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New City Page, Bloomington, Indiana
Hello Bloomington and welcome to Newcolonist.com. If you're not familiar with Bloomington, or want to learn more, check out our new city page: Click here
Eric Miller (editor@newcolonist.com), on 01.29.08 @ 11:22PST
Monday, January 28th
Report echoes NARP’s Proposal to Strengthen and Expand America’ Passenger Train Network
The National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) lent its support to the recommendations for passenger rail outlined in Transportation for Tomorrow, the plan issued today by the bipartisan National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission.
NARP called on America’s elected officials and policymakers to support a nationwide “Grid and Gateway” train network. NARP’s vision also includes improved linkages between airports and intercity rail, a concept where the U.S. lags as far behind Europe as in passenger rail development generally. A map of the proposed “Grid and Gateway” network and information on its benefits are available here on our website.
Transportation for Tomorrow incorporates many of the ideas and routes presented in NARP’s “Grid and Gateway” proposal. Transportation for Tomorrow also recommends upgrades in frequencies and speeds on specific corridors, phases in proposed rail expansions over several years, and proposes funding mechanisms to implement this vision. NARP singled out specific elements of Transportation for Tomorrow for support, including:
Comprehensive recitation of the benefits of passenger rail, including for smaller communities with little or no other access to public transport, as well as more commonly cited factors such as the ability to provide travel choices where roads and airports are congested and to increase the energy efficiency and reduce the negative environmental impacts of U.S. transportation overall;
Passenger train maps, though “for illustrative purposes only,” embracing the concept that all forms of intercity passenger train services should expand;
Recognition that both passenger and freight trains are vital components of the national transportation system;
Legislative and funding proposals that would level the playing field among transportation options and allow rational planning and decision making across transportation modes.
Eric Miller (editor@newcolonist.com), on 01.28.08 @ 00:30PST
One area in particular highlights the desire for local environmentally based economic change—daily commuting. Three out of every four commuters (75%) report that they normally travel to work in their car--alone. One-fourth of all commuters (25%) say their commute averages more than 30 minutes each way.
A majority of respondents (53%) would use mass transit if it were easily available where they live and work. Forty-seven percent (47%) of those who travel alone by car to work hold the same opinion. Nearly two-in-three respondents (65%) say that rising gas prices make it more likely they would consider using mass transit, including majorities of every form of commuter.
Two-in-three respondents (66%) believe the net result from such green programs and development will be a local community that is a better place to live. Over half (56%) agree local government should make the change, even if that change results in significant changes to their lifestyle. One-in-five (20%) believe that such change would have a great impact on the local community.
Respondents in cities across the country agree their local government should ‘go green,’ including larger cities like New York (66%), Los Angeles (61%), Chicago (67%) and Philadelphia (60%), as well as smaller cities like Phoenix (60%), Detroit (54%), Baltimore (55%) and Pittsburgh (55%).
One-in-three respondents (33%) believe that providing affordable housing is not a responsibility of the government. The remaining respondents are evenly split over whether the state government (24%), local government (18%) or Federal government (14%) should be responsible for providing affordable housing.
While discussions about possible economic stimulus plans are ongoing in Washington, this survey finds Americans in agreement on one possible remedy—local, environmentally-friendly development. A majority of respondents agree that by ‘going green’ and adopting more environmentally friendly policies there will be a positive impact on the economy (59%), the local community will be more attractive for business (56%) resulting in the creation of new jobs (56%) including some ‘green collar jobs’ (60%).
Eric Miller (editor@newcolonist.com), on 01.24.08 @ 09:49PST
Wednesday, January 23rd
U.S. Conference of Mayor's Meeting
Some of the U.S. Conference of Mayor's meeting in Trenton is available online. I don't see the address by Bloomberg yet, but keep looking... LINK
Eric Miller (editor@newcolonist.com), on 01.23.08 @ 20:22PST
Tuesday, January 22nd
NEW ARTICLE: Smarter Parking
Many municipalities view parking as such a necessity that, if land is available, as much of it as possible must be allocated for the rare occasions when the maximum is needed.
Planners typically use generic one-approach-fits-all standards that apply to general land- use categories and are based on the International Transportation Engineers (ITE) and American Planning Association (APA) guidelines. These models are often based on suburban formulas with maximum demands for two car households; this encourages the consumption of green fields for grey fields, and also encourages more car use. Community-specific factors, such as natural resources, surrounding land use, density, demographics, income levels, transit use, or alternative transit options (bus, rail, bike, walking, even carpooling or car sharing), are either ignored or not weighted heavily enough. Free parking is viewed as a right by car owners. The true cost of parking is not paid for by the user.
Generic parking requirements create excess parking spaces that consume land and resources, encourage car use and associated pollution, and degrade water quality. Many cities do not count on-street parking when calculating the number of spaces available!
Not only do municipalities over allocate (and overpay) for parking, the same standards force developers also to over-allocate parking. Environmental, financial, and social impacts are pointedly overlooked. In the US, it appears, more care is given to housing our cars than our people. Each car is ?given? over 100 sq ft. to occupy at the home, at employment centers, at the shopping center, and everywhere else it may go. According to Todd Litman, author of Parking Management Best Practices, a typical automobile is parked 23 hours each day and uses several parking spaces each week.
Eric Miller (editor@newcolonist.com), on 01.22.08 @ 00:47PST
Sunday, January 20th
Greenwash Backwash
Alice Friedemann, in an article in Culture Change, attacks the elephant in the bedroom, the concept that our economy can function only in an endless growth phase.
Anyone with any sense can see that endless growth is not only impossible, but that it would be pathological if possible.
Along the way she hammers at the practices of greenwash, whereby corporations retune their mendacity generators to emit soothing messages of how "green" their operations are...even such Satan's spawn as Wal-Mart:
How can Walmart even be slightly green? They're the main corporation that turned China into a cesspool of coal fumes, sewage, and chemicals to produce throwaway goods, whipping the gyre of consumption into the global tornado that's devoured the flesh of the earth and poured our trees, fish, clean water, topsoil, oil, and metal into cheap goods. They're at the center of the vortex, keeping it spinning, the essence of the delusion we live in. How on earth can they become Green?
Richard Risemberg (rrisemberg@newcolonist.com), on 01.20.08 @ 20:01PST
Thursday, January 17th
European Commission Releases Report on External Transport Costs "External costs" in transport: Commission prepares the ground for efficient and fair pricing of transport services
The European Commission has released a comprehensive compilation of existing studies on external costs in the transport sector. This handbook, jointly prepared by several transport research institutes, summarises the state of the art as regards the valuation of external costs. The Commission intends to make use of the handbook as one element which prepares the communication on the internalisation of external costs for all modes of transport that is due in June 2008 and a proposal to revise the directive on the charging of heavy goods vehicles.
The handbook assembles best practice methods to estimate and monetize the external costs generated by transport activities. It concentrates on air pollution, noise, climate change, congestion and accidents in road transport which constitutes the overwhelming share of transport external costs, but it also considers other external costs and other modes of transport. It brings together the key parameters to apply these methods as well as examples of unit values per travelled distance according to typical traffic situations, as for instance air pollution cost of a lorry in an urban area. The handbook will help policy makers and other interested parties value external costs when developing policy measures for internalisation. It shows that external costs depend strongly on parameters like vehicle characteristics (EURO standards), location (urban or interurban) and the period of time (peak, off-peak and night time).
The handbook was compiled by a consortium of research institutes from different countries and its content commits solely their authors. This release is part of the process launched by the Commission to prepare a communication on a strategy for the stepwise integration of the external costs into the price to be paid for transport services, as requested under the directive on the charging for heavy goods vehicles. As part of this process, technical workshops were held with industry representatives, environmental organisations and scientific experts. The preliminary findings of this handbook were subject to a peer review by scientific experts from member States.
In parallel, a broad public consultation was organised by the Commission services on possible ways to internalise these external costs. The results of this public consultation, which ended in December 2007, will be presented and discussed at a High Level stakeholders' conference on 31.1.2008 with the participation of Commission Vice-President Jacques Barrot.
Both the handbook and the consultation paper are available for download:
Richard Risemberg (rrisemberg@newcolonist.com), on 01.17.08 @ 14:49PST
Tuesday, January 15th
Global Warming Will Alter Character of the Northeast
Global warming is poised to substantially change the climate in the Northeast if heat-trapping emissions are not curtailed. The extent and impacts of the change depend on the choices that governments, businesses and citizens make today. So concludes the first study released today by the Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment (NECIA), a collaboration between the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and a team of independent scientists from universities across the Northeast and the nation. To read the full report, visit climatechoices.
The two-year study, Climate Change in the U.S. Northeast, employs state-of-the-art science to project the regional consequences of continued reliance on energy sources such as coal and oil that produce high levels of heat-trapping emissions versus shifting to clean and renewable energy to power our economy. The climate report is the first NECIA product, with additional analyses underway to assess the impacts of global warming on forests and agriculture, coastal and marine resources, human health, and urban centers across the Northeast, as well as options for mitigation and adaptation. A major synthesis report of these findings is expected in early 2007.
While the two emissions scenarios lead to similar consequences in early decades, the report finds the scenarios lead to starkly different outcomes as children born today reach middle-age. The projections analyze the impacts in 30 year increments: 2010-2039, 2040-2069, and 2070-2099.
Average annual temperatures. Under the higher emissions path, temperatures are projected to increase 6.5-12.5°F by the end of the century. An increase of 3.5-6.5°F is projected on the lower path.
Extreme heat days in cities. By the end of the century, many Northeast cities can expect 30 or more days over 90°F under the lower emissions scenario, and 60 or more days per year under the higher emissions scenario. Currently, Northeast cities experience one or two days per summer over 100ºF. This number could increase to three to nine days under lower emissions and 14 to 28 days per year under higher emissions.
Less snow. Across the Northeast, the number of days with snow on the ground will be reduced by 50 percent in the higher emissions scenario, but only by 25 percent under the lower scenario. More winter precipitation will fall as rain. Both projections will likely have implications for winter recreation and tourism in the region.
Droughts. Droughts in the region are projected to be much more frequent on the higher emissions path.
Extreme precipitation events. Under both emissions scenarios, more frequent and more intense heavy rainfall events are expected.
Though global warming is a global problem, the Northeast has a central role to play. Ranked against the nations of the world, the Northeast is the seventh largest emitter of carbon dioxide, the most important heat-trapping gas. Historically, the Northeast has been a leader in clean air policy, directly influencing federal policy. As a recognized innovator on many levels, from policy to technology, the Northeast region is poised to lead the way on emissions reductions, nationally and globally.
Reducing heat-trapping emissions is the most important step to curbing the rate and extent of climate change. Increasing industrial and building efficiency, switching to renewable energy sources such as wind, and driving more efficient vehicles are clear steps the Northeast can take.
Eric Miller (editor@newcolonist.com), on 01.15.08 @ 10:52PST
Friday, January 11th
Bicycles, Cars, and Capacity--a Little Illustration
Here's a quick little video (shown at four times the normal speed) of the 9AM rush hour in Cambridge, England. Apparently shot from his window by a fellow named George, it shows a staggering number of bicycles passing right by the cars and trucks that are lumbering in each other's way on a shared road.
The cyclists, on this typically wet, gray October day, are certainly making better progress than the motorists, and using far less asphalt per person to do so.
A lesson in both the efficiency and effectiveness of the bicycle for urban travel.
Remember it's speeded up, and the real situation would not show what appear to be close calls.
Richard Risemberg (rrisemberg@newcolonist.com), on 01.11.08 @ 14:02PST
Wednesday, January 2nd
Brown Sues EPA for Illegally Blocking California’s Plan to Curb Tailpipe Emissions
Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr., on behalf of the State of California, today sued the United States Environmental Protection Agency for “wrongfully and illegally” blocking the state's landmark tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions standards.
Brown filed the lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit to challenge the EPA’s denial of California's request to implement its emissions law—which requires a 30 percent reduction in motor vehicle greenhouse gas emissions by 2016. California's new standards require federal approval in the form of a waiver from the EPA. EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson denied California's request on December 19, 2007 in a letter to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Under the Clean Air Act, passed by Congress in 1963, California is expressly allowed to impose environmental regulations that are stricter than federal rules in recognition of the state’s “compelling and extraordinary conditions” which include unique topography, climate, and high number and concentration of vehicles.
The administrator stated in his decision that California did not need its tailpipe emissions standards to meet “compelling and extraordinary conditions,” a finding which reversed decades of agency practice and ignored the dangerous consequences of global warming to the State of California.
Global warming threatens California's Sierra mountain snow pack, which provides the state with one-third of its drinking water. California also has approximately 1,000 miles of coastline and levees that are threatened by rising sea levels.
Section 307 of the Clean Air Act gives California the authority to challenge adverse decisions by filing a petition for review two weeks after a rejection is issued. According to sources from within the EPA--as quoted in several national media accounts--Administrator Johnson rejected the unanimous recommendation of his agency’s legal and technical staff to grant the waiver.
In the 40-year history of the Act, EPA has granted approximately 50 waivers to California for innovations like catalytic converters, exhaust emission standards, and leaded gasoline regulations. Until last month, a waiver request had never been denied. The National Academy of Sciences has reviewed the waiver system and strongly supports maintaining California's role as “a proving ground for new-emission control technologies that benefit California and the rest of the nation.”
Cars generate 20% of all human-made carbon dioxide emissions in the United States, and at least 30% of such emissions in California.
Fifteen other states or state agencies—Massachusetts, Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington—are joining today's lawsuit as interveners.
In December, the U.S. District Court in Fresno rejected the auto industry's challenge to California’s emissions law, concluding that both California and the EPA are equally empowered to limit greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles. In September, a federal court judge in Vermont also rejected a similar effort, by the same automobile industry group, to block the state from implementing California’s tailpipe emissions law.
Eric Miller (editor@newcolonist.com), on 01.02.08 @ 19:24PST
Discovering Old New York: A Visit to the Merchant's House A list of things to do in New York City doesn't commonly include house tours. Of the five major early east coast cities (also including Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Charleston), it's probably harder to get a sense of the distant past in New York than the others. From about the time of the Erie Canal, New York has been immersed in a continual process of renewing and rebuilding, a process that has made the city what it is, but has largely confined the past to museums.
Perhaps the best place to get a sense of New York around the time of the Erie Canal is the Merchant's House at 29 East Fourth Street near Washington Square, in what was known as the "Bond Street Area." read more
Eric Miller (editor@newcolonist.com), on 01.02.08 @ 01:40PST
Tuesday, January 1st
See the World's Cities Ring In 2008 Webcams of the world Watch as cities the world over ring in 2008. If you want to see Pittsburgh, here's the first night web cam click here.
Eric Miller (editor@newcolonist.com), on 01.01.08 @ 01:23PST
See the World's Cities Ring In 2008 Webcams of the world Watch as cities the world over ring in 2008. If you want to see Pittsburgh, here's the first night web cam click here.
Eric Miller (editor@newcolonist.com), on 01.01.08 @ 01:23PST
A list of things to do in New York City doesn't commonly include house tours. Of the five major early east coast cities (also including Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Charleston), it's probably harder to get a sense of the distant past in New York than the others. From about the time of the Erie Canal, New York has been immersed in a continual process of renewing and rebuilding, a process that has made the city what it is, but has largely confined the past to museums.