Podcasts about electric utilities

Today we were delighted to host the team from the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), a leading Washington NGO dedicated to bringing stakeholders together to address critical policy issues for the U.S. and find areas of alignment for action. Joining us for the session are Margaret Spellings, President and CEO, along with her colleagues David Hill, Executive Vice President of Energy, and Bill Hoagland, Senior Vice President. Margaret became CEO of BPC in 2023 and brings extensive leadership experience at both the state and federal levels, most recently serving as President & CEO of Texas 2036. Earlier in her career, Margaret served as White House Chief Domestic Policy Advisor, Senior Policy Advisor and Secretary of Education under George W. Bush. David has more than 25 years of energy experience, having served as General Counsel of the U.S. DOE and as DOE's Deputy General Counsel for Energy Policy during the Bush administration, as well as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of NRG. Bill focuses on fiscal, health, and economic policy at BPC, following a long tenure on the U.S. Senate Staff and as VP of Public Policy at CIGNA Healthcare before joining BPC in 2012. We were thrilled to visit with Margaret, David, and Bill for their latest insights from Washington. In our conversation, Margaret first outlines the BPC's team structure and its dual focus on research and advocacy through bipartisan engagement on Capitol Hill. We discuss setbacks in U.S. education policy, including how 20 years of bipartisan federal accountability progress under Presidents Bush and Obama have been undone in recent years, highlighting the need to refocus on reading and evidence-based instruction. Bill provides an overview of the U.S. national debt, noting that politically untouchable programs dominate the budget and leave little room for meaningful reform. He flags that interest payments on the debt now exceed defense spending and describes the slow-building debt and energy crises as “termites under the porch,” noting that Washington only acts under strong leadership or in response to crisis. David shares his perspective on the need for durable, stable energy policy and the importance of long-term policy certainty to encourage private sector investment in infrastructure. We explore BPC's efforts to modernize education and workforce policy to reflect today's labor market, how private conversations often reveal more bipartisan consensus than public discourse suggests, and how BPC facilitates those critical dialogues. We also touch on the disconnect between Washington and the rest of the nation, the need to clearly communicate how policy failures impact everyday Americans, the challenges posed by outdated government technology, and much more. Thank you, Margaret, David, and Bill, for sharing your insights and expertise with us all! Mike Bradley kicked us off with a few updates focused on Trump's first 100 days, Canadian election results, and the recent Spain/Portugal power outage. The best word to describe Trump's first 100 days would be volatility, or as we have aptly named it, Trumpatility! The 10yr bond yield has fallen ~40bps (to 4.2%) over this timeframe and the U.S. dollar has depreciated by ~6%. Two commodity standouts are WTI price, which has plunged ~$15/bbl to ~$61/bbl, and gold, up ~22% to ~$3,300/oz. From a broader equity standpoint, the S&P 500 was down ~8%, Nasdaq down ~10% and Russell 2000 down ~14%. The S&P 500 Volatility Index spiked by ~50% (and ~275% at its April 7th volatility peak). The Energy sector was down ~11% with Oil Services down ~28%, E&Ps down ~21%, Refiners down ~15%, U.S. Oil Majors down ~10%, Midstream down ~5% and Alternative Energy up ~5%. Electric Utilities were up ~2% while IPPs/Power Index was down ~18%. Regarding the Canadian election, Mark Carney's Liberal Party eked out a narrow win Monday night against Poilievre's Conservative Party but fell short of a majority in t

The Trump administration has terminated the visas of a number of students at universities across Wisconsin. Staff at an organic industry watchdog in Wisconsin received a series of violent threats. And, three Wisconsin electric utilities are asking state regulators to allow them to raise their rates.

THE TIM JONES AND CHRIS ARPS SHOW Abby Foster, VP of Policy and Advocacy for the Retail Energy Advancement League | TOPIC: Are electric utilities failing Missouri? End the utility monopoly in Missouri | Why do rates keep increasing? | Nick Schroer’s Bill SB 487, which would create "The Electrical Choice and Competition Law” https://www.retailenergychoice.org/ https://newstalkstl.com/ FOLLOW TIM - https://twitter.com/SpeakerTimJones FOLLOW CHRIS - https://twitter.com/chris_arps 24/7 LIVESTREAM - http://bit.ly/NEWSTALKSTLSTREAMS RUMBLE - https://rumble.com/NewsTalkSTL See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

