The Official Coli International Infrastructure/Public works appreciation/unappreciation thread.
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The coli has better infrastructure than america 
The coli has better infrastructure than america
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PROVIDENCE, R.I. — As climate change pushes states in the U.S. to dramatically cut their use of fossil fuels, many are coming to the conclusion that solar, wind and other renewable power sources might not be enough to keep the lights on.
Nuclear power is emerging as an answer to fill the gap as states transition away from coal, oil and natural gas to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stave off the worst effects of a warming planet. The renewed interest in nuclear comes as companies, including one started by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, are developing smaller, cheaper reactors that could supplement the power grid in communities across the U.S.
Nuclear power comes with its own set of potential problems, especially radioactive waste that can remain dangerous for thousands of years. But supporters say the risks can be minimized and that the energy source will be essential to stabilize power supplies as the world tries to move away from carbon dioxide-emitting fossil fuels.
Tennessee Valley Authority President and CEO Jeff Lyash puts it simply: You can't significantly reduce carbon emissions without nuclear power.
"At this point in time, I don't see a path that gets us there without preserving the existing fleet and building new nuclear," Lyash said. "And that's after having maximized the amount of solar we can build in the system."
The TVA is a federally owned utility that provides electricity to seven states as the nation's third largest electricity generator. It's adding about 10,000 megawatts of solar capacity by 2035 — enough to power nearly 1 million homes annually — but also operates three nuclear plants and plans to test a small reactor in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. By 2050, it hopes to hit its goal of becoming net zero, which means the amount of greenhouse gases produced is no more than the amount removed from the atmosphere.
An Associated Press survey of the energy policies in all 50 states and the District of Columbia found that a strong majority— about two-thirds— say nuclear, in one fashion or another, will help take the place of fossil fuels. The momentum building behind nuclear power could lead to the first expansion of nuclear reactor construction in the U.S. in more than three decades.
Roughly one-third of the states and the District of Columbia responded to the AP's survey by saying they have no plans to incorporate nuclear power in their green energy goals, instead leaning heavily on renewables. Energy officials in those states said their goals are achievable because of advances in energy storage using batteries, investments in the grid for high-voltage interstate transmission, energy efficiency efforts to reduce demand and power provided by hydroelectric dams.
The split over nuclear power in U.S. states mirrors a similar debate unfolding in Europe, where countries including Germany are phasing out their reactors while others, such as France, are sticking with the technology or planning to build more plants.
The Biden administration, which has tried to take aggressive steps to reduce greenhouse gases, views nuclear as necessary to help compensate for the decline of carbon-based fuels in the nation's energy grid.
U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm told the AP that the administration wants to get to zero-carbon electricity, and "that means nuclear, that means hydropower, that means geothermal, that means obviously wind on and offshore, that means solar.″
"We want it all," Granholm said during a visit in December to Providence, Rhode Island, to promote an offshore wind project.
The $1 trillion infrastructure package championed by Biden and signed into law last year will allocate about $2.5 billion for advanced reactor demonstration projects. The Energy Department said studies by Princeton University and the Decarb America Research Initiative show that nuclear is necessary for a carbon-free future.
Granholm also touted new technologies involving hydrogen and capturing and storing carbon dioxide before it is released into the atmosphere.
Nuclear reactors have operated reliably and carbon-free for many decades, and the current climate change conversation brings the benefits of nuclear to the forefront, said Maria Korsnick, president and chief executive officer of the Nuclear Energy Institute, the industry's trade association.
"The scale of this electric grid that's across the United States, it needs something that's always there, something that can help really be the backbone, if you will, for this grid," she said. "That's why it's a partnership with wind and solar and nuclear."
Peter Galbraith displays his opposition to a proposal to waive an environmental review of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power plant before renewing the plant's license, Tuesday, June 28, 2016, in Sacramento, Calif. (Photo: Rich Pedroncelli, Associated Press)
Nuclear technology still comes with significant risks that other low-carbon energy sources don't, said Edwin Lyman, director of nuclear power safety at the Union of Concerned Scientists. While the new, smaller reactors might cost less than traditional reactors to build, they'll also produce more expensive electricity, he said. He's also concerned the industry might cut corners on safety and security to save money and compete in the market. The group does not oppose the use of nuclear power, but wants to make sure it's safe.
"I'm not optimistic we'd see the kind of safety and security requirements in place that would make me feel comfortable with the adoption or deployment of these so-called small modular reactors around the country," Lyman said.
The U.S. also has no long-term plan for managing or disposing the hazardous waste that can persist in the environment for hundreds of thousands of years, and there's the danger of accidents or targeted attacks for both the waste and the reactors, Lyman said. Nuclear disasters at Pennsylvania's Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and more recently, Fukushima, Japan, in 2011 provide an enduring warning about the dangers.
Nuclear power already provides about 20% of electricity in the U.S., accounting for about half the nation's carbon-free energy. Most of the 93 reactors operating in the country are east of the Mississippi River.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved just one of the new, small modular reactor designs — from a company called NuScale Power, in August 2020. Three other companies have told the commission they're planning to apply for their designs. All of these use water to cool the core.
The NRC is expecting about a half dozen designs to be submitted for advanced reactors, which use something other than water to cool the core, such as gas, liquid metal or molten salt. That includes a project by Gates' company, TerraPower, in Wyoming, the nation's largest coal-producing state. It has long depended on coal for power and jobs, and ships coal to more than half the states.
