ASCE ENERGIZED FOR LATEST ECONOMIC STUDY
April 26th, 2012 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
ASCE has released the latest report in the Failure to Act economic study series today – Failure to Act: The Economic Impact of Current Investment Trends in Electricity Infrastructure. This report assesses the nation’s aging e
nergy facilities and analyzes how accelerating investments in the nation’s transmission, generation, and distribution systems will prevent unnecessary costs to businesses and household budgets by 2020. This report follows two other economic studies that focused on the nation’s surface transportation systems and the nation’s drinking water and wastewater systems.
ASCE’s 2009 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure gave the nation’s energy system a D+. To better explain how the Report Card’s grades affect America’s economic future, ASCE has produced the Failure to Act series of economic reports focused on the real effects on our nation’s economic performance if the nation continues to under invest and defer spending on our energy grid.
This report concludes that by extending current investment trends for the nation’s energy assets through 2020, the U.S. would be investing $566 billion but that would still be $107 billion below the needed investments. To close this gap, an additional $11 billion in new funding annually is needed to decrease brownouts and blackouts and save American businesses $126 billion, prevent the loss of 529,000 jobs, and save $656 billion in personal income loss. America’s economic competitiveness would also benefit by protecting $96 billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and $10 billion in revenue from U.S. exports.
ASCE held a discussion with a panel of experts this morning to release the report and discuss the energy infrastructure needs for the nation. The panel was moderated by ASCE President Andrew W. Herrmann P.E., SECB, F.ASCE, and included two former FERC Commissioners, Jim Hoecker and Curt Herbert Jr.; as well as Otto Lynch, who heads the energy section of the ASCE Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, and Samir Succar, a scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council.
For more information on ASCE’s Failure to Act series please visit – www.asce.org/failuretoact .
Tags: economics, energy, infrastructure, infrastructure report card
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Congressional Recess Is Here, But A Surface Transportation Compromise Is Not Near
April 3rd, 2012 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
Congress went home last Friday for a two week recess after punting action on surface transportation another 90 days. Surface transportation programs have been running on a series of extensions for 916 days already, and this 9th extension will continue to add up the count until June 30th. Many in the transportation industry have grown extremely concerned that the House will not take action over the next three months and that programs will have to continue to run on extensions until after the November elections. Frustrations are at a boiling point now as state’s deal with the continued uncertainty coming from Capitol Hill, and as Republicans and Democrats continue to disagree on a path forward in the House. Legislators need to hear from their constituents why passing a new multi-year surface transportation bill is critical and why a continued series of extensions is unacceptable. Use the two week House recess to meet with your representative and tell them how the lack of a new surface transportation bill affects the civil engineering profession, your company, and your community. Share your stories with them in either a local town hall or by scheduling a meeting in a district office. While your Representative is home let’s use this opportunity to explain to legislators why a new bill is critical and let’s not allow their time at home to be a way to escape the needs of our nation’s infrastructure. Over the next 90 days ASCE will continue to urge the House of Representatives to take up and pass a bipartisan surface transportation bill, but with your help the message will really hit home! For continuous updates through June 30th, follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/#!/ascegovrel) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Save-Americas-Infrastructure/213409032028360?sk=wall).AWWA Helps Build the Case for Investment in Water Infrastructure
February 28th, 2012 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
Our friends at the American Water Works Association (AWWA) have just released a new comprehensive report echoing the call for investment in water infrastructure. They found that the
massive investment needed for buried drinking-water infrastructure in the United States totals more than $1 trillion between now and 2035.
The need will double from roughly $13 billion a year today to almost $30 billion (in 2010 dollars) annually by the 2040s, and the cost will be met primarily through higher water bills and local fees, according to the AWWA report.
“Buried No Longer: Confronting America’s Water Infrastructure Challenge” is a call to action for utilities, consumers and policy makers and recognizes that the need to replace pipe in the ground “puts a growing stress on communities that will continue to increase for decades to come.”
The AWWA report reinforces the ASCE analysis released in December 2011 that concluded that a failure to increase investments in wastewater and drinking-water systems will have a devastating effect on the U.S. economy by 2020. However, the report found that a modest increase in investment can protect $416B in GDP, prevent 700,000 job losses, and avoid personal income losses of $541B.
ASCE’s report, Failure to Act: The Economic Impact of Current Investment Trends in Water and Wastewater Treatment Infrastructure, can be read here.
