Highway Funding

Infrastructure Watch previously posted about the dwindling Highway Trust Fund.  One of the reasons this fund has shrunk is that it is supported by taxes on gasoline.  Improvements in fuel efficiency and changes in driving habits have reduced revenues from gas taxes.

This is issue for states as well as the federal government.  Like the Highway Trust Fund, most state highway revenues come from gas taxes.  At all levels of government, people are looking for alternative sources of revenue.  Some of the proposals include increasing gas taxes, sales taxes, miles-traveled taxes, increasing fees, and new or increased tolls.

Increased Gas Tax

One approach is to simply increase the tax on gas.  In 13 states, it has been 20 years or more since the gas tax has changed.

Sales Tax

Some states are looking at supplementing highway funding with a sales tax.  Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has gone so far as to propose eliminating his states gas tax and replacing it with a sales tax to support transportation.  Though no other state has considered going so far, many have looked at increased or new sales taxes to supplement funds for highways.

Miles-Traveled Tax

The gas tax has some relation to road use because the more you drive the more gas you use.  Several states have looked at the possibility of directly taxing for roads based on use.  The difficulty of such a tax is that there needs to be a mechanism of tracking and reporting miles traveled.

Fees

Most states have fees for motor vehicle registration.  Some are considering increasing these fees and dedicating them completely to transportation.  It seems unlikely that these fees alone could replace losses in gas tax revenue.

Tolls

Tolls are a longstanding method of road funding.  One suggestion for raising road revenues is to increase toll and institute tolls on free roads.

Related posts and articles

Highway Trust Fund Running Out of Money (Infrastructure Watch, Feb. 9, 2012)

New tax hikes eyed for roads, transit (Copeland, L., USA Today, Jan. 28, 2012)

Time to tweak gas taxes? States weigh options (Copeland, L., USA Today, Jan. 28, 2012)

Quick Hits: Highway Funding (Infrastructure Watch, Jan. 22, 2013)

Energy & Transportation Update

ENERGY

Customers Could See Lower Winter Heating Costs

Low wholesale natural gas prices could result in lower heating bills for many this winter. In much of the country, natural gas utilities periodically adjust rates based on the cost of natural gas in the wholesale market. In Missouri, both Missouri Gas Energy and Laclede Gas have lowered rates base on wholesale fuel prices.

Gas price is a significant portion of the variable costs that are accounted for in the rate. Rates also include a utilities fixed costs, such as the cost of pipes and other infrastructure, that do not vary much over time.

The total cost of heating is affected by other factors. In particular, the length and severity of cold periods affects the amount of natural gas used. Even if the unit price of gas is lower, if more is used because there are more cold days or colder days, the total paid for gas could go up.

USDA Grants $2.9M to Missouri for Ethanol Distribution

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Biofuel Infrastructure Partnership granted $2.9 million to Missouri to increase the availability of ethanol. The state anticipates the grant will aid retailers in the installation of 171 pumps for fuels that contain ethanol. You can find more about this grant here.

Ethanol is a type of alcohol used for fuel; for automobiles it is typically blended with gasoline. Missouri requires most gasoline sold to contain 10 percent ethanol, though some vehicles can run on fuel that is as much as 85 percent ethanol (E-85).

                           

TRANSPORTATION

$10M Federal Grant to Aid Missouri-Illinois Bridge Replacement

The federal government has committed $10 million to the construction of a bridge to replace the Champ Clark Bridge at Louisiana, MO. The bridge links U.S. 54 in Missouri and Illinois. Illinois has committed funding for its share of the cost, but Missouri is still seeking much of the $30 million needed for its share. You can find out more about this project here.

Gas Taxes

Federal and state fuel taxes are a major source of funding for transportation infrastructure. Declining revenue from these taxes, brought on by increased fuel efficiency and reduced travel due to the weak economy, is prompting lawmakers to take a look at how transportation is funded.