As utilities quit coal, Wyoming is tapping into wind and installed the third-largest amount of wind power generating capacity of any state in 2020, after Texas and Iowa. But Glen Murrell, executive director of the Wyoming Energy Authority, said it's unrealistic to expect all the nation's energy to be provided exclusively through wind and solar. Renewable energy should work in tandem with other technologies such as nuclear and hydrogen, he said.
TerraPower plans to build its advanced reactor demonstration plant in Kemmerer, a town of 2,700 in western Wyoming where a coal plant is closing. The reactor uses Natrium technology, which is a sodium-cooled fast reactor paired with an energy-storage system.
In another coal-dependent state, West Virginia, some lawmakers are trying to repeal the state's moratorium on the construction of new nuclear facilities.
A second reactor design by TerraPower will be built at the Idaho National Laboratory. The Molten Chloride Reactor Experiment will have a core that's as small as a refrigerator and molten salt to cool it instead of water.
CLICK THE TWITTER LINK TO FINISH THE REST OF THE ARTICLE
https://www.washingtonpost.com/transportation/2022/01/14/bridges-infrastructure-bill/
$27 billion in new money aimed at fixing the nation’s aging bridges
The White House announced the money to mark 60 days since President Biden signed the $1 trillion infrastructure bill
A tugboat pushes barges down the Mississippi River and under Interstate 40 linking Tennessee and Arkansas in Memphis. A crack was found in the bridge, prompting an emergency closure last year. (Adrian Sainz/AP)
By Ian Duncan
January 14, 2022|Updated January 14, 2022 at 4:33 p.m. EST
The Biden administration urged states on Friday to get to work bringing thousands of aging bridges up to par, while improving safety and uncorking bottlenecks, with the help of $27.5 billion in new federal aid.
The White House announced the allocation of money to mark 60 days since President Biden signed the $1 trillion infrastructure bill. The bridge program is one of the largest new sources of federal spending in the package and one that encapsulates its bipartisan appeal.
Bridges serve as key economic links and stand out as icons or bugbears in communities across the country, with politicians regularly invoking the idea that they are “crumbling” to argue for new spending. The administration said the funding represents the biggest federal investment in bridges since the creation of the interstate system.
“One man told me that the bridge he traveled on every day is a tragedy waiting to happen,” Biden said Friday in announcing the funding. “One woman wrote that a bridge near the center of her town had to be closed and now drivers and tourists bypass downtown, conjointly devastating local businesses. And one person wrote to me to say, quote, ‘This is your chance to show the people in my area that they matter to you.’ End of quote. I hear you.”
States receive most federal transportation aid in proportion to their size, but the bridge funds are different, allocated mostly based on how much it would cost to fix the crossings in the worst condition.
Some states are in line to secure an outsize amount. Louisiana, for example — where Biden traveled last year in an early effort to sell his infrastructure proposals — has about 1,600 bridges in poor condition and will get $1 billion. The sum represents a significant boost in federal transportation aid to the state.
About half the money will be shared by 10 states. Pennsylvania, with more than 3,300 bridges in poor condition, will get $1.6 billion, while California is in line to receive $4.2 billion. Twenty-three states will receive the minimum allotment of $225 million over five years.
Texas and Florida, typically major recipients of federal highway funds, will split less than $800 million between them.
The trade group American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) said last year there were about 220,000 bridges nationwide that need repair work and almost 80,000 that need overhauling — a job it said would have taken 40 years without additional money.
The condition of the nation’s bridges has generally improved in recent years — and even those rated in poor condition don’t necessarily pose a danger to travelers. But when bridges have to close, it can snarl entire cities. Last year, as lawmakers debated the infrastructure package, inspectors found a previously overlooked crack in a bridge in Memphis. Its closure disrupted the region for weeks and prompted a visit by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
The infusion of money should help state transportation departments build on progress but it’s unlikely to benefit every aging bridge. ARTBA analyzed federal data and found that repairing or replacing the 45,000 bridges most in need of work would cost about $42 billion.
The Federal Highway Administration is issuing guidance Friday to encourage states to use the money on repairs, but they also are free to use it for new bridges. The guidance also encourages states to build with resilience against climate change and equity in mind.
As with most federal transportation spending, it will largely be up to states to determine how to use the money and to hire contractors to undertake the work. The money is not likely to flow to specific projects immediately because it will take time for transportation departments to ramp up, while some might need environmental or other reviews. Still, officials have begun to consider where to deploy their new funding.
Alexis Campbell, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, said the agency began talking with regional planners last year about how they could make use of the money if the infrastructure bill passed. The result was an 11-page wish list of potential projects that could either get off the ground or be sped up — a tally that included dozens of bridges.
Officials are eyeing a $129 million project to replace a 90-year-old span that carries Philadelphia’s Market Street across the Schuylkill River and a $239 million pair of interstate bridges in Pittsburgh, alongside numerous smaller plans.
“These still need to go through the normal planning process, but this shows some examples of projects that could proceed,” Campbell said.
Iowa, whose bridges ARTBA ranked second-worst in the nation last year, is expected to get $430 million.
Stuart Anderson, a spokesman for the state’s transportation department, said use of the new bridge funding is a topic of conversation with local leaders and planners. He said the department expects to get final approval from the state transportation commission on how to use the extra money in the coming months.
“The priority will be to reduce the number of poor-condition bridges in the state of Iowa,” Anderson said.
The ARTBA study ranked West Virginia’s bridges as the nation’s worst. On Friday, the state’s senators, Joe Manchin III (D) and Shelley Moore Capito (R), issued a joint statement praising the new funding.
