"When the Levee Breaks" Greg
Here's what Katrina did to New Orleans levees. They've had trouble repairing levees even with all the money provided. A wall of water is just a major storm away for many areas across the nation.
"More than 85% of the nation's estimated 100,000 miles of levees are locally owned and maintained. The reliability of many of these levees is unknown. Many are over 50 years old and were originally built to protect crops from flooding. With an increase in development behind these levees, the risk to public health and safety from failure has increased.' ACSE
Schools are in tatters in some places.
A lost school in rural Virginia. taberandrew cc
"Spending on the nation's schools grew from $17 billion in 1998 to a peak of $29 billion in 2004. However, by 2007 spending fell to $20.28 billion. No comprehensive, authoritative nationwide data on the condition of America's school buildings has been collected in a decade. The National Education Association's best estimate to bring the nation's schools into good repair is $322 billion." ACSE
That's a steep price but what's the alternative? The do-nothing cult used to say, go back to the "three Rs" -- reading, writing, and 'rithmetic. Since the tech revolution, they can no longer use that homage to a time that never existed, so they complain bitterly about spending but offer nothing as an alternative.
Can you see ... LA today?
Probably not, although it's still beautiful on a clear day. In addition to the home grown pollution generated by automobiles, pollution has gone nationwide. Smoke stacks in one state lift the toxins up and the wind does the rest. Note the unhealthy pines in the foreground.
Multi state pollution generator on an ineffective power grid
The Navajo Reservations power plant is scenic but toxic as well.
Is this what "clean coal" looks like? bass nroll cc
"Demand for electricity has grown by 25% since 1990. Public and government opposition and difficulty in the permitting processes are restricting much needed modernization. Projected electric utility investment needs could be as much as $1.5 trillion by 2030." ACSE
We all require power and the power plants available are filthy. "Clean coal" is a myth. Not enough people in the power structure are looking to the sun or checking how strongly the wind blows across the country. Outmoded power infects every aspect of the deterioration of infrastructure. The plant above is now under EPA review for air pollution.