THE TIM JONES AND CHRIS ARPS SHOW Abby Foster, VP of Policy and Advocacy for the Retail Energy Advancement League | TOPIC: Are electric utilities failing Missouri? End the utility monopoly in Missouri | Why do rates keep increasing? | Nick Schroer’s Bill SB 487, which would create "The Electrical Choice and Competition Law” https://www.retailenergychoice.org/ https://newstalkstl.com/ FOLLOW TIM - https://twitter.com/SpeakerTimJones FOLLOW CHRIS - https://twitter.com/chris_arps 24/7 LIVESTREAM - http://bit.ly/NEWSTALKSTLSTREAMS RUMBLE - https://rumble.com/NewsTalkSTL See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SER Capital Partners is a middle-market private equity investment firm dedicated to North American industrial sustainability. They manage $500M in equity, plus opportunities to harness debt for the right projects. Typical investments range from $50-$150M per company. In addition to his role at SER, Rahul is a former private equity investor at Energy Capital Partners and a Board member at Sunnova, NextLight, FirsLlight, Sungevity, and growth-stage cleantech companies.  In this episode, you'll learn these four important takeaways. How they pick the right companies to invest in Their perspective on ESG and how it adds financial value to their portfolio companies How they select the right management team, and what it means to be pulled vs. to push Why he practice Transcendental Meditation 5x per week and tries to bring a gift to every personal encounter

As more of the world's power grids are supplied with renewables, accurate weather forecasting has become an increasingly important asset for power utilities. In this episode of Energy Evolution, correspondent Camilla Naschert speaks to Malte Rieck, meteorologist at Vattenfall, about the key parameters his team is watching, how AI is becoming a sharper tool for forecasting, and how extreme weather events may change the output profile of renewables fleets in the future.   Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay current on the energy transition and its implications.

As more of the world's power grids are supplied with renewables, accurate weather forecasting has become an increasingly important asset for power utilities. In this episode of Energy Evolution, correspondent Camilla Naschert speaks to Malte Rieck, meteorologist at Vattenfall, about the key parameters his team is watching, how AI is becoming a sharper tool for forecasting, and how extreme weather events may change the output profile of renewables fleets in the future.   Subscribe to Energy Evolution to stay current on the energy transition and its implications.

As the final episode in the three-part special Esri takeover series on the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast, Pat Hohl and Bill Meehan-- Directors at Esri-- bring their conversation to a conclusion by focusing on two essential areas: enterprise access and collaboration, as well as the essential (and sometime frustrating) areas of data quality and governance. Pat and Bill will bring their experience to the listener in breaking down silos and improving communication across departments are critical for utility success. They share real-life examples from their experiences, like the consequences of hoarding information and how modern tools and technologies can foster collaboration both within companies and with external stakeholders such as regulators. Listen in as this episode also touches on the role of effective data governance in ensuring data quality, discussing the importance of maintaining high accuracy and ensuring data integrity across systems. Pat and Bill explore the exciting innovations and technologies currently taking hold in the sector to automate and streamline these processes, reducing the burden on employees and allowing utilities to focus on delivering efficient, reliable services. Given how enterprise access and data quality governance are key to running a successful, modern utility, you won't want to miss this discussion. Key Links: Energy Central Post with Full Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-182-access-collaboration-and-data-quality-keys-modern-utility-pat-hohl Episode 1 of this three-part series, "Episode #178: "Breaking Boundaries: Cross-Industry Innovation at IMGIS 2024" with Pat Hohl and Bill Meehan, Directors at ESRI [Special Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast Presented by ESRI]": https://energycentral.com/c/iu/episode-178-breaking-boundaries-cross-industry-innovation-imgis-2024-pat-hohl-and Episode 2: "Episode #181: "Breaking Down Silos with GIS and Advanced Modeling in the Utility Sector" with Pat Hohl and Bill Meehan, Directors at ESRI [Special Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast Presented by ESRI]": https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-181-breaking-down-silos-gis-and-advanced-modeling-utility-sector-pat-hohl GIS for Electric Utilities from ESRI: https://www.esri.com/en-us/industries/electric/overview Ask a Question to Our Future Guests: Do you have a burning question for the utility executives and energy industry thought leaders that we feature each week on the Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast? Do you want to hear your voice on a future episode? Well starting in 2024, we're offering you that opportunity! Head to this link where you can leave us a recorded message, including a question you're eager to have answered on a future episode of the podcast. We'll listen through them, pick out the right guests in our upcoming lineup to address them, and you'll hear yourself as a part of the conversation! Energy Central on SpeakPipe: www.speakpipe.com/EnergyCentralPodcast