Senate Finance Crosses Finish Line
February 8th, 2012 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
The Senate Finance Committee put the last puzzle piece in place last night when they voted the revenue portions of S. 1813, MAP-21, out of committee. The committee voted 17-6, with four Republicans voting with Democrats, in order to complete the last step before the legislation could reach the Senate floor. Senators will now vote on a motion to proceed, or invoke cloture, at 2pm Thursday. When this motion receives 60 votes, the Senate will be able to begin debate on “Moving Ahead for Progress in the Twenty-First Century”, or MAP-21. Senators must vote on four different portions of the legislation. First up will be the policy portion that was reported from the Environment and Public Works Committee, followed by the transit title from the Banking Committee, then the revenue title that was reported from Finance, and last but not least, safety measures from the Commerce Committee. Many expect the legislation to be on the Senate floor until President’s Day recess, which will begin at the end of next week. The Senate’s action this week means that both chambers will be debating surface transportation legislation on their respective floors next week. After years of inaction on the topic, surface transportation has finally become priority number one in Congress!A Promising Week for Transportation Legislation
February 2nd, 2012 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
It’s been a whirlwind week in Washington, D.C. for transportation as both the House and the Senate try to build momentum to pass much-needed reauthorization bills. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee unveiled their American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act (H.R. 7) on Tuesday at a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol Building on an unusually warm winter day. The bill would reauthorize surface transportation programs for five years. The reforms included in the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act would consolidate nearly 70 duplicative programs, expedite project delivery, create a set of performance measures, and enhance the TIFIA grant program. ASCE commends the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for advancing legislation to fund surface transportation programs. Read our letter to Chairman Mica. Meanwhile, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is busy working to advance their two-year reauthorization bill. Right now, it is farther along in the process than the House bill, as the Senate Finance Committee identifies potential pay-fors. It seems that both the House and the Senate are hoping to take credit for completing a reauthorization bill during this session, and that is good news for transportation. Another flurry of action surrounded the FAA reauthorization bill. After much deliberation between House and Senate leaders, there appears to be bipartisan support for a four-year FAA funding bill. The bill is expected to be voted on as early as tomorrow. We are at the mark-up today on the House transportation reauthorization bill and will be ready to share additional details on the status of both bills tomorrow.An ASCE Take on the State of the Union
January 24th, 2012 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
The President will be speaking before a Joint session of Congress and the American people tonight to discuss the State of the Union. The first State of the Union was delivered by President George Washington in January 1790 and since then has become a vehicle for a sitting President to outline his legislative agenda for the upcoming year. During last year’s State of the Union address President Obama discussed the nation’s infrastructure crisis and referenced ASCE’s 2009 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure as a reason why action must be taken to repair and maintain our nation’s roads, bridges, ports, water systems, dams, and rail. While it is not likely that the Report Card will be reference two years in a row, ASCE still has a few things that we would like to hear President Obama discuss. ASCE hopes that President Obama calls on Congress to rebuild the infrastructure that once was the envy of the world and spur the innovative imagination that has historically defined this country. It is through a state of the art infrastructure and a growing number of students moving into fields like civil engineering, that America can ensure that the state of the our union will remain strong for years to come. Since last year’s State of the Union address Congress has only been able to extend the surface transportation and FAA programs, instead of pass critical reauthorization bills. Additionally, since last January the National Dam Safety Program has expired and drinking water and wastewater state revolving funds continue to operate off of a 1987 authorization. At a time when the nation needs to create jobs and grow the economy in order to remain competitive, funding the nation’s infrastructure and producing students who excel in math and the sciences can prove to be the key. Therefore, ASCE has defined several legislative priorities. First, we need to rebuild America to compete in the 21st Century. For that reason ASCE calls on President Obama and Congress to:- Pass a multi-year surface transportation bill at level funding.
- Finalize a FAA reauthorization in the next few weeks.
- Reauthorize the National Dam Safety Program for 5 years.
- Begin work on drinking water and wastewater SRF reauthorization bills in 2012.
- Take up a new Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) that includes the creation of a national levee safety program.
- Pass legislation that would reauthorize the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP) and the National Windstorm Impact Reduction Program.
- Reauthorize the existing Math and Science Partnerships program at the Department of Education.
- Increase funding annual funding for NIST and NSF programs.