“Today’s announcement is great news for West Virginia and will provide states not only with historic formula funding for bridges, but also the long-term certainty they need to plan and complete projects,” said Capito, the top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, which sets road and bridge policy.
The money is aimed not only at large projects, but also smaller bridges off main highways that in the past might not have received federal dollars. For those projects, the federal government will cover the full cost, rather than requiring the 20 percent match states generally must provide. About $800 million in the program also is set aside for projects in tribal areas.
Matthew Chase, executive director of the National Association of Counties, said the money is welcome because local governments are responsible for nearly 240,000 bridges, yet, “the costs of maintaining this essential infrastructure often outstrips our local resources.”
The infrastructure package includes another $12.5 billion for bridges that would be given to states and local governments through a competitive process. That money could be put to use tackling some of the biggest spans, like the notorious Brent Spence Bridge between Kentucky and Ohio. It’s not clear when that money might become available.
$27 billion in new money aimed at fixing the nation’s aging bridges
The White House announced the money to mark 60 days since President Biden signed the $1 trillion infrastructure bill
A tugboat pushes barges down the Mississippi River and under Interstate 40 linking Tennessee and Arkansas in Memphis. A crack was found in the bridge, prompting an emergency closure last year. (Adrian Sainz/AP)
By Ian Duncan
January 14, 2022|Updated January 14, 2022 at 4:33 p.m. EST
The Biden administration urged states on Friday to get to work bringing thousands of aging bridges up to par, while improving safety and uncorking bottlenecks, with the help of $27.5 billion in new federal aid.
The White House announced the allocation of money to mark 60 days since President Biden signed the $1 trillion infrastructure bill. The bridge program is one of the largest new sources of federal spending in the package and one that encapsulates its bipartisan appeal.
Bridges serve as key economic links and stand out as icons or bugbears in communities across the country, with politicians regularly invoking the idea that they are “crumbling” to argue for new spending. The administration said the funding represents the biggest federal investment in bridges since the creation of the interstate system.
“One man told me that the bridge he traveled on every day is a tragedy waiting to happen,” Biden said Friday in announcing the funding. “One woman wrote that a bridge near the center of her town had to be closed and now drivers and tourists bypass downtown, conjointly devastating local businesses. And one person wrote to me to say, quote, ‘This is your chance to show the people in my area that they matter to you.’ End of quote. I hear you.”
States receive most federal transportation aid in proportion to their size, but the bridge funds are different, allocated mostly based on how much it would cost to fix the crossings in the worst condition.
Some states are in line to secure an outsize amount. Louisiana, for example — where Biden traveled last year in an early effort to sell his infrastructure proposals — has about 1,600 bridges in poor condition and will get $1 billion. The sum represents a significant boost in federal transportation aid to the state.
About half the money will be shared by 10 states. Pennsylvania, with more than 3,300 bridges in poor condition, will get $1.6 billion, while California is in line to receive $4.2 billion. Twenty-three states will receive the minimum allotment of $225 million over five years.
Texas and Florida, typically major recipients of federal highway funds, will split less than $800 million between them.
The trade group American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) said last year there were about 220,000 bridges nationwide that need repair work and almost 80,000 that need overhauling — a job it said would have taken 40 years without additional money.
The condition of the nation’s bridges has generally improved in recent years — and even those rated in poor condition don’t necessarily pose a danger to travelers. But when bridges have to close, it can snarl entire cities. Last year, as lawmakers debated the infrastructure package, inspectors found a previously overlooked crack in a bridge in Memphis. Its closure disrupted the region for weeks and prompted a visit by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
The infusion of money should help state transportation departments build on progress but it’s unlikely to benefit every aging bridge. ARTBA analyzed federal data and found that repairing or replacing the 45,000 bridges most in need of work would cost about $42 billion.
The Federal Highway Administration is issuing guidance Friday to encourage states to use the money on repairs, but they also are free to use it for new bridges. The guidance also encourages states to build with resilience against climate change and equity in mind.
As with most federal transportation spending, it will largely be up to states to determine how to use the money and to hire contractors to undertake the work. The money is not likely to flow to specific projects immediately because it will take time for transportation departments to ramp up, while some might need environmental or other reviews. Still, officials have begun to consider where to deploy their new funding.
Alexis Campbell, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, said the agency began talking with regional planners last year about how they could make use of the money if the infrastructure bill passed. The result was an 11-page wish list of potential projects that could either get off the ground or be sped up — a tally that included dozens of bridges.
Officials are eyeing a $129 million project to replace a 90-year-old span that carries Philadelphia’s Market Street across the Schuylkill River and a $239 million pair of interstate bridges in Pittsburgh, alongside numerous smaller plans.
“These still need to go through the normal planning process, but this shows some examples of projects that could proceed,” Campbell said.
Iowa, whose bridges ARTBA ranked second-worst in the nation last year, is expected to get $430 million.
Stuart Anderson, a spokesman for the state’s transportation department, said use of the new bridge funding is a topic of conversation with local leaders and planners. He said the department expects to get final approval from the state transportation commission on how to use the extra money in the coming months.
“The priority will be to reduce the number of poor-condition bridges in the state of Iowa,” Anderson said.
The ARTBA study ranked West Virginia’s bridges as the nation’s worst. On Friday, the state’s senators, Joe Manchin III (D) and Shelley Moore Capito (R), issued a joint statement praising the new funding.
“Today’s announcement is great news for West Virginia and will provide states not only with historic formula funding for bridges, but also the long-term certainty they need to plan and complete projects,” said Capito, the top Republican on the Environment and Public Works Committee, which sets road and bridge policy.
The money is aimed not only at large projects, but also smaller bridges off main highways that in the past might not have received federal dollars. For those projects, the federal government will cover the full cost, rather than requiring the 20 percent match states generally must provide. About $800 million in the program also is set aside for projects in tribal areas.
Matthew Chase, executive director of the National Association of Counties, said the money is welcome because local governments are responsible for nearly 240,000 bridges, yet, “the costs of maintaining this essential infrastructure often outstrips our local resources.”
The infrastructure package includes another $12.5 billion for bridges that would be given to states and local governments through a competitive process. That money could be put to use tackling some of the biggest spans, like the notorious Brent Spence Bridge between Kentucky and Ohio. It’s not clear when that money might become available.
https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local...lane-reductions-for-8-months-starting-jan-28/
Work on new Centennial Bowl bridges bringing lane reductions for 8 months starting Jan. 28
LOCAL NEWS
by: Greg Haas
Posted: Jan 20, 2022 / 02:37 PM PST / Updated: Jan 20, 2022 / 02:37 PM PST
The Centennial Bowl in the northwest valley. (Photo: Nevada Department of Transportation)
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — If you’ve driven through the Centennial Bowl lately, you’ve probably seen the concrete posts where new bridges will carry traffic over U.S. Highway 95. The work on those bridges is about to begin, and lane reductions that will last eight months begin the morning of Friday, Jan. 28.
Northbound U.S. 95 at the 215 Beltway will be reduced to two lanes and southbound U.S. 95 at the 215 Beltway will be reduced to three lanes.
(Nevada Department of Transportation)
Lanes on U.S. 95 in both directions may be further reduced or closed over as the project proceeds. Detours will be in place during overnight hours, 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., Sunday night through Friday morning.
The northbound U.S. 95 Buffalo Drive off ramp and southbound U.S. 95 Ann Road/Centennial Center/Rancho Drive off ramp will also close periodically during overnight hours.
The work is part of the interchange’s final phase of construction. The final phase will complete the Centennial Bowl, improve local roadways and construct a multi-use trail for pedestrians and bikes.
Work on new Centennial Bowl bridges bringing lane reductions for 8 months starting Jan. 28
LOCAL NEWS
by: Greg Haas
Posted: Jan 20, 2022 / 02:37 PM PST / Updated: Jan 20, 2022 / 02:37 PM PST
The Centennial Bowl in the northwest valley. (Photo: Nevada Department of Transportation)
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — If you’ve driven through the Centennial Bowl lately, you’ve probably seen the concrete posts where new bridges will carry traffic over U.S. Highway 95. The work on those bridges is about to begin, and lane reductions that will last eight months begin the morning of Friday, Jan. 28.
Northbound U.S. 95 at the 215 Beltway will be reduced to two lanes and southbound U.S. 95 at the 215 Beltway will be reduced to three lanes.
(Nevada Department of Transportation)
Lanes on U.S. 95 in both directions may be further reduced or closed over as the project proceeds. Detours will be in place during overnight hours, 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., Sunday night through Friday morning.
The northbound U.S. 95 Buffalo Drive off ramp and southbound U.S. 95 Ann Road/Centennial Center/Rancho Drive off ramp will also close periodically during overnight hours.
The work is part of the interchange’s final phase of construction. The final phase will complete the Centennial Bowl, improve local roadways and construct a multi-use trail for pedestrians and bikes.
Empire State Goes Ga-Ga Over Offshore Wind Energy
Offshore Wind Catches Fire In Empire State While Others Fiddle
Another sign that coal is toast: New York State stakes another $500 million to beat its East Coast rivals to the offshore wind energy punch.
ByTina Casey
Published January 7, 2022
$500 Million More For 2,000 New Green Jobs
The new $500 million wind program will accelerate New York’s already impressive offshore wind energy portfolio. To date, the state claims 5 offshore projects and 5 ports under development, and has procured a total of 4,300 megawatts worth of offshore wind energy towards a goal of 9,000.
“New York’s current offshore wind project portfolio represents the largest suite of offshore wind projects under active development in the nation,” explains NYSERDA, the New York State Energy Research and Development Agency.
That is so, and they are not letting the grass grow under their feet. Governor Hochul’s big wind energy announcement will muscle up the state’s ports, manufacturing, and supply infrastructure, creating more than 2,000 new green jobs along with the new clean kilowatts.
The $500 million is just for starters. Hochul expects to leverage private capital to add more than $2 billion to the state’s economy. As she explains, the aim is to ensure that “New York has the strongest offshore wind energy market along the Eastern Seaboard, enabling us to be the offshore wind supply chain hub for other projects up and down the coast.”
More Offshore Wind Energy For New York State
Governor Hochul also announced that NYSERDA is launching its next offshore wind energy procurement program this year. They anticipate at least 2 gigawatts in new projects coming into the the pipeline.
According to NYSERDA, the 2 gigawatts would bring the state’s total offshore wind to the equivalent of 4.5 million homes, so the next hurdle is getting offshore wind energy over to where people can use it. They have that covered, too.
“To realize an offshore wind grid able to deliver at least 6 gigawatts of offshore wind energy directly into New York City while minimizing onshore and ocean floor impacts, state agencies will conduct a New York State Cable Corridor Study to identify strategic offshore wind cable corridors and access key points of interconnection to the grid,” Hochul announced.
Apparently you ain’t seen nothing yet. All of this activity is taking place in relatively shallow waters, where conventional monopile wind turbine construction is the norm. Hochul also let slip that NYSERDA is already working on a new offshore wind master plan that will tap deeper waters farther offshore, which means that floating wind turbines will be in the mix.
Don’t Look Back, Something Might Be Gaining On You
The new financial firepower builds on an advantage gained by New York, after rival state New Jersey let an Obama-era wind energy grant slip through its fingers.
New Jersey had a shot at becoming the very first East Coast state with an offshore wind farm, thanks in part to a 2014 US Department of Energy grant aimed at spurring innovation in the offshore industry. The total funding pot was $141 million spread among three projects, one of which was the proposed 6-turbine Fishermen’s Energy demonstration wind farm off the coast of New Jersey.
Unfortunately for wind fans, the administration of former Governor Chris Christie was apparently not a willing partner. Uncertainty over the future of the state’s wind industry abounded during his tenure, partly because its Public Service Commission was slow to form an appropriate regulatory structure for wind energy. Fishermen’s Energy encountered one obstacle after another and the Energy Department finally had to claw back the company’s $47 million share of the innovation grant in 2017.
So, despite its generous helping of federal offshore wind lease areas ripe for the picking all along its coastline, New Jersey sat on the sidelines while New York raced ahead, that is, until Governor Christie left office.
Since then, New Jersey has shaken itself out of the doldrums. The state is already threatening New York’s plans to dominate the Atlantic Coast for monopile wind turbine manufacturing, and offshore lease activity has picked up considerably.
Offshore Wind Energy Rivalry Could Be A Friendly One
One prize that New Jersey missed out on was a national wind energy R&D consortium established by the Energy Department in 2017. New York State was a front runner in the competition to lead the program, and NYSERDA won the $18.5 million funding prize in 2018.
Now it looks like everyone is going to be in one big happy family. Earlier this week, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities announced that it has joined the National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium, which it describes as a “prominent U.S. offshore wind research organization.”
“Established in 2018, NOWRDC is national not-for-profit public-private partnership focused on advancing offshore wind technology in the U.S. through high impact research projects and cost-effective responsible development, while maximizing other economic and social benefits,” NJBPU adds.
NJBPU President Joseph L. Fiordaliso, who was appointed to his post by current New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, could hardly contain his enthusiasm.
“We are excited to be joining NOWRDC as the representative for the State of New Jersey,” he said. “Our participation in this prominent national organization will aid our offshore wind efforts and play a key role in helping us meet Governor Murphy’s goal of 7,500 MW of offshore wind energy by 2035.”
“New Jersey’s membership in NOWRDC allows the state to participate in regional research and monitoring activities as recommended by the New Jersey Offshore Wind Strategic Plan and to further the research into offshore wind activities with a goal of lowering the cost of Offshore Wind,” NJBPU added, further adding that the membership “provides New Jersey a platform to collaborate with other states in coordinating regional monitoring and scientific and technical research at the state and regional levels to address issues related to offshore wind energy project planning, siting, construction, and operation.
Offshore Wind Catches Fire In Empire State While Others Fiddle
Another sign that coal is toast: New York State stakes another $500 million to beat its East Coast rivals to the offshore wind energy punch.
ByTina Casey
Published January 7, 2022
In the race to harvest offshore wind energy along the Atlantic coast, New York is not messing around. The Empire State has just launched a new $500 million investment program aimed at sealing the title of Offshore Queen, as announced by Governor Kathy Hochul during her State of the State address this week. New York better watch out, though. Little old New Jersey is already nipping at its heels.
$500 Million More For 2,000 New Green Jobs
The new $500 million wind program will accelerate New York’s already impressive offshore wind energy portfolio. To date, the state claims 5 offshore projects and 5 ports under development, and has procured a total of 4,300 megawatts worth of offshore wind energy towards a goal of 9,000.
“New York’s current offshore wind project portfolio represents the largest suite of offshore wind projects under active development in the nation,” explains NYSERDA, the New York State Energy Research and Development Agency.
That is so, and they are not letting the grass grow under their feet. Governor Hochul’s big wind energy announcement will muscle up the state’s ports, manufacturing, and supply infrastructure, creating more than 2,000 new green jobs along with the new clean kilowatts.
The $500 million is just for starters. Hochul expects to leverage private capital to add more than $2 billion to the state’s economy. As she explains, the aim is to ensure that “New York has the strongest offshore wind energy market along the Eastern Seaboard, enabling us to be the offshore wind supply chain hub for other projects up and down the coast.”
More Offshore Wind Energy For New York State
Governor Hochul also announced that NYSERDA is launching its next offshore wind energy procurement program this year. They anticipate at least 2 gigawatts in new projects coming into the the pipeline.
According to NYSERDA, the 2 gigawatts would bring the state’s total offshore wind to the equivalent of 4.5 million homes, so the next hurdle is getting offshore wind energy over to where people can use it. They have that covered, too.
“To realize an offshore wind grid able to deliver at least 6 gigawatts of offshore wind energy directly into New York City while minimizing onshore and ocean floor impacts, state agencies will conduct a New York State Cable Corridor Study to identify strategic offshore wind cable corridors and access key points of interconnection to the grid,” Hochul announced.
Apparently you ain’t seen nothing yet. All of this activity is taking place in relatively shallow waters, where conventional monopile wind turbine construction is the norm. Hochul also let slip that NYSERDA is already working on a new offshore wind master plan that will tap deeper waters farther offshore, which means that floating wind turbines will be in the mix.
Don’t Look Back, Something Might Be Gaining On You
The new financial firepower builds on an advantage gained by New York, after rival state New Jersey let an Obama-era wind energy grant slip through its fingers.
New Jersey had a shot at becoming the very first East Coast state with an offshore wind farm, thanks in part to a 2014 US Department of Energy grant aimed at spurring innovation in the offshore industry. The total funding pot was $141 million spread among three projects, one of which was the proposed 6-turbine Fishermen’s Energy demonstration wind farm off the coast of New Jersey.
Unfortunately for wind fans, the administration of former Governor Chris Christie was apparently not a willing partner. Uncertainty over the future of the state’s wind industry abounded during his tenure, partly because its Public Service Commission was slow to form an appropriate regulatory structure for wind energy. Fishermen’s Energy encountered one obstacle after another and the Energy Department finally had to claw back the company’s $47 million share of the innovation grant in 2017.
So, despite its generous helping of federal offshore wind lease areas ripe for the picking all along its coastline, New Jersey sat on the sidelines while New York raced ahead, that is, until Governor Christie left office.
Since then, New Jersey has shaken itself out of the doldrums. The state is already threatening New York’s plans to dominate the Atlantic Coast for monopile wind turbine manufacturing, and offshore lease activity has picked up considerably.
Offshore Wind Energy Rivalry Could Be A Friendly One
One prize that New Jersey missed out on was a national wind energy R&D consortium established by the Energy Department in 2017. New York State was a front runner in the competition to lead the program, and NYSERDA won the $18.5 million funding prize in 2018.
Now it looks like everyone is going to be in one big happy family. Earlier this week, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities announced that it has joined the National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium, which it describes as a “prominent U.S. offshore wind research organization.”
“Established in 2018, NOWRDC is national not-for-profit public-private partnership focused on advancing offshore wind technology in the U.S. through high impact research projects and cost-effective responsible development, while maximizing other economic and social benefits,” NJBPU adds.
NJBPU President Joseph L. Fiordaliso, who was appointed to his post by current New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, could hardly contain his enthusiasm.
“We are excited to be joining NOWRDC as the representative for the State of New Jersey,” he said. “Our participation in this prominent national organization will aid our offshore wind efforts and play a key role in helping us meet Governor Murphy’s goal of 7,500 MW of offshore wind energy by 2035.”
“New Jersey’s membership in NOWRDC allows the state to participate in regional research and monitoring activities as recommended by the New Jersey Offshore Wind Strategic Plan and to further the research into offshore wind activities with a goal of lowering the cost of Offshore Wind,” NJBPU added, further adding that the membership “provides New Jersey a platform to collaborate with other states in coordinating regional monitoring and scientific and technical research at the state and regional levels to address issues related to offshore wind energy project planning, siting, construction, and operation.
(continued)
Others Fiddle
They’re going to need all the help they can get. Coastal and fishing industry stakeholders in New Jersey have already geared up for a fight over the new lease areas, so stay tuned for more on that.
Meanwhile, it’s worth noting that President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better climate action bill would help push things along even faster, if only West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin would stop fiddling around and start supporting the 50-strong Democratic caucus in the Senate. With his vote and Vice President Kamala Harris as tie-breaker, Build Back Better is a shoe-in.
Senator Manchin has been holding onto his vote, for reasons best known only to himself. It could be a case of sour grapes, considering that landlocked West Virginia will not share in the offshore wind gold rush. Still, there are plenty of opportunities to grow new green jobs in the Mountain State, and Build Back Better would assist families with child care and other expenses related to employment.
Manchin’s Republican colleague, West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito, could push Build Back Better over the finish line by voting with the Democratic caucus, but she and all 49 other Republican senators are holding back, too. In that context it may be somewhat unfair to blame Senator Manchin for singlehandedly killing his own party’s signature legislation, but them’s the breaks.
Others Fiddle
They’re going to need all the help they can get. Coastal and fishing industry stakeholders in New Jersey have already geared up for a fight over the new lease areas, so stay tuned for more on that.
Meanwhile, it’s worth noting that President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better climate action bill would help push things along even faster, if only West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin would stop fiddling around and start supporting the 50-strong Democratic caucus in the Senate. With his vote and Vice President Kamala Harris as tie-breaker, Build Back Better is a shoe-in.
Senator Manchin has been holding onto his vote, for reasons best known only to himself. It could be a case of sour grapes, considering that landlocked West Virginia will not share in the offshore wind gold rush. Still, there are plenty of opportunities to grow new green jobs in the Mountain State, and Build Back Better would assist families with child care and other expenses related to employment.
Manchin’s Republican colleague, West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito, could push Build Back Better over the finish line by voting with the Democratic caucus, but she and all 49 other Republican senators are holding back, too. In that context it may be somewhat unfair to blame Senator Manchin for singlehandedly killing his own party’s signature legislation, but them’s the breaks.
More freight trains could be coming to the Chicago area, and that has communities and Metra concerned about delays
More freight trains could be coming to the Chicago area, and that has communities and Metra concerned about delays
A proposed railroad merger would mean more freight trains in the Chicago area, and Metra and some communities say residents could feel the effects.
Metra is concerned the merger could mean more delays on some of its lines. Elgin is concerned about more noise and a potential uptick in trains carrying contaminants running alongside the Fox River. And communities up and down the affected train line worry more, longer trains could mean delays at road crossings for drivers and first responders trying to reach emergencies.
The $31 billion merger would combine the Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern railroads. It is still pending approval by the federal Surface Transportation Board.
A freight train travels down the tracks and crosses over Highland Avenue on Jan. 6, 2022, in Elgin. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
If approved, the merger would create the only railroad linking Canada, Mexico and the United States. It would be the first major railroad merger since the 1990s.
In the Chicago area, where train traffic is already dense, Canadian Pacific shares tracks with Metra’s Milwaukee District West and North trains. The railroad also shares tracks with Amtrak trains, including the Hiawatha service to Milwaukee and parts of the long-distance Empire Builder service out of Chicago.
Kansas City Southern doesn’t operate in the Chicago region, though it does cross paths with Amtrak downstate, near East St. Louis.
The merger would likely bring an uptick in freight trains to parts of the Milwaukee District West Line, which runs to Schaumburg and Elgin. Canadian Pacific is projecting the merger could boost the number of trains to an average of 11.41 per day by 2027, compared with 3.41 trains per day without the merger.
Canadian Pacific is not projecting an increase in freight traffic along the Milwaukee District North line, which runs to Glenview, Deerfield and Lake Forest.
The company said in its federal merger application it did not expect the uptick would affect Metra or Amtrak service, because in the places where freight traffic is expected to increase there is capacity for additional trains, and the company would schedule freight trains around passenger trains.
A Metra train travels down the tracks and crosses over Highland Avenue in Elgin on Jan. 6, 2022. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Amtrak threw its support behind the merger Thursday, saying Canadian Pacific has consistently earned top marks for causing the least delay to Amtrak passengers. Canadian Pacific has also committed to working with Amtrak to expand and extend service, Amtrak said, including more service between Chicago and Milwaukee and extending additional service to St. Paul, Minnesota.
“(Canadian Pacific) has been an excellent host of Amtrak intercity passenger service year after year and has established itself as a leader in the railroad industry,” Amtrak President Stephen Gardner said in a statement. “We welcome CP’s commitment to our efforts with states and others to expand Amtrak service and are pleased to have reached an agreement formalizing CP’s support of Amtrak expansion in the Midwest and the South.”
But Metra remains concerned the merger could “seriously impact our service by increasing delays due to freight interference” on the Milwaukee lines, and it will evaluate Canadian Pacific’s statements that service would not be interrupted, Metra officials said in a statement.
Communities along the Milwaukee District West Line are also concerned about more frequent and longer freight trains, and in some cases are looking for help from Canadian Pacific to offset the effects of increased freight traffic. That could include funding work to create quiet zones, where trains are not required to blow their horns at crossings, or for trains to take the tracks over or under roads.
Communities’ concerns about the length and frequency of trains are valid, but the key is to find a balance between alleviating their concerns and letting the railroads operate efficiently, bringing needed goods from one place to another, said Karen Darch, village president of Barrington and a board member of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning who has worked on railroad issues.
“We need transportation, this is a big industry for us, for the country,” she said. “And yet we want our communities to be safe and livable.”
And there is good news about the merger, she said: A failed bid by rival Canadian National to take over Kansas City Southern would have meant even more freight trains running through a wide swath of Chicago suburbs. Canadian National has more track in the region than Canadian Pacific.
Canadian National offered more money for Kansas City Southern, but lost a bidding war with Canadian Pacific because the Surface Transportation Board rejected part of its acquisition plan.
More freight trains could be coming to the Chicago area, and that has communities and Metra concerned about delays
A proposed railroad merger would mean more freight trains in the Chicago area, and Metra and some communities say residents could feel the effects.
Metra is concerned the merger could mean more delays on some of its lines. Elgin is concerned about more noise and a potential uptick in trains carrying contaminants running alongside the Fox River. And communities up and down the affected train line worry more, longer trains could mean delays at road crossings for drivers and first responders trying to reach emergencies.
The $31 billion merger would combine the Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern railroads. It is still pending approval by the federal Surface Transportation Board.
A freight train travels down the tracks and crosses over Highland Avenue on Jan. 6, 2022, in Elgin. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
If approved, the merger would create the only railroad linking Canada, Mexico and the United States. It would be the first major railroad merger since the 1990s.
In the Chicago area, where train traffic is already dense, Canadian Pacific shares tracks with Metra’s Milwaukee District West and North trains. The railroad also shares tracks with Amtrak trains, including the Hiawatha service to Milwaukee and parts of the long-distance Empire Builder service out of Chicago.
Kansas City Southern doesn’t operate in the Chicago region, though it does cross paths with Amtrak downstate, near East St. Louis.
The merger would likely bring an uptick in freight trains to parts of the Milwaukee District West Line, which runs to Schaumburg and Elgin. Canadian Pacific is projecting the merger could boost the number of trains to an average of 11.41 per day by 2027, compared with 3.41 trains per day without the merger.
Canadian Pacific is not projecting an increase in freight traffic along the Milwaukee District North line, which runs to Glenview, Deerfield and Lake Forest.
The company said in its federal merger application it did not expect the uptick would affect Metra or Amtrak service, because in the places where freight traffic is expected to increase there is capacity for additional trains, and the company would schedule freight trains around passenger trains.
A Metra train travels down the tracks and crosses over Highland Avenue in Elgin on Jan. 6, 2022. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
Amtrak threw its support behind the merger Thursday, saying Canadian Pacific has consistently earned top marks for causing the least delay to Amtrak passengers. Canadian Pacific has also committed to working with Amtrak to expand and extend service, Amtrak said, including more service between Chicago and Milwaukee and extending additional service to St. Paul, Minnesota.
“(Canadian Pacific) has been an excellent host of Amtrak intercity passenger service year after year and has established itself as a leader in the railroad industry,” Amtrak President Stephen Gardner said in a statement. “We welcome CP’s commitment to our efforts with states and others to expand Amtrak service and are pleased to have reached an agreement formalizing CP’s support of Amtrak expansion in the Midwest and the South.”
But Metra remains concerned the merger could “seriously impact our service by increasing delays due to freight interference” on the Milwaukee lines, and it will evaluate Canadian Pacific’s statements that service would not be interrupted, Metra officials said in a statement.
Communities along the Milwaukee District West Line are also concerned about more frequent and longer freight trains, and in some cases are looking for help from Canadian Pacific to offset the effects of increased freight traffic. That could include funding work to create quiet zones, where trains are not required to blow their horns at crossings, or for trains to take the tracks over or under roads.
Communities’ concerns about the length and frequency of trains are valid, but the key is to find a balance between alleviating their concerns and letting the railroads operate efficiently, bringing needed goods from one place to another, said Karen Darch, village president of Barrington and a board member of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning who has worked on railroad issues.
“We need transportation, this is a big industry for us, for the country,” she said. “And yet we want our communities to be safe and livable.”
And there is good news about the merger, she said: A failed bid by rival Canadian National to take over Kansas City Southern would have meant even more freight trains running through a wide swath of Chicago suburbs. Canadian National has more track in the region than Canadian Pacific.
Canadian National offered more money for Kansas City Southern, but lost a bidding war with Canadian Pacific because the Surface Transportation Board rejected part of its acquisition plan.
(continued)
But for cities like Elgin, even the Canadian Pacific deal is likely to bring repercussions. The tracks that carry Metra and Canadian Pacific trains run along the Fox River through the city’s downtown, and City Manager Rick Kozal fears Canadian Pacific’s estimate of 11 freight trains after the merger could be an undercount because of the significance of creating a rail line extending from Canada to Mexico.
A school bus crosses over the tracks used by freight and passenger trains along East Chicago Street on Jan. 6 in Elgin. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
The trains could cause problems for commuters, firetrucks and police squads trying to cross the river from the east side to the west side of town, Kozal said. Long trains have the potential to block four major bridges across the river at once.
The number of homes in the city’s downtown is also increasing, and more freight trains could mean more noise for those residents as trains blow their horns at road crossings, he said. More trains carrying potential contaminants along the river, which is the city’s drinking water source, is another concern.
“It’s hard to argue against the commercial benefits that will occur from unifying these lines, and so the city’s trying to be realistic in terms of balancing its own interests with the greater benefit that can come for the U.S. economy,” he said. “We’re just asking, with the recognition that the railroads are going to benefit from this merger, we need some help.”
Farther east along the line, Itasca is spearheading a coalition of several communities raising concerns about the merger, Mayor Jeff Pruyn said. He was particularly concerned about the prospect of a train blocking all of Itasca’s rail crossings at once and slowing response to an emergency, citing an instance nearly 60 years ago when a country club burned down because fire response was delayed by a freight train.
Blocked roads could also impede school buses and traffic, he said. And increased vibrations from more, longer trains could wreak havoc on the homes alongside the tracks in town.
He, like leaders in other communities, is seeking more information about the effects of the merger.
Canadian Pacific said it had met with suburban city leaders, and was working with the Surface Transportation Board to analyze their concerns.
“While the overall impact of the CP-KCS transaction is unambiguously pro-environment and pro-economic growth, we recognize that we will be increasing the number of trains that operate through some communities,” Canadian Pacific said in a statement. “We will work hard to be a good neighbor.”
But for cities like Elgin, even the Canadian Pacific deal is likely to bring repercussions. The tracks that carry Metra and Canadian Pacific trains run along the Fox River through the city’s downtown, and City Manager Rick Kozal fears Canadian Pacific’s estimate of 11 freight trains after the merger could be an undercount because of the significance of creating a rail line extending from Canada to Mexico.
A school bus crosses over the tracks used by freight and passenger trains along East Chicago Street on Jan. 6 in Elgin. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune)
The trains could cause problems for commuters, firetrucks and police squads trying to cross the river from the east side to the west side of town, Kozal said. Long trains have the potential to block four major bridges across the river at once.
The number of homes in the city’s downtown is also increasing, and more freight trains could mean more noise for those residents as trains blow their horns at road crossings, he said. More trains carrying potential contaminants along the river, which is the city’s drinking water source, is another concern.
“It’s hard to argue against the commercial benefits that will occur from unifying these lines, and so the city’s trying to be realistic in terms of balancing its own interests with the greater benefit that can come for the U.S. economy,” he said. “We’re just asking, with the recognition that the railroads are going to benefit from this merger, we need some help.”
Farther east along the line, Itasca is spearheading a coalition of several communities raising concerns about the merger, Mayor Jeff Pruyn said. He was particularly concerned about the prospect of a train blocking all of Itasca’s rail crossings at once and slowing response to an emergency, citing an instance nearly 60 years ago when a country club burned down because fire response was delayed by a freight train.
Blocked roads could also impede school buses and traffic, he said. And increased vibrations from more, longer trains could wreak havoc on the homes alongside the tracks in town.
He, like leaders in other communities, is seeking more information about the effects of the merger.
Canadian Pacific said it had met with suburban city leaders, and was working with the Surface Transportation Board to analyze their concerns.
“While the overall impact of the CP-KCS transaction is unambiguously pro-environment and pro-economic growth, we recognize that we will be increasing the number of trains that operate through some communities,” Canadian Pacific said in a statement. “We will work hard to be a good neighbor.”