California and Wyoming have already increased gas taxes. Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Virginia may soon follow.

Of course, people are looking beyond fuel taxes. Some have suggested treating transportation more like a utility. In a sense, a gas tax is something like a utility fee in that gas use is somewhat proportional to miles use. The problems with a fuel tax have been noted, which means the tax rate must increase if it is to continue as a primary funding source. A tire tax might also support a utility-like fee because tire wear is also somewhat proportional to miles driven. Some have even propose a per-mile tax, though this would be more difficult to administer because miles driven would have to be reported by vehicle owners or recorded and submitted by a device, which prompts privacy concerns.

We probably have the means to solve our transportation funding problems. Not all of them are easy, but then what is?

Related posts and articles

The gas tax compromise (Baltimore Sun, Mar. 5, 2013)

Highway Funding (Infrastructure Watch, Jan. 29, 2013)

It's official: Gas tax going up (Horn, J., San Diego Union-Tribune, Feb. 28, 2013)

Md. Gov. O’Malley calls for sales tax on gas, other steps to pay for road and transit projects (Washington Post [Associated Press])

NH panel endorses 15-cent gas tax hike (Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Feb. 21, 2013)

Plan calls for $20 billion in Minnesota tax hikes for roads, transit (Doyle, P., Star Tribune, Nov. 30, 2012)

Richmond’s bad transportation deal (Galuszka, P., Washington Post, Feb. 20, 2013)

Transportation as Utility (Peterson, E. C., Eno Brief)

Wyoming Senate passes fuel tax hike (Billings Gazette [Associated Press], Feb. 14, 2013)

Infrastructure News (Mostly Missouri)

ENERGY

Safety Valves Required on Gas Connections

The U.S. Department of Transportation, which governs gas pipeline safety through its Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, issue rules that require safety valves to be installed on all new or replacement gas service lines for apartments and small businesses. Excess flow valves automatically shut off the flow of gas when a line is ruptured, limiting the amount of gas that can escape, which will prevent or reduce the severity of fires.

Such valves have been required for new and replacement connections for single-family residences since 2009. The rule does not require existing connections to be retrofitted with the valve.

Tennessee Valley Authority Puts Unfinished Nuclear Plant on the Market

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is offering for sale its Bellefonte Nuclear Plant. TVA began construction of the plant, located near the northeast Alabama town of Hollywood, in the 1970s, but never completed it because regional power demand did not grow as anticipated.

TVA has set a minimum bid of $36.4 million for the plant and 1,600 acres of land along the Tennessee River. This is fraction of the $5 billion the authority has spent on the project. In addition to the unfinished nuclear reactors, the property includes power transmission lines, roads, and several buildings.

TVA cites economic development as a reason for the sale. It hopes industry will be attracted to the developed site and provide employment in the region.

Wind Farm to Start Operation in Missouri

Next Era Energy Resources is anticipating completing construction of a wind farm in rural DeKalb County, MO, in November. The facility will have 97 turbines and be capable of generating 200 MW. Kansas City Power and Light will purchase the energy. Find out more in this article from the St. Joseph News-Press.

ENGINEERING

Engineering Educators Elect First Black Woman President

The American Society for Engineering Education elected Bevlee Watfort as its president. She is the first black woman to hold the office. Her term will begin in June 2017. Watford is Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering.

TRANSPORTATION

Missouri Testing Solar Sidewalk at Rest Stop

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) announced it will install sidewalk made of solar panels at its Route 66 Welcome Center. The sidewalk will cover a 12-foot by 20-foot area at the rest stop on Interstate 44 near Conway, MO.

The panels will be supplied by Solar Roadways of Sandpoint, ID. The solar panels and electronics are sandwiched between to ½-inch thick layers of tempered glass. MoDOT will test the materials for durability under various weather conditions. It will also test the suitability of the panel’s built-in LEDs as substitutes for road striping.

MoDOT does not expect to sell power from solar projects. It envisions that solar roadways may generate enough power to supply rest areas. The power generated by this project will be directed to the welcome center building.

WATER

Bill to Change Missouri Water Commission Overcomes Veto

The Missouri General Assembly overturned a veto by Governor Jay Nixon of a bill that could change the composition of the Missouri Clean Water Commission. The bill would change the composition of the commission, allowing agriculture and mining interests to have a larger representation. The commission has authority over rulemaking under the state clean water law. You can read more about this here.

Oklahoma Shuts Down Waste Wells in Light of Earthquake Threat

The September 3rd earthquake on a newly discovered fault near Pawnee, Oklahoma, has prompted state and federal officials to halt injection of oil and gas wastewater into 67 wells in the area. There is a growing scientific consensus that wastewater injection has contributed to recent earthquakes in the Oklahoma.

Wastewater produced from oil and gas extraction is disposed of by injecting it deep into the ground. Reducing the amount of wastewater that can be injects also reduces the amount of oil or gas that can be collected. The wastewater cannot readily be disposed of by other means.

The magnitude 5.8 quake was felt in neighboring states (Facebook friends of this contributor reported feeling it in St. Louis and the Missouri Bootheel). The U.S. Geologic Survey reports that it was felt as far away as Nevada and Florida.

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.

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.

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.)

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.

Oil & Gas Industry Toots its Own Horn

The American Petroleum Institute (API) released a report touting the economic benefits of the oil and gas industry.  There are a lot of figures in the report.  Some that will likely make policymakers set up and listen are 

• The oil and gas industry supports 9.2 million American jobs, and
• The average refinery worker makes $94,500 annually (I have to rethink my career choices).

 This seems to be part of a larger plan to improve the industry’s image.  You probably recall seeing lot of advertisements about the benefits of oil and natural gas during the last election cycle.

Related posts and articles

API Wants Energy Back In 2012 Elections (Ryan, M., AOL Energy, Jan. 5, 2012)

As Voters Focus on Energy, API Chief Begs: 'Turn Us Loose' (Gardett, P., AOL Energy, Aug. 23, 2012)

The State of American Energy (API)

Trillions and Billions: US Oil and Gas Sector Reviews Its Economic Footprint (Gardett, P., AOL Energy, Jan. 8, 2013)

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.

Transportation Funding: States Look To Their Own Resources

Congress has not agreed on a way to address declining fuel tax revenues, the primary source of funding road projects and maintaining existing roads. This has prompted some states to consider their own resources to raise revenues for roads.

*Michigan is considering a proposal to double its fuel tax by 2018.

*New Jersey legislators are holding hearing on a fuel tax increase.

*Some states have already increase fuel taxes: Indiana, Maryland and New Hampshire.

Other posts and articles:

Michigan Senate plans vote on gas tax increase

N.J. gas tax debate: Final hearing on Transportation Trust Fund set for Nov. 20

N.J. gas tax would rise nearly $300 a year for average driver under bill to fix roads, rails and bridges

States take lead on gas tax hikes

America’s Neglected Infrastructure

Our water, power and transportation infrastructure is vital to the way we live, yet we do not invest in it enough to keep it in the condition we need it to be in.  To learn more about our infrastructure needs, check out the following links.

The sad, sorry state of US roads (Read, R., Christian Science Monitor, Oct. 2, 2012)

U.S. Roads Are In Terrible Shape: How Would You Fix Them? (Read, R., The Car Connection, Oct. 2, 2012)

WHY IT MATTERS: Creaky bridges, potholed roads, tricky politics (Washington Post [Associated Press], Oct. 8, 2012)

21 Facts About America’s Decaying Infrastructure That Will Blow Your Mind (Snyder, M., Hawaii News Daily, Sept. 20, 2012)

The Gas Tax Is Running Low. But What Should Replace It? (Totty, M., Sept. 17, 2012)

Nation's water costs rushing higher (McCoy, K., USA Today, Sept. 26, 2012)

New long-term bill for Miami-Dade water and sewer repairs could top $12 billion (Rabin, C., Miami Herald, Sept. 17, 2012)

US Water Infrastructure Needs: The Private Funding Gap (Freedman, J., Environmental Leader, Sept. 11, 2012)

We need long term strategy for investment in our infrastructure (Rendell, E., The Hill’s Congress Blog, Sept. 18, 2012)

A year after Irene, experts say N.J. must strengthen infrastructure before it's too late (Sterling, S., New Jersey Star-Ledger, Aug. 25, 2012)

Bloomingdale floods expose sewer systems strained by development (Samuels, R., Washington Post, Aug. 25, 2012)

Cuts in transportation funding mean worse Pennsylvania roads, bridges (Schmitz, J., Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Aug. 20, 2012)
Our Neglected Infrastructure (Infrastructure Watch, Aug. 7, 2012)

Urgency rising to fix nation's crumbling bridges (Glor, J., CBS This Morning, Aug. 9, 2012)

GM CEO Akerson: Raise Taxes On Gasoline (Ernst, K., The Car Connection, June 7, 2011)

Obama: Pay As You Drive, Instead of Gas Tax? (Halvorson, B., The Car Connection, May 5, 2011)

Who Wants Higher Gas Taxes? That's Ford. Bill Ford. (Voelcker, J., The Car Connection, May 5, 2009)

Water Bills Rising Quickly in the USA (Deutsch, R., USA Today)

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 & 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.

Water News

Water Rulemaking Anticipated in 2012
The Environmental Protection Agency has tentatively slated two rules for final issuance this year, the Third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR3) in March and the Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) in November.

UCMR3 will apply to some water systems. As the name suggests, it will require monitoring for potential contaminants that are not currently regulated. The rule focuses on 28 contaminants and the monitoring will take place in 2013-2102.

RTCR will apply to all water systems. The rule will be similar to the existing TCR, but the indicator organism will be E. coli rather than total coliform. E. coli is used as an indicator of potential fecal contamination, and its presence in drinking water will trigger public notice and additional monitoring. Where the new rule will differ is that it will require additional monitoring for some systems and will bring more attention to finding and preventing potential bacterial contamination, especially in distribution systems.

Kansas to Take a Look at Fracking
The Kansas Water Office is planning to have a meeting about hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in February. There is a lot of demand for oil and gas exploration in Kansas and the state Division of Water Resources has approve nearly all of the 600 applications for temporary water permits it received in 2011 related to such explorations.

Find more at
Despite Drought, Fracking Causes Spike in Water Permits for Oil, Gas Exploration in Kansas
Fracking in Kan. Pushes Water Permits to New High
Fracking in Kan. Pushes Water Permits to New High
Fracking in Kansas Pushes Water Permits to a New High
Fracking Pushes Water Permits to New High
Water Permits Up Due to Fracking in Kansas

USDA Releases Emergency Funds for Response to Floods, Other Disasters

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced it will release $300 million in emergency funds to repair farmland and property damaged by the several natural disasters that occurred in the last year. Missouri will be one of the states where significant aid will be provided (about $50 million), mainly in response to extensive damages to farms from flooding.

Find more at
USDA Announces $308 Million for Disaster-Stricken States

Senate to Debate Climate Bill

The Senate has placed on its calendar for debate the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2007 (S. 2191). The bill would govern greenhouse gas emissions through a cap and trade system. Emission caps will be reduced from 2012 through 2050. The bill would distribute emissions allowances to a variety of entities that could sold to raise revenues for allowed activities. (In a sense, it creates a tax market where credits that might be used for greenhouse gas emissions compliance are distributed to beneficiaries, which they can sell in a government-managed market to entities who need to comply with emissions caps or want to retire, or even speculate on, the credits).