Tags: dams, hazards, infrastructure, infrastructure report card, transportation, water infrastructure
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Louisiana Section’s PR Campaign Sets a Great Example
January 20th, 2012 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
We are repeating this post because we thought the information would also be of interest to the readers of this blog. It was first posted on Friday, January 20th, 2012 As the Louisiana Section was gearing up to release its first state Report Card this month, members realized that spreading the word of their findings would require an effective public relations campaign. Realizing they lacked the expertise to execute such a campaign, Section members hired a PR consultant, Baton Rouge-based Mark Lambert. The Section also reached out to ASCE’s Communications and Government Relations departments to request training based on ASCE’s PR University seminar. A half-day PR workshop allowed members to work one on one with ASCE staff who traveled to Baton Rouge. As tailored specifically for the Report Card’s release, the workshop identified proper spokespersons and covered potential issues they might have to address. One critical component was the development of strategies to promote the Report Card to elected officials after the planned press conference, in order to keep the momentum going. With what they’d learned during the PR workshop in mind, the Section wisely decided to reschedule the release upon learning that Louisiana’s governor would unveil an education plan on the same date. With that conflict avoided, the consultant and Nedra Davis, the Section’s communications representative, reached out to reporters one day prior to the rescheduled event to make sure the press conference was on their radar. The day of the event, a news release was distributed statewide. ASCE’s Communications staff distributed it to national trade publications, as well as some Washington, D.C.-based reporters who covered ASCE’s national Report Card for America’s Infrastructure and our Failure to Act economic studies. The press conference was a success. Three TV stations and other media covered their announcement. The Louisiana Section’s actions reflect the type and quality of services ASCE can offer to Sections and Branches — whether it is a state Report Card or the designation of a historical civil engineering landmark.Romans and Roads
December 2nd, 2011 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
Since the beginning of our current economic downturn, pundits and armchair historians alike have compared the modern United States to the Roman Empire shortly before its decline. I usually change the channel or flip to the next page when I read such headlines, because to put it plainly – the US is not Rome. I chalk it up to a case of playing on people’s fears to attract viewers or sell books, and go about my day. However, there are similarities between the two, and the good news is, unfortunately for Rome, we can learn from their expense. We all know what happened to the great and vast Roman Empire. It came to its height, in part, because of its vast and advanced transportation and infrastructure network. Its army was efficient in many ways, but part of the ferocity that struck fear in the enemies of Rome was the speed at which its fighting force could travel on the roads they built. Trade across the empire was considered reliable and consistent because of the costs the Romans bore in order to ensure a working transportation system. Even today, Roman roads are still used by Europeans. In fact, an Aqueduct in the Spanish town of Segovia had been used to provide water until only recently. Alas, Rome fell for a number of unique and specific reasons, but the beginning of the end of the Roman Empire paralleled closely with the rapid decline in its infrastructure. At ASCE we are committed to efficient, sustainable, and smart infrastructure development and work to include and educate lawmakers in our federal, state, and local governments on the imperatives we are facing. As with any issue that impacts the well being of our future, the old adage of “those who forget history are doomed to repeat” can be applied to the many ways in which we seek to advance the quality of our nation’s roads, bridges, dams, etc. We have the distinct benefit of being able to look back into our history and learn from the lessons of previous civilizations. As we begin our efforts to release ASCE’s 2013 Report Card on America’s Infrastructure, we should also ready ourselves to finally tackle the problems facing our nation’s declining network of transportation and infrastructure.Audi's Take on American Roads
September 26th, 2011 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
Have you seen the new Audi ad? Check out what the folks at Foreign Policy’s Passport blog had to say about it. (And if you haven’t seen it, you can view a clip here as well.) My take on the new Audi commercial was slightly different – “Yes, let’s spend even more money on avoiding fixing the problems instead of actually fixing them.” Meaning, we know what it will take to improve the nation’s crumbling roads, bridges and transit systems – larger investments by ALL users, which is pretty much everyone who lives and breathes in the United States. You either use the systems directly, or use products and services that wouldn’t be available without transportation systems. See ASCE’s Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, especially our 5 Key Solutions. Yet, Audi would rather us invest more in their high-tech car that simply lets you avoid the roads that are all used up and in disrepair, rather than investing in fixing those broken-down roads so they would be useable by all vehicles. Not surprising since their goal is to sell more cars and make more profits. But the fact that this feature is first on Audi’s list of reasons to buy their luxury car above all the others means they must know this resonates with someone. This should be a little alarming to anyone who cares about improving our transportation systems.House approves short-term extensions
September 13th, 2011 | By: America's Infrastructure Report Card
This afternoon the House of Representatives passed legislation which will extend Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and surface transportation programs at current funding levels while Congress continues to work on long-term reauthorizations. The legislation is titled, “Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act of 2011” (H.R. 2887) and will extend the current FAA authorization until January 31st, 2012 and highway, transit, and highway safety programs until March 31st, 2012. The Senate is expected to approve the bill shortly. Following the House vote, ASCE President Elect Andrew Herrmann, P.E., SECB, F.ASCE, released the following statement,“The American Society of Civil Engineers applauds Congress for advancing legislation to fund the nation’s roads, airports, and public transportation systems.
Extending the surface transportation and aviation programs at current funding levels ensures that over 1.8 million jobs across all 50 states and the District of Columbia will be protected in the near term. This clean extension gives Congress the opportunity to begin the real work of passing a crucial longer-term bill.
While we are heartened by the bipartisan support for this law, an extension at current funding levels represents the bare minimum of what must be done to address our nation’s crumbling transportation infrastructure.
America’s transportation system is the very backbone of our economy. If current funding levels are maintained long term – or if funding levels are cut – America can expect to lose hundreds of thousands of jobs and hundreds of billions of dollars in economic growth over the next 10 years. To ensure a prosperous and competitive economic future, ASCE urges Congress to increase long-term investment in the country’s deteriorating infrastructure.”