Today we had the pleasure of hosting our good friend Dr. David Gattie, Associate Professor of Engineering at the University of Georgia. In addition to his role in the College of Engineering, David is a Senior Fellow at the University's Center for International Trade and Security. David has a robust background including 18 years at the University of Georgia and 15 years in the energy private sector across production engineering, energy services engineering, and environmental engineering. His research focuses on the electric power sector, with an emphasis on comprehensive energy policy and integrated resource planning for overall energy and economic security, as well as national security. We were thrilled to visit with David. In our discussion, David provides an overview of Georgia's unique energy landscape and power generation focus. He explains Georgia's approach to long-term energy planning through integrated resource plans mandated every three years, the structure of Georgia's energy sector, the role of the Public Service Commission, and the pivotal role of nuclear energy in the state's long-term energy strategy. We explore Georgia's choice to maintain a regulated market rather than deregulating, the effectiveness of various market systems, trends in regulated versus deregulated markets, and the potential risks of an energy transition that neglects national security and industrial competitiveness. David also discusses the Center for International Trade and Security's efforts, including training students to become strategic thinkers with expertise in nuclear technology and energy security, as well as collaborating with key organizations and experts in the field. We cover the role of trade in maintaining global stability and preventing conflicts, the expected increase in electricity demand, commercial viability and government involvement in nuclear development, optimism for realistic energy policies, and more. As you'll hear, it was a meaty conversation and David was a fantastic guest with which to explore these important topics. David's full presentation including the slides referenced in our discussion is linked here. For additional reading, David's recent report entitled “Competitive Advantage as a National Security Objective for US Civilian Nuclear Power Policy” is linked here. Additionally, if you are interested in reading the book David recommends during the show, “The Lessons of Tragedy” is linked here. Mike Bradley opened the conversation by highlighting that it's been a wild week for Presidential politics, which is introducing some added uncertainty to global markets. He noted there could be some increased volatility in the bond market at week's end when Consumer Confidence and the PCE deflator are set to report. On the crude oil front, WTI price has plunged by ~$2.50/bbl (~$77.50/bbl) so far this week due to WTI price breaking through its 50/100/200 day moving averages and growing concern that Chinese commodity demand is slowing. On the energy equity front, Q2 reporting started last week and was skewed towards Oil Services. This week will also be heavy Oil Services but will also be broadening out to gas-levered E&Ps, Canadian E&Ps, Miners, Euro Oil Majors, Refiners and Electric Utilities. He also noted that equity investors will be paying a lot of attention to gas-levered E&P calls this week to get a sense of how they're thinking about 2H'24/2025 gas price levels/direction and how that might influence their 2H'24 capex/guidance plans. Jeff Tillery added to Mike's comments on oilfield services earnin

Join CFC's Alisha Pinto for an update on how an increase in U.S. wildfires is affecting utilities from insurance coverage to investments in capital expenditures and technology.

New federal funding will help realize transit and infrastructure improvements on the east side of Indianapolis. An Indiana law requiring stricter age verification for adult websites will not take effect July 1. The Family and Social Services Administration is implementing a significant change to an important Medicaid program for medically complex children. The Indianapolis Public School Board voted last week to appoint Lisa Riolo to the Indianapolis Public Library board of Trustees. Indiana's largest electric utility is asking state regulators to approve almost $500 million in new rate increases. Want to go deeper on the stories you hear on WFYI News Now? Visit wfyi.org/news and follow us on social media to get comprehensive analysis and local news daily. Subscribe to WFYI News Now wherever you get your podcasts. Today's episode of WFYI News Now was produced by Drew Daudelin and Abriana Herron, with support from News Director Sarah Neal-Estes.

In this Convo of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Sean Neman, Founder and CEO of Cal Solar Inc. Cal Solar Inc. proudly delivers reliable, full service renewable energy solutions for new construction, existing buildings, and retrofit projects throughout California. Their experienced in-house team of designers, engineers, and installers is equipped to deliver renewable energy solutions for multifamily, commercial/industrial, and public works projects of any size. To date, they have successfully completed 600+ large-scale renewable energy projects, 200+ prevailing wage projects, and worked within 13 electric utility territories throughout the state. Sean has been an entrepreneur and CEO in the renewables and energy efficiency construction space since 2008. Since founding Cal Solar Inc, Sean has executed $150MM in such projects and has led the company through continuous exponential growth, breaking through the barriers to solar in California, proving that rooftop solar is alive and well in Southern California. He and Ted discuss Cal Solar Inc.'s diverse portfolio of projects. Cal Solar Inc. is a full-service California engineering, procurement, and construction services company, with well over 200 employees. It has teams of in-house engineers, estimators, and state-wide installation crews. Sean shares his EPC service self-performs everything from initial design and engineering to installation and service. They discuss Cal Solar's installation of what at the time was the tallest Solar Water Heating system in the world, atop the 42nd floor of 399 Fremont Street in San Francisco. They also focus on Panel-Level Energy Storage technology that Cal Solar is deploying. Sean concludes by sharing the sentiment with Ted that the "solar coaster" is an interesting one, especially with so many policy changes across the board, but the industry in California is the industry to join. There is still tremendous opportunity and a need to tap this free, renewable resource. 

