Who is responsible for our infrastructure?

[☭proletarian☭]

Is it the Department of the Interior that's supposed to be keeping the nation freeways and power grid in good condition?

 

[Darkwind]

Is it the Department of the Interior that's supposed to be keeping the nation freeways and power grid in good condition?

The individual states are responsible.

The interstate highway system falls under the feds, but it should be under th Department of Defense.

The Department of the interior should only be responsible for our national parks.

 

[☭proletarian☭]

Why is that DOD?

Why is there not an overarching authority to coordinate a solution to this problem?

What the hell is the Dept. of the Interior, then?

 

[Darkwind]

Why is that DOD?

Why is there not an overarching authority to coordinate a solution to this problem?

What the hell is the Dept. of the Interior, then?

Bridges and roads are the responsibility of the individual states. Right now, I think that the Feds oversee it all, but that isn't how it is supposed to work.

The Interstate Highways system was developed and implemented as a means for our military to quickly move troops and resources around our country in time of emergency or war. The fact that the civilian populace use it is incidental.

But the Department of the Interior is allegedly responsible for the 'great outdoors' of America. Hence, they are primarily (to My way of thinking) responsible for the national parks.

 

[☭proletarian☭]

Why is the Fed involved in parks and rec? Wouldn't that be much better handled by the States? The Fed's role should end at enforcing federal pollution and environmental protection laws.

 

[uscitizen]

The feds own a lot of land and the Department of the Interior are responsible for it and for National Parks only.
Or should be.

 

[Darkwind]

Why is the Fed involved in parks and rec? Wouldn't that be much better handled by the States? The Fed's role should end at enforcing federal pollution and environmental protection laws.

Well, to Me the EPA should be a subset of the Department of the Interior. But they are only involved in national parks. Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon...parks of that magnitude.

And believe it or not, I believe in the absolute smallest federal government possible, I support a Federal oversight of our National Parks and keeping them pollution free.

 

[Darkwind]

The feds own a lot of land and the Department of the Interior are responsible for it and for National Parks only.
Or should be.

Yes. Well, they shouldn't own any land except for national parks. But that is a whole 'nother debate.

 

[xotoxi]

The feds own a lot of land and the Department of the Interior are responsible for it and for National Parks only.
Or should be.

Yes. Well, they shouldn't own any land except for national parks. But that is a whole 'nother debate.

What about bombing ranges and military bases?

What about national forests and wildlife refuges?

 

[Darkwind]

The feds own a lot of land and the Department of the Interior are responsible for it and for National Parks only.
Or should be.

Yes. Well, they shouldn't own any land except for national parks. But that is a whole 'nother debate.

What about bombing ranges and military bases?

What about national forests and wildlife refuges?

Let see. Military bases....gee......Can we get a bit more out there?

national forest and wildlife refuges all would fall under national parks, no?

 

[kyzr]

This could be a good discussion, so I'll post a few more infrastructure issues.
1. The FHWA (Fed HighWay Admin) manages a lot of the criteria that the state DOTs need to follow for federal highways and Fed dollars. They do a good job keeping things standardized and safe.
2. Electric utilities need to keep the lights on with private dollars, including building & replacing powerplants. The only Fed dollars that I'm aware of are incentives for wind-power. They get a 10-year tax break.
3. Railroads are also private, except for Amtrak.
4. Oil & gas companies including refiners are private companies. The Feds run the strategic petroleum reserve which could be used to level out oil prices, but isn't.
5. CNG or LNG gas companies are also private.
6. The auto industry is private (or at least it was). There is no major push for developing the vehicle of the future, unless you consider that we'll probably end up riding bikes like they did in China before they found out about Hummers.

If the Feds wanted to do a major upgrade to infrastructure, such as develop a hi-speed train system, or a new modern vehicle (LNG powered as an example), or modern public transportation systems for cities, or to try new urban developments to get the yuppies back into the cities instead of driving, they would need to start long-range planning that was bi-partisan because it would take many years and billions of dollars.

I don't see anything as sweeping as the interstate highway system started under Eisenhower with DOD money. It would be nice to modernize the transportation system to reduce oil use, but there is no support for it. That transformed the US economy much like the PC did after it. What will the next innovations be? Telecommuting from home? Mandatory car-pooling? A 4-day work week? New hi-pressure tires? A new type of lubricant that triples MPG? (90% of chemical energy in car engines overcomes friction) etc.....

 

[American Horse]

This could be a good discussion, so I'll post a few more infrastructure issues.
1. The FHWA (Fed HighWay Admin) manages a lot of the criteria that the state DOTs need to follow for federal highways and Fed dollars. They do a good job keeping things standardized and safe.
2. Electric utilities need to keep the lights on with private dollars, including building & replacing powerplants. The only Fed dollars that I'm aware of are incentives for wind-power. They get a 10-year tax break.
3. Railroads are also private, except for Amtrak.
4. Oil & gas companies including refiners are private companies. The Feds run the strategic petroleum reserve which could be used to level out oil prices, but isn't.
5. CNG or LNG gas companies are also private.
6. The auto industry is private (or at least it was). There is no major push for developing the vehicle of the future, unless you consider that we'll probably end up riding bikes like they did in China before they found out about Hummers.

If the Feds wanted to do a major upgrade to infrastructure, such as develop a hi-speed train system, or a new modern vehicle (LNG powered as an example), or modern public transportation systems for cities, or to try new urban developments to get the yuppies back into the cities instead of driving, they would need to start long-range planning that was bi-partisan because it would take many years and billions of dollars.

I don't see anything as sweeping as the interstate highway system started under Eisenhower with DOD money. It would be nice to modernize the transportation system to reduce oil use, but there is no support for it. That transformed the US economy much like the PC did after it. What will the next innovations be? Telecommuting from home? Mandatory car-pooling? A 4-day work week? New hi-pressure tires? A new type of lubricant that triples MPG? (90% of chemical energy in car engines overcomes friction) etc.....

I think Pro thinks it would all be better if the Federal Govt was in charge of everything now called infrastructure. We should be very wary of such a move, or even any movement in that direction. The Left has started this "our infrastructdure is falling apart" song and dance since about 1992 when they saw it as a way to stop "growth" in the name of stopping "sprawl." Once they moved into that realm they began to see the opportunities it offered, to control everything outside the self. Of course the "self" part comes under "health-care reform"
Caveat Emptor!

 

[Douger]

Omama has yet to appoint his Infrastructure Tzar.
Kenny boy Lay was his first choice, but he is currently unavailable.
Maybe " Brownie, Mr. damn good job" would be willing to leave the horse track and "give his great service", once again.

 

[logical4u]

This could be a good discussion, so I'll post a few more infrastructure issues.
1. The FHWA (Fed HighWay Admin) manages a lot of the criteria that the state DOTs need to follow for federal highways and Fed dollars. They do a good job keeping things standardized and safe.
2. Electric utilities need to keep the lights on with private dollars, including building & replacing powerplants. The only Fed dollars that I'm aware of are incentives for wind-power. They get a 10-year tax break.
3. Railroads are also private, except for Amtrak.
4. Oil & gas companies including refiners are private companies. The Feds run the strategic petroleum reserve which could be used to level out oil prices, but isn't.
5. CNG or LNG gas companies are also private.
6. The auto industry is private (or at least it was). There is no major push for developing the vehicle of the future, unless you consider that we'll probably end up riding bikes like they did in China before they found out about Hummers.

If the Feds wanted to do a major upgrade to infrastructure, such as develop a hi-speed train system, or a new modern vehicle (LNG powered as an example), or modern public transportation systems for cities, or to try new urban developments to get the yuppies back into the cities instead of driving, they would need to start long-range planning that was bi-partisan because it would take many years and billions of dollars.

I don't see anything as sweeping as the interstate highway system started under Eisenhower with DOD money. It would be nice to modernize the transportation system to reduce oil use, but there is no support for it. That transformed the US economy much like the PC did after it. What will the next innovations be? Telecommuting from home? Mandatory car-pooling? A 4-day work week? New hi-pressure tires? A new type of lubricant that triples MPG? (90% of chemical energy in car engines overcomes friction) etc.....

would like to add to this if okay (or not)
many of our national parks were given away by Clinton's executive order, they are now 'international parks' (not sure about the financing or if terrorists are in the parks if we still can enforce our laws there)

Utility companies 'used' to maintain the electrical grid. When 'de-regulation' hit, it forced utilities to allow other companies to send power across 'their' infrastructure. In some cases, the utilities could not charge enough 'transmission' costs to recoup the wear and tear on the lines (if you put to much current through underrated lines, they can be damaged and the rating drops lower). The utilities are still recovering from this poor legislation. Some have gone out of business, some are starting to rehab and expand their 'grids.

There are gov owned utilities, some towns own their utilities, some form co-ops to build more reliable power sources. TVA is an example of a fed-owned utility, formed to get power to the rural areas of the Appalacian mountains from FDR.

For those that would want to have the feds have it all, please watch what is happening in Venuzuela: it is not good, the gov is taking over and failing miserably. It would not be any better here.

I have worked for both gov and private utilities: the private utility takes care of its equipment (a huge investment), the gov has to get approval (from congress) to take care of their equipment. At times that leads to really, really expensive generators not being used for extraordinary times in comparison to the private utility companies.

I prefer for the gov to be involved in private enterprise as LITTLE as possible.

 

[keee keee]

The same people who will be in charge of your medical insurance. look at the great job they are doing taking care of our infrastucture. you are taxed to death and Every where you look it is falling apart or broken. Can't wait for Obama Care, now do you wonder why the senator and congressmen excluded themselves and families from this program!!!

 

[kyzr]

IMHO we do NOT want the government involved in the day-to-day operation of infrastructure operations, such as utilities. The government should set a policy/goal of modernizing something, then setup a reward system for private industry to do something, like develop alternate fuel vehicles or fuel-cells, and then get out of the way as capitalistic competition takes over. I also hope that they'd promote domestic jobs and inhibit foreign competition (usually foreign govt subsidized).

 

[☭proletarian☭]

This could be a good discussion, so I'll post a few more infrastructure issues.
1. The FHWA (Fed HighWay Admin) manages a lot of the criteria that the state DOTs need to follow for federal highways and Fed dollars.

Who heads this and why aren't they doing their job?

They do a good job keeping things standardized and safe.

I disagree, and so does the ASCE

2. Electric utilities need to keep the lights on with private dollars, including building & replacing powerplants. The only Fed dollars that I'm aware of are incentives for wind-power. They get a 10-year tax break.

I was under the impression such systems were all privately owned?

3. Railroads are also private, except for Amtrak.

DOT regulates maintenance and safety regulations, correct? Are they a subset of the Dept. of the Interior? If not, then why not?


Why is the fed so convoluted? Why can't we have a simple federated hierarchy of authority? (eg: under the dept. of the interior would be the DOT, the authority regulating and coordinating the energy grid, the national forest council,. etc)

If such is not the case, it should be.

4. Oil & gas companies including refiners are private companies. The Feds run the strategic petroleum reserve which could be used to level out oil prices, but isn't.

What organization is responsible for coordinating and regulating oil pipelines across statelines?

5. CNG or LNG gas companies are also private.

I don't know what cng and lng are.

 

[☭proletarian☭]

The Left has started this "our infrastructdure is falling apart" song and dance since about 1992 when they saw it as a way to stop "growth" in the name of stopping "sprawl." Once they moved into that realm they began to see the opportunities it offered, to control everything outside the self. Of course the "self" part comes under "health-care reform"
Caveat Emptor!

Home | Report Card for America's Infrastructure

If you don't want a strong America, you're free to go fuck yourself.

 

[☭proletarian☭]

many of our national parks were given away by Clinton's executive order, they are now 'international parks' (not sure about the financing or if terrorists are in the parks if we still can enforce our laws there)

?

Utility companies 'used' to maintain the electrical grid. When 'de-regulation' hit, it forced utilities to allow other companies to send power across 'their' infrastructure. In some cases, the utilities could not charge enough 'transmission' costs to recoup the wear and tear on the lines (if you put to much current through underrated lines, they can be damaged and the rating drops lower). The utilities are still recovering from this poor legislation. Some have gone out of business, some are starting to rehab and expand their 'grids.

Wouldn't forcing companies to grant access to their system, be regulation, not deregulation?

For those that would want to have the feds have it all, please watch what is happening in Venuzuela: it is not good, the gov is taking over and failing miserably. It would not be any better here.

Advocating regulation and coordination in order to prevent our infrastructure from failing is a far cry from nationalizing the industry.

Nice try though, Mr.Herring.

 

[☭proletarian☭]

IMHO we do NOT want the government involved in the day-to-day operation of infrastructure operations, such as utilities. The government should set a policy/goal of modernizing something, then setup a reward system for private industry to do something, like develop alternate fuel vehicles or fuel-cells, and then get out of the way as capitalistic competition takes over. I also hope that they'd promote domestic jobs and inhibit foreign competition (usually foreign govt subsidized).

Agreed. We need, however, a central authority that can work alongside the USCE and federal engineers to determine how best to solve the problem and coordinate such efforts. Each state should be able to provide all its own power, should anything ever go wring with the national grid. It should bea layered and redundant system. The Interstate system, by its nature, must be managed centrally to ensure that it operates smoothly when you cross state lines.

Someone has tobe responsible for solving this problem.