous legislation had authorized interstate highways, it was under this act and the Eisenhower administration that our interstate system began in earnest.

Interstates have proven to be a safe way to travel (the fatality rate on interstates is less the rate on other routes).

Even so, the roads are showing signs of aging. Many sections are in poor condition and many bridges are structurally deficient.

Keeping up with the maintenance needs of the interstate system is an enormous task. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that the backlog if needed improvements totals $189 billion.

Relate Posts and Articles

At 60, U.S. Interstate Highway System is Showing Its Age (Hill, C., Equipment World, June 28, 2016)

Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 (Weingroff, R. F., Federal Highway Administration, June 15, 2015)

Missouri Legislature Fails to Act on Transportation Tax

Though a bill passed in the Missouri Senate, the state’s General Assembly did not act on a proposed fuel tax increase before closing its session in May. You can read more about this issue here.

COMPLAINTS DEPARTMENT

Blogger Considers Career Change

That doesn’t mean I’ll quit blogging. I’ve never made a living (or even a dime) from blogging, and it has always taken a back seat to other things. By day, I’m an employee of a state that pays the lowest wages of any state (even our legislators are starting to complain about it). Maybe I should cross the river and go back to school where I can learn to be a brewmaster, or possibly a vintner. As I recall, looking through the fog of a couple of decades, I did reasonably well in my undergraduate food processing class, so maybe I can build on that.

Energy, Transportation & Missouri News

ENERGY

Buyer of TVA Nuclear Plant Plans to Run It

We previously posted that the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was auctioning an unfinished nuclear power plant near Hollywood, Alabama. The buyer, Nuclear Development LLC, announced its intention to complete the plant and put it into operation.

Before this can be done, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission must transfer the operating license from TVA to Nuclear Development. In addition, Nuclear Development must complete financing arrangements.

Nuclear Development bid $111 million for the plant. In addition to two nuclear reactors and supporting facilities, the property includes 1,600 acres of land.

Canada, Finland Plan to Phase Out Coal

Canadian officials announced plans to phase out coal-powered electric generation by 2030. They hope the country will be 90 percent powered by sustainable sources by that time.

Findland also proposes to phase out coal by 2030. The country plans to be carbon-neutral by 2050.

MISSOURI

Bill Would Make Sale of Municipal Utilities Easier

A bill filed in the Missouri General Assembly (HB 247), would lower the threshold of voter approval needed for a municipality to sell a utility. If passed, it would lower the requirement from a five-seventh majority to a simple majority. The Missouri House Local Government Committee has taken up the bill.

TRANSPORTATION

Bill Would Transfer Some Missouri Roads from State to Counties

Two bills in the Missouri Senate (SB 38 and SJR 3), propose pathway for the transfer of responsibility for certain road, letter routes, from the state to counties. About two-thirds of the current state funds for maintaining these roads will be distributed to counties, the remainder remaining with the state for other transportation needs.

County officials are opposed to the measure, saying it will shift much of the state’s burden for road maintenance to even more cash-strapped counties. These routes were maintained by counties until 1952, when the state took them over as part of a road improvement program.

A similar proposal failed to pass in the 2016 session. SJR 3 also includes a provision for raising fuel taxes. You can find out more about these bills here.

Noisy Electric Cars

New rules will require electric cars traveling slower than 19 miles per hour to produce a sound. This is to prevent accidents involving pedestrians who can’t hear the very quiet electric motors operating in these vehicles. The National Transportation Safety Administration anticipates this measure will prevent 2,400 injuries to pedestrians annually. New electric and hybrid cars must comply with the rule by September 2019.

Air Pollution News

Bill Preventing Air Pollution Regulations on Agricultural Production Moving through Senate

Senate Bill 3741, which would exempt emissions of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and methane from agricultural production from regulation under the Clean Air Act, has been referred to the Environment and Public Works Committee. The bill is sponsored by Sen. John Thune (South Dakota).

St. Louis-Area Fails to Meet Air Quality Standards Says Environmental Protection Agency

Last moth, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 7 officially notified the state of Missouri that the St. Louis metropolitan area does not meet the daily standard for fine particle pollution, also known as fine particulate matter, or PM 2.5.

Franklin, Jefferson, St. Charles and St. Louis counties, along with the city of St. Louis, are included in EPA's designation for Missouri. The determination also includes the Illinois areas of Madison, Monroe and St. Clair counties, and part of Randolph County. EPA Region 5 officials will address the determination issues in Illinois.

The 24-hour fine particle standard is 35 micrograms per cubic meter of air. Fine particles can be emitted directly or form in the atmosphere from reactions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. Exposure to fine particle pollution can cause serious health problems, including respiratory and cardiovascular difficulties, and premature death.

The four Missouri counties and the city of St. Louis were determined to be contributing to violations of the air quality standards in Madison County, Ill. The Clean Air Act requires the designation of all areas in violation, as well as nearby areas that contribute to the violation.
EPA closely reviewed recommendations from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) along with public comments before making its determination. The nonattainment areas include those where air monitors indicate violations of standards, and nearby areas that contribute to the violations. Missouri's DNR will be required to develop a plan and take steps to reduce the emissions that contribute to fine particle pollution.

Additional information:
EPA news release

All About Missouri This Week

Bill Prefiled to Ban Texting and Driving

Missouri State Senator David Pearce has prefiled a bill that would prohibit the use by all drivers of hand-held mobile phones to send, read or write text messages. Find out more here.

Gubernatorial Candidates Discuss Tranportation Funding (Just a Little)

So far, Missouri’s candidates for governor have provide few details about how the state will pay to maintain roads. Missouri is 7^th among the states in the size of its transportation system, but 47^th in state funding.

Candidate Catherine Hanaway suggested that the $200 million annually in state fuel tax revenues that is used to fund the Highway Patrol could be committed to transportation. The Highway Patrol would be funded from general revenue, though Hanaway’s plan does not provide specifics about how other general revenue-funded programs would be cut or how general revenue would be increased. You can find more about Hanaway’s proposal here.

The state General Assembly is also looking at the issue. A prefiled bill (HB 1381) would raise the state fuel tax from 17 cents to 19 cents per gallon.

First Woman Engineering Dean at University of Missouri

My alma mater, the University of Missouri College of Engineering, has named its 11^th dean, Elizabeth G. Loboa. She is the first woman to hold the position. Loboa has a background in biomedical engineer. Before coming to Mizzou, she held a joint appointment at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University.

Highway Commissioner Appointed

Gov. Jay Nixon appointed Hannibal-area lawyer John Briscoe to serve on the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission. The appointment must be confirmed by the Senate.

Springfield Buying Wind Energy

City Utilities of Springfield announced it will be buying energy from a wind farm to be built north of Oklahoma City, OK. The wind farm is being built by Duke Energy Renewables and is designed to produce 200 megawatts.

Missouri Governor Nominates Infrastructure and Environmental Board Members

Missouri Governor Jay “Boondoggle Bridge” Nixon announced appointments to some boards and commissions. The appointees will be subject to confirmation by the Missouri Senate.

Patrice E. Boehler, Dam and Reservoir Safety Council - Since 1998, Boehler has served as vice president of development for Westmore Group Inc., a provider of commercial real estate services. She also is president of Natural Resource Consultants Inc. and has worked on dam safety issues in that position for 19 years. Her term ends April 3, 2011.

Daniel G. Buxton, Dam and Reservoir Safety Counci - Buxton is a project manager/engineer for The Doe Run Co. and has been with the company since 1974. In his current position, he manages construction projects at plant sites, regularly inspects 11 Doe Run-owned regulated dams, and manages repairs and construction of the company's dams and spillways. His term ends April 3, 2011.

Kyle W. Drury, Dam and Reservoir Safety Council - Drury is senior design engineer at Bloomsdale Excavating Co. and has been with the company since 2004. He previously was a project engineer with Holcim (US) Inc. and an aviation engineer with Crawford, Murphy and Tilly Consulting Engineers. His term ends April 3, 2010.

Charles E. (Eddie) Adams, Jr., Hazardous Waste Commission - Adams is general manager of Adams Fertilizer Inc. in Senath. He has been with the business since 1985. Adams also was an agricultural pilot for Senath Aviation from 1984 to 2006. His term ends April 3, 2012.

Michael R. Foresman, Hazardous Waste Commission - Foresman serves as a part-time consultant for several environmental consulting firms. He retired in 2001 as president of Solutia Management Co. Inc., a remediation liability management subsidiary of Solutia Inc. His term ends April 3, 2013.

You can read the original news release here.

Missouri River News Bulletin

• The Corps of Engineers has been holding a series of public meetings to discuss concerns about the Missouri River and plans to modify its management to better protect fish and wildlife.
  More on this:
  Corps sets Missouri River study meetings
  Feds plan Missouri River meetings
  Input is sought
  NCGA: Waterway Meetings Provide Opportunity For Grower Input
  Planning For River Future

• The Senate version of a funding bill for the Corps of Engineers includes $25 million for a Missouri River study. Proponents say its time for a new look at the uses of the rivers while opponents say it’s a waste after the Corps completed a $35 million study in 2004.
  More on this:Study for river gets initial OK

In Congress

Congress rolls on, after its fashion, even when a blog pauses. Here is a summary of what our senators and representatives have been up to over the last few weeks.

Acronym Mongers Active in Legislature
The Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship Act (H.R. 3158) would set limitations for rules the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) might implement to control spills at animal feeding operations. Another bill would constrain EPA (S. 1702) would limit the agency’s regulation of emissions from stationary internal combustion engines used for electric power generation or water pumping, though it doesn’t have a clever name.

The Resources and Economic Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast Act of 2011 (H.R. 3096) would create a Gulf Coast Restoration Trust Fund to be funded from penalties from the Deepwater Horizon incident. The fund would support restoration efforts in the coastal states on the Gulf of Mexico. The bill would also create five centers for excellence for the study of effects of the spill and the restoration of the Gulf.

Agency Potentially Under the Ax

The EDA Elimination Act of 2011 (H.R. 3090) would repeal the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, which created the Economic Development Agency. The bill has been referred to various committees.

American Jobs Act
The American Jobs Act of 2011 (H.R. 12) rolls together a lot proposals into an omnibus, dare it be spoken, stimulus bill. A significant portion of the bill deals with employment tax relief, other tax reform and supporting education jobs and facilities. Only part of the bill deals with the kind of infrastructure we normally cover at Infrastructure Watch.

-Transportation appropriations. The bill would appropriate $39 billion to air, rail, port and highway transportation programs. In most cases, normal matching requirements would be waived.

-Infrastructure Bank. The bill incorporates the BUILD Act, the main purpose being the creation of a national infrastructure bank.

-Redevelopment. The bill appropriates $15 billion to the Department of Housing and Urban Development to make grants for the redevelopment of abandoned and foreclosed properties.

A version of this bill was also introduced in the Senate (S. 1660). There are several other bills intended to create jobs and stimulate the economy.

The Jobs Through Growth Act (S. 1720) would, among other things, limit EPA’s rulemaking authority and ease the way for energy exploration in the continental shelf. The Rebuild America Jobs Act (S. 1769) would fund transportation projects and create an infrastructure bank, and increase taxes on people with incomes of $500,000 or more (I wish I had that kind of problem).

Appropriations
Appropriations acts, the only thing Congress really has to do every year, are making their way through the process.

-The Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 (H.R. 2608) passed both houses.
-The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012 (S. 1596) was introduced to the Senate.

Bill Would Suspend Requirements for Highway Projects
Rep. Randy Forbes (VA) has introduced the 414 Plan Act of 2011 (H.R. 2924). The bill would suspend several federal requirements for federal-aid highway projects and highway safety construction. The suspension would last for five years. It would also repeal several laws relating to biking and pedestrian traffic.

Coal Combustion Product Regulation
The House of Representatives passed the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act (H.R. 2273). This bill would put regulation of coal combustion products under Subpart D of the Solid Waste Disposal Act, essentially putting regulation in the hands of the states and heading off a potential determination from EPA that may have brought it under a federal regulatory program.

Congress Passes Bill to Extend Transportation Programs
Both houses have Congress have passed a bill (H.R. 2887) to extend several surface and air transportation programs through March 31, 2012. Long-term reauthorization is underway (S. 1786).

Related posts and articles
Congress of Deadlines
Congress to Take Up Transportation Bill, Infrastructure Bank
House Passes Transportation Bill

Energy Bill Has Unusual Name, Other Energy Proposals
In spite of its name, the Rebuild American Roads Act (H.R. 2983), would expedite plans for energy resource exploration and drilling in the continental shelf, especially in the Gulf of Mexico. The bills was introduced by Rep. Shelly Moore Capito (WV). The POWER Act (H.R. 2360) would make U.S. laws applicable on energy structures on the outer continental shelf.

The Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act of 2011 (H.R. 2842) would smooth the way for the development of hydropower generation projects in Reclamation water conveyances. The Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act of 2011 (S. 1775) would establish means to permit solar and wind energy projects on public lands and extend existing geothermal development programs.

Missouri River Priorities Contested
Rep. Sam Graves (MO) has introduced a bill (H.R. 2993) that would strike wildlife protection as priority for the Corps of Engineers’ Missouri River management plan and make flood control the top priority. S. 1795 would direct the Corps to address flood control specifically by increasing storage.

National Infrastructure Bank Bill
Sen. Sherrod Brown (OH) has introduced the National Infrastructure Bank Act of 2011 (S. 1550). The bank would be board-governed and make loans and loan guarantees of up to half the project cost to public sponsors of a variety of infrastructure projects. The bill would authorize appropriations of up to $5 billion annually through 2015 to capitalize the bank.

The American Jobs Act of 2011 (S. 1549) also includes an infrastructure bank proposal. That bill would establish the American Infrastructure Finance Authority to make loans and loan guarantees for transportation, water and energy infrastructure projects. This provision appears to be very similar to the BUILD Act.

A version of this bill was also introduced into the House of Representatives (H.R. 3259).

Related posts and articles
Calls for Infrastructure Bank Continue
Congress to Take Up Transportation Bill, Infrastructure Bank
President Proposes New Recovery Plan
President Sends Jobs Plan to Congress

Water Resources Infrastructure Bill Hits Senate
The Senate version of the Water Infrastructure Resiliency and Sustainability Act of 2011 (S. 1669) has been introduced. A similar bill was previously introduced in the House.

Related posts and articles
Water News: Water Resources Resilience Bill Introduced

Infrastructure & Environment News

Energy

Alternative Energy Links

My lack of time to write for this blog has reduced me to a compiler of infrastructure news, though such compilation has always been part of Infrastructure Watch. You can links to several alternative energy articles here.

Google Pledges Investment in African Renewables Project

Google pledged to invest in the Lake Turkana Wind Power Project in Kenya. You can find more about this project here.

Low Gas Prices No Problem for Solar

Low gas prices didn’t last long around here (at least they didn’t stay less than $2 per gallon for long). Either way, Tony Randall discusses why low oil prices are not a problem for the continued growth of solar power in Bloomberg.

Renewables Generators Face Distribution Problems

As the U.S. develops renewable energy resources, it is facing a problem: the places where we most want to use the energy are some distance from the places where we are best able to generate it.  States in the middle of the country are becoming involved in conflicts between clean energy proponents and landowners, sometimes turning environmental and energy groups into uncomfortable allies.

Missouri is one state where the issue has come to head. Earlier this year, the Public Service Commission rejected a project that would carry energy from wind farms in Kansas to users in Indiana. The commission determined that the project was not needed, and many of the public comments received by the commission expressed opposition to the project. The company behind the proposal, Clean Line Energy Partners LLC of Texas, is also proposing a line to connect Oklahoma to Tennessee, which faces opposition in Arkansas.

Environmental groups have been supportive of the Missouri project. Missouri’s chapter of the Sierra Club has acknowledged that the Clean Line route avoids many environmentally sensitive areas, and expressed hope that it will help in the move away from coal. The Sierra Club also supported a Clean Line project in part of Arkansas where it was opposing an oil pipeline project.

Supreme Court Hears Demand Response Case

The Supreme Court has been hearing arguments in a case related to demand response. Demand response refers to methods large energy user adjust their use to reduced demand during normally high use times when energy is expensive. Demand response reduces peak demand, evens out energy use, and reduces cost of energy production.

Companies have created markets to trade these reductions in demand (sometimes called negawatts) as if they were power being supplied to the market. When major users reduce shift use or move use to off-peak times, they reduce the need to ramp up additional generating units, and save money for generators. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has enshrined this in regulations that require energy wholesalers to pay for these commitments to reduce demand the same amount they pay for a commitment to generate electricity.

The crux of the argument before the court is the regulatory authority of FERC. FERC has authority related to wholesale energy markets, where commitments to generate might be traded (and FERC rules say a commitment to reduce demand should get an equal price). The utility customers who are making the commitments to reduce demand are buying energy in the retail market, which is regulated by states.  Opponents of the FERC rules say that it is getting into retail markets in which it has not authority. FERC argues that it is the only agency that can effective regulate this kind of trading, and that there is a public good in the demand reductions and efficiencies provided by demand response.

You can find more about this case here, along with a description of how it may become important to small retail electricity users (i.e. almost all of us).

Infrastructure

John Oliver Thinks Infrastructure Sexy

Comedian John Oliver featured America’s infrastructure in a segment on his show Last Week Tonight. Obviously, Oliver’s tone is humorous and mocking, but he presents a thoughtful essay on the issue. You can see it on YouTube.

States

New Environmental Director in Nebraska

Congratulations to Jim Macy, who was recently appointed by Gov. Pete Ricketts to serve as director of the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality. Macy has worked in the area of environmental regulation and compliance for decades, including leadership roles at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Transportation

States Take Lead on Infrastructure Funding

Washington senate leaders have proposed to raise the state gas tax to 11.7 cents per gallon over the next three years. The proposal would also redirect a portion of the state’s sales tax to its transportation fund (more here).

Oregon will experiment with a program of fees based on miles driven rather than a gas tax beginning this summer (more here). Many think this is a more rational way to fund highways.

In my home state of the Missouri, the governor came just short of calling for a gas tax hike as part of the state of the state address. Tax Justice Blog has a nice summary of proposals in several other states.

Water

Baltimore Sewers Featured on Radio

The radio program Marketplace featured the Baltimore, MD, sewer system and the issues associated with a large, aging infrastructure (listen to or read the story here). Baltimore is not unique; these problems are plaguing cities across the nation.

San Francisco Opens New Hetch Hetchy Tunnel

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission opened the New Irvington Tunnel. The 3.5-mile, 9-ft diameter tunnel will carry 265 million gallons a day. It is part of the Hetch Hetchy system, which brings water from reservoirs as far away as Yosemite National Park, 167 miles. (Read more about the project at KQED.)

Real-Time Sensor for Bacteria in Water

A device has been developed in Denmark that can detect bacteria in water. Of course, not all bacteria is harmful, so it seems the usefulness of the tool may be limited to screening for now. However, it continuous, real-time monitoring could be a useful screen to determine when additional testing is should be performed or when a contamination event started. If commercial versions of the sensor are affordable, multiple sensors could be placed in a drinking water distribution system to continuously monitor water quality, disinfection effectiveness, and potential contamination.  You can find out more about the sensor here.

Water and Art

Adres Jacque will build a temporary structure that uses plants to purify water in the courtyard of MoMA PS1. Organisms in the structure will glow in the dark to provide light. See this Fast Company article for more information.

Pharmaceuticals in Water

Recent reports have highlighted the issue related to pharmaceuticals in water. We’ll be posting links to articles and information on the subject here. We hope this will be a useful resource for you.

Amended July 28, 2013

American Water Works Association White Paper: Pharmaceutical Compounds in Drinking Water

Anti-anxiety drugs leaked into rivers make fish antisocial (Main, D., CBS News, Feb. 15, 2013)

Drinking Water of 41 Million Americans Contaminated with Pharmaceuticals (Natural News, Aug. 22, 2008)

Bill Introduced to Study Pharmaceutical Disposal (Drug Free Water Act of 2008)

Drugs in Our Drinking Water: An Update (Cho, R., State of Our Planet, Nov. 9, 2010)

Environmental Health: Action Needed to Sustain Agencies’ Collaboration on Pharmaceuticals in Drinking Water (GAO, August 2011)

Gillibrand seeks cause behind drugs in water (Heller, M., Watertown Daily Times, May 13, 2009)

Glick, Deanna. “Drugs in Tap Water: How Significant is the Risk?” Drinking Water and Backflow Prevention (Sept. 2008): 14-15.

Mason, Margie. (2009 Jan. 25). World’s highest drug levels entering India stream. Associated Press. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jl0ROaU73P3_j0f0IODVN8A2YTEAD95UBNLO0, accessed 2009 Feb. 18.

Missouri scientists say grassy buffers provide protection against animal antibiotics (Columbia Missourian [AP], Feb. 15, 2010)

Pelligerno, E. (2009 Apr. 13). New UA lab researches medicines in water supply. Arizona Daily Star.

Plants ease antibiotics’ risk to farms (Gustin, G., NewsOK, Feb. 16, 2010)

Polluting The Water With Toothpaste, Shampoo, And Drugs (Profita, C., Investigate West, Sept. 12, 2012)

New Yorkers Asked to Keep Drugs Out of Drinking Water. (Aug. 11, 2008). Environmental News Service.

Oppenheimer et al., Emerging Contaminants, Opflow, May 2008

Pontius, Fred. “Tap Water Pharmaceuticals: Back to the Future.” Journal AWWA June 2008: 16-28.

Senate hearing sounds alarm on pharmaceuticals

Senate panel considers study of drugs in water (Donn, J., Associate Press, May 12, 2009)

Sewage lagoons remove most - but not all – pharmaceuticals (Coombs, C. B., University of Illinois News Bureau, Feb. 14, 2013)

Sewage Lagoons Remove Most -- But Not All – Pharmaceuticals (Science Daily, Feb. 13, 2013)

Statement of Barbara Boxer

Statement of Dr. Shane Snyder, Southern Nevada Water Authority before the Senate Subcommittee on Transportation Safety, Infrastructure Security, and Water Quality on Pharmaceuticals in the Nation’s Water: Assessing Potential Risks and Actions to Address the Issue--April 15, 2008

STATEMENT OF DR. ROBERT M. HIRSCH, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR WATER U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, BEFORE THE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS SUBCOMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY AND WATER QUALITY--April 15, 2008

Study: Over Half Of Americans Medicated

Study: Plants ease antibiotic risk on farms (Capital Press [AP], Feb. 17, 2010)

Subcommittee on Transportation Safety, Infrastructure Security, and Water Quality hearing entitled, “Pharmaceuticals in the Nation’s Water: Assessing Potential Risks and Actions to Address the Issue.”

TESTIMONY OF BENJAMIN H. GRUMBLES ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR FOR WATER ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY BEFORE THE TRANSPORTATION SAFETY, INFRASTRUCTURE SECURITY AND WATER QUALITY SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE UNITED STATES SENATE April 15, 2008

Testimony of David Pringle Campaign Director New Jersey Environmental Federation On Behalf of: New Jersey Environmental Federation and Clean Water Action

TESTIMONY OF JENNIFER SASS, Ph. D., SENIOR SCIENTIST, NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL

Tests find antibiotic, other contaminants in Tampa's drinking water (Wade, C., Tampa Tribune, Jan. 5, 2010)

Tipsy Fish: When Anti-Anxiety Meds Get Into Rivers (Greenwood, V., Time, Feb. 15, 2013)

Tons of released drugs taint U.S. water (Donn, J., Mendoza, M., & Pritchard, J., Associated Press, Apr. 19, 2009)

US senator calls for EPA to study meds-in-water (Water Technology Online, May 13, 2009)

Waste Water Analysis Reveals for the First Time Real Time Information Regarding Drug Consumption in 19 European Cities (Science Daily, July 26, 2012)

Will CERCLA allow water entities to recover response costs from pharmaceutical companies? (Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Journal AWWA, May 2009, pp. 18-20)