Want to build a career in the drone industry…even as a civil engineer?

Today we had the pleasure of hosting David Sacks, Fellow for Asia Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), for a comprehensive discussion on China and the intricate dynamics of US-China, US-Taiwan, and cross-Strait relations. Prior to joining the CFR in 2017, David served at the American Institute in Taiwan focused on political military affairs. David's research spans Asia, China, Taiwan, defense and security, as well as political history and theory including the political thought of Hans Morgenthau. The CFR is an independent think-tank and publisher committed to providing insights into global affairs and serves as a resource for its members and the broader public in navigating the complexities of international relations. We have been interested for quite some time in finding an expert on China and were thrilled to visit with David. In our conversation, David first shares background on China's evolving role globally and the changing dynamics of US-China relations, the security-related and economic implications of conflict between China and Taiwan, the challenges in managing tensions in the Taiwan Strait, escalating tensions in the South China Sea, US-China rivalry in the region and its effects on maritime activity, and China's assertive foreign policy under Xi Jinping's leadership and its implications for global power dynamics. David shares his perspective on similarities and differences between the Trump and Biden Administrations' approaches to China, the feasibility and implications of decoupling from China economically and the interdependence between the US and China in the global economy, the potential for future leadership changes in China, and how other countries are responding to China's assertiveness including how European perceptions and policies towards China have evolved. We explore China's economic and demographic outlook and the country's overall strengths and weaknesses, potential implications if China were to become weaker in the next 10-20 years, the potential export of low-cost EVs from China, trust issues in US-China relations, Taiwan's perspective and defense strategies, the CFR's role in international diplomacy, and much more. Thank you, David, for sharing your insights with us all! We learned a tremendous amount and could have gone another hour we were so intrigued with the conversation. Mike Bradley kicked us off with a few updates. He noted the 10-year government bond yield looks to have found some temporary support at ~4.6% but will likely move on Friday's PCE deflator report. WTI (~$83/bbl) pulled back this past week on what looks to be temporary cooling in Mideast tension. Oil trader sentiment seems to have shifted to one that could be underestimating future geopolitical risks, which could send oil prices materially higher, and force OPEC to push barrels back into the market. Q4 earnings are kicking into high gear with ~35% of S&P 500 companies reporting this week, which should result in elevated broader market trading volatility. S&P 500 relative strength has recently reversed from overbought to oversold levels, and S&P 500 volatility has also spiked to 1-year highs. On the energy equity front, he highlighted that Q1 results are also beginning to kick into high gear with a barrage of results from E&Ps, Oil Majors, Oil Services & Refiners. Electric Utilities were by far the best performing S&P sector last week and there will be many companies reporting this week. He ended by discussing YTD Asian equity market performance, noting that Japan and Taiwan are the top two regional equity market performers. Arjun Murti discussed the concept of geopolitical risk premiums in oil prices, noting three key factors: structural changes in major producers, civil strife causing production fluctuations and difficult forecasting, and the impact of war. Sharing examples for each element, he noted the complex nature of geopolitical risk and its influence on s

FFB Episode 172 - Electric Utilities Working Together To Bridge The Digital Divide by Fiber for Breakfast with Gary Bolton

For years and years, utilities in the US haven't seen much growth in electricity demand. The economy is generally mature and has been able to grow even without needing much more electrical power. But all that's changing now and a big contributing factor is the boom in datacenter demand. It's particularly acute for AI datacenters, which need more power than traditional datacenters, and are growing like crazy ever since ChatGPT brought generative AI to everyone's collective consciousness. So how will utilities handle the sudden surge in load growth? On this episode, we speak with Brian Janous, co-founder and chief strategy officer at Cloverleaf Infrastructure. Brian spent 12 years at Microsoft, where he was the company's first ever energy-focused hire, so he has seen the rise of datacenter electricity consumption first hand, and how AI is kicking it up even further. He now works alongside utilities to figure out how they'll meet this growing demand. We talk about how there's likely to be more gas plants being built, how datacenters and utilities can get more energy out of existing infrastructure, the politics of AI datacenters, and what this all means for the net-zero commitments of major tech companies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Paul Gipe, an author, advocate, and analyst of the renewable energy industry. Paul is a world renowned wind power expert, and has written extensively about the subject for the past four decades, receiving numerous awards for his efforts. Gipe has lectured before groups from Patagonia to Puglia, from Tasmania to Toronto, and from Halifax to Husum. He has spoken to audiences as large as 10,000 and as small as a private presentation for Vