Latest news with #BipartisanInfrastructureLaw
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Gulf policymakers detail efforts to brace for 2025 hurricanes
Gulf Coast policymakers on Monday laid out efforts to brace for what's expected to be an active hurricane season during a Hill event titled 'Securing the Grid – Powering the Gulf South Region.' Eric Skrmetta, vice chair of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, said the durability of the power grid needs to improve, including calling for infrastructure that can help manage the flow of power. 'We're looking at the durability of [the] transmission grid, more than anything,' Skrmetta said when asked about hurricane season. 'We need supplies and we need mechanisms. We're going to need to build transformer manufacturing facilities,' he added. Skrmetta said the state has 'been in discussions with the Pentagon about the need for building one, possibly in Louisiana, Oklahoma, [or] Texas.' The 'Securing the Grid' event, which was sponsored by electric company Entergy, comes one day after the official start of hurricane season. U.S. weather agencies have predicted an 'above average' season, which could see between three and five major hurricanes. 'You're seeing our energy suppliers here in Texas put in more steel poles instead of wooden poles. There's a move to get as much of that infrastructure, if you will, below ground,' said Rep. Randy Weber (R-Texas). It's not just hurricanes though that have taken a toll on Texas's electric grid. During 2021's Winter Storm Uri, the state faced massive blackouts that killed hundreds of people. The state has implemented significant reforms since that time, but Weber still said it's in bad shape — and criticized the Biden administration over electric vehicles in the process. 'It's really bad,' Weber said when asked to grade the state of the grid. 'They wanted to put 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations. They did put it in that bill and we don't have the grid to support that. So we're wanting to make sure that everybody understands that we ought to have nuclear,' he added, referring to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds for a nationwide electric vehicle charging network. Meanwhile, Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.) said he'd give his state a 'B-plus' as far as infrastructure and storm response. 'Louisiana has been a very good student. It has done the preparation, and I think understanding of investing in our shorelines in our floodplains and our levees,' Carter said, but added 'we still have work to do.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
8 hours ago
- Business
- The Hill
Gulf policymakers detail efforts to brace for 2025 hurricanes
Gulf Coast policymakers on Monday laid out efforts to brace for what's expected to be an active hurricane season during a Hill event titled 'Securing the Grid – Powering the Gulf South Region.' Eric Skrmetta, vice chair of the Louisiana Public Service Commission, said the durability of the power grid needs to improve, including calling for infrastructure that can help manage the flow of power. 'We're looking at the durability of [the] transmission grid, more than anything,' Skrmetta said when asked about hurricane season. 'We need supplies and we need mechanisms. We're going to need to build transformer manufacturing facilities,' he added. Skrmetta said the state has 'been in discussions with the Pentagon about the need for building one, possibly in Louisiana, Oklahoma, [or] Texas.' The 'Securing the Grid' event, which was sponsored by electric company Entergy, comes one day after the official start of hurricane season. U.S. weather agencies have predicted an 'above average' season, which could see between three and five major hurricanes. 'You're seeing our energy suppliers here in Texas put in more steel poles instead of wooden poles. There's a move to get as much of that infrastructure, if you will, below ground,' said Rep. Randy Weber (R-Texas). It's not just hurricanes though that have taken a toll on Texas's electric grid. During 2021's Winter Storm Uri, the state faced massive blackouts that killed hundreds of people. The state has implemented significant reforms since that time, but Weber still said it's in bad shape — and criticized the Biden administration over electric vehicles in the process. 'It's really bad,' Weber said when asked to grade the state of the grid. 'They wanted to put 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations. They did put it in that bill and we don't have the grid to support that. So we're wanting to make sure that everybody understands that we ought to have nuclear,' he added, referring to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds for a nationwide electric vehicle charging network. Meanwhile, Rep. Troy Carter (D-La.) said he'd give his state a 'B-plus' as far as infrastructure and storm response. 'Louisiana has been a very good student. It has done the preparation, and I think understanding of investing in our shorelines in our floodplains and our levees,' Carter said, but added 'we still have work to do.'
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Kalispell City Council to decide on pursuing grant for Main Street redesign
Jun. 2—Kalispell City Council on Monday is expected to decide whether to apply for a federal grant to reconfigure Main Street. Council meets June 2 at 7 p.m. in City Hall, 201 First Ave. E. The Main Street Safety Action Plan, adopted by Council last summer, identified high-risk intersections and streets downtown. Main Street, First Avenue East and First Avenue West were prioritized to receive an array of traffic safety upgrades. The three thoroughfares saw a combined 379 crashes between 2018 and 2022, and traffic has grown dramatically in part because of increased tourism and population growth in the Flathead Valley, according to the resolution to apply for the grant. But aspects of the plan have sparked heated debate among residents and business owners, predominantly its proposal to slim down Main Street to lanes in either direction separated by a dedicated left-turn lane. The space freed up by the loss of pavement would be used for wider sidewalks spanning up to 10 feet. Parallel parking access would remain along the downtown strip. Council invited the community to a May 19 public hearing regarding the project. There, community members expressed concern over the potential for traffic congestion caused by the lane reduction to spill onto surrounding roads. Others warned that fewer lanes would do little to quell reckless driving, whereas tougher traffic enforcement might curb poor behavior. According to a city study, the reduction would delay traffic by 30 to 60 seconds. The delay is projected to increase to between 60 and 90 seconds by 2045. Supporters of the project argued that the wider sidewalks and reduced lanes would generate more business for downtown shops and restaurants. Residents on both sides of the argument agreed that Main Street storefronts don't see enough foot traffic. Frustration with a lack of parking also emerged many times during the hearing, but the grant program can only be used for traffic safety improvements, not parking construction. If approved by Council, the city will ask for $25 million from the Safe Streets and Roads for All competitive grant program. Established under former President Joe Biden, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law set aside $5 billion in grants to support regional, local and tribal initiatives to prevent roadway deaths and serious injuries. Council will decide on Monday night whether to move forward with applying for the grant, which councilors appeared inclined to do during past meetings. The grant also requires a 20% match, which would come from a mix of downtown and westside tax increment funds, according to the memo. More info about the Main Street Safety Action Plan can be found at ALSO ON the agenda, Council is expected to accept a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks grant that would go toward improvements to city-owned aquatics facilities, updated signs and fund construction of a climbing wall. The grant, which was awarded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund, amounts to around $126,000, according to a city memo. Council will also vote on whether to schedule a public hearing on changes to police and fire impact fees for June 16. The fees were last adjusted in 2015 and were adjusted again to forecast for the next 20 years. The increased fees are intended to help cover capital improvement costs tied to the public safety levy passed by voters in March 2024. For example, the updated fire impact fees would help pay for an eventual fourth fire station. Council is expected to contract Process Wastewater Technologies LLC for $839,000 to procure equipment for upgrades to the city's wastewater treatment plant. The city is moving away from sending its biosolids to Glacier Gold Composting amid its closure but must first pay for facility upgrades and new equipment to meet the Flathead County Landfill's standards, where biosolids will eventually be sent. Reporter Jack Underhill may be reached at 758-4407 and junderhill@
Washington Post
4 days ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Readers critique The Post: There is a coup going on. Quit fixating on Biden.
Every week, The Post runs a collection of letters of readers' grievances — pointing out grammatical mistakes, missing coverage and inconsistencies. These letters tell us what we did wrong and, occasionally, offer praise. Here, we present this week's Free for All letters. It was President Joe Biden whose experience and political skills brought about the recovery of the American economy through legislative triumphs such as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the Chips and Science Act. It was Biden who rushed to the support of Israel and Ukraine after they were attacked, and it was Biden who restored our alliances after the disaster of the first Trump administration. Contrary to Dana Summers's May 21 editorial cartoon, we do know who was president during the Biden administration, and we know who is president now. Consider the contrast.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Effort to explore passenger train to Bangor derailed after senators leave bill in limbo
Passengers board an Amtrak train at the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania station. (Photo b y Peter Hall/Capital-Star) Despite the impassioned pleas of a handful of lawmakers, the Maine Legislature essentially killed a proposal to further explore extending passenger rail to Bangor. After multiple failed votes, the Senate decided Thursday to indefinitely postpone LD 487, which rail advocates rallied behind this session as a means to bring passenger trains beyond southern Maine. The House of Representatives rejected the proposal Tuesday with a 93-52 vote, but the upper chamber has been at an impasse since senators were divided over the measure. 'This has been indefinitely postponed for 20-plus years,' said Sen. Joe Baldacci (D-Penobscot) on the Senate floor Thursday, referring to the years-long effort to expand passenger rail in the state. This bill sought to have the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority apply for federal funding to identify a potential passenger rail corridor from Portland through Auburn, Lewiston, Waterville, Bangor and ending in Orono. Among the members of the Legislature's Transportation Committee, only one supported it with the other 12 in opposition. During the House debate, Rep. Lydia Crafts (D-Newcastle), who co-chairs the Transportation Committee, admitted there is public interest in expanding mass transit in the state, but said LD 487 doesn't align with the state's rail plan. She argued it wouldn't make financial sense for the state to invest in the line and eventually subsidize the cost of tickets because a propensity study indicated that the particular route would have low ridership. Rather, she said that study recommended the state invest in flexible, accessible bus service such as the two-year pilot project currently underway, which runs between Lewison and Portland. Sen. Brad Farrin (R-Somerset) made similar points on the Senate floor, saying that the state will continue to grow rail at a 'reasonable and responsible' rate if it follows the plan it has in place. However, Rep. Tavis Hasenfus (D-Readfield), the bill's sponsor, said the propensity study is a couple years old and doesn't account for improvements that have since been made to those tracks, which could reduce costs for the state. He also said it didn't account for all potential riders, only those who would have taken a car. But talking about what the state would have to spend is getting ahead of what LD 487 sought to do, Hasenfus argued. As he explained on the House floor, his proposal simply asked the Department of Transportation to apply for the federal funding to investigate whether a passenger rail line to northern Maine is feasible. The proposal specifically asks for the state to apply to the Federal Railroad Administration's corridor identification and development program, which is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Meeting the deadline for this application cycle is vital because the $1.2 trillion law isn't guaranteed to be renewed, especially since President Donald Trump issued an executive order on his first day in office pausing the disbursement of funds under the law. 'The train is literally about to leave the station and if we don't get on board now, we may never have the opportunity in the future,' Hasenfus said Tuesday. Cost shouldn't be the barrier that some see it as, Baldacci said during Senate floor discussions earlier this week, because the state should have been making passenger rail investments gradually over time. He said the whole state deserves to be connected and has a right to transportation options that already exist in southern Maine. LD 487 doesn't call for a significant financial investment by the state at this point, he said, it just asks lawmakers to utilize the options available to move the process forward. Rep. Karen Montell (D-Gardiner) spoke in support of the bill, arguing that increased train options could reduce greenhouse gas emissions and road maintenance costs. She said that passenger rail could help build a Maine that is more 'future ready.' Rep. Laura Supica (D-Bangor) agreed, saying that central and northern Maine could use passenger rail infrastructure so people can have easier access to jobs and education. She said this is especially true for her community of Bangor, which can feel like 'a bit of a vortex' and disconnected from the rest of the state. Hasenfus also cited a study the Rail Passengers Association published earlier this month that found extending the Amtrak Downeaster service to Bangor could generate more than $60 million in annual economic benefits for all 16 counties and draw more than 260,000 in the first year of service. Having ridden it multiple times himself, Sen. James Libby (R-Cumberland) called the Downeaster a 'tremendous service.' Though he acknowledged it could ultimately cost money, he said he supported the measure as expanded rail service would be an asset for towns like Waterville, where he works as a professor at Thomas College. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