Book Review: The Big Roads by Earls Swift

Swift, Earl.  The Big Roads: The Untold Story of the Engineers, Visionaries, and Trailblazers Who Created the American Superhighways.  Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011.

The American interstate system is often thought to be a product of the Eisenhower administration.  It’s named for him.  However, the nearly 47,000 miles of interstate were conceived largely before Eisenhower’s presidency.  Even as he observed the Army’s 62-day, cross-country convoy of 1919, engineers were laying the political and technical foundations of national highways.  Earl Swift tells this longer history of the interstates in The Big Roads.

When Americans began calling for better roads, the typical road was mud.  The loudest calls for better roads at the beginning of the 20^th Century were cyclists, especially the colorful Carl Fisher.  Fisher’s most famous work is the Indianapolis Speedway, where a popular 500-mile race continues to be run.  His promotion of the Lincoln Highway, the first coast-to-coast highway (at least on paper), provided an important antecedent to the interstates.

The Lincoln Highway Association operated on a system that informed later highway development.  Rather than build a huge new highway, it selected existing roads for improvement, joining them together in a highway.  New roads were built only if necessary.  The association, a private organization that raised private funds for road improvement and route promotion, was a model for later systems in another way.  The Lincoln Highway was built and improved in pieces by a number of local and state agencies.  The association provided a route, coordination, promotion, encouragement, and sometimes funding, but the road improvements were mostly local works.

Thomas MacDonald, an Iowa highway engineer, was using a similar model as he worked for that state.  He worked with city and county road departments to coordinate improvements leading to a statewide system of decent roads.  When he became director of the Office of Public Roads, he brought this model to the federal highway program, institutionalizing it in the Federal Aid system that began in 1916.

Of course, the U.S. highways that developed under this system were not like modern interstates.  They were open to anyone along them.  In rural areas, they might have been and often still are long ribbons of pavement crossed by the occasional farm road.  In cities, they became crowded with business, especially restaurants and gas stations, that slowed traffic to a crawl.  This problems gave rise to the concept of a limited-access highway, first proposed by Benton MacKaye, the conservationist who conceived the Appalachian Trail.

MacDonald and his engineers began working the concept.  His office produced a report, authored primarily by Hubert Sinclair Fairbanks, that laid out most of the current interstate system in 1938.  Fairbanks supported that idea that better roads might solve problems related to slums and blight in cities.  The recommendations of this report and a follow-up commission were largely implemented in law in 1944, when the term “interstate” first appeared in legislation.

The plans for an interstate system languished during World War II and the years immediately following.  Eisenhower comes into the picture at this time because he strongly supported funding for the interstate system.

Highway engineers saw themselves as providing a good and giving the people what they wanted.  Along the way, as Fairbanks suggested, they could clean up the cities.  As they began to implement their plans in earnest, opposition arose.

Swift gives particular attention to two interstate opponents.  Critic Lewis Mumford provided the intellectual and philosophical foundation for the Freeway Revolt.  Joe Wiles, a black professional and veteran, organized opposition to Interstate 70 in Baltimore which resulted in changes to the plan and help unite the white and black communities in that city.  The federal and state governments began to take seriously the possibility that interstates could have a negative impact on the communities near them

The intestate system, finally completed in the 1990s, is the largest public works project in history.  Now that it is built, it needs to be maintained.  It will be expensive: $225 billion a year for the next 50 years to keep it in good shape.  That is more than twice what we’re spending.  In addition, improved fuel efficiency and reduced driving prompted by the economic downturn has reduced gas tax revenues for the Highway Trust Fund.  In the near future, we may need to find new ways to pay for maintaining our transportation marvel.

The Big Roads: The Untold Story of the Engineers, Visionaries, and Trailblazers Who Created the American Superhighways

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This review of The Big Roads by Earl Swift appears courtesy of Keenan’s Book Reviews, where you can reviews of other books related to engineering and technology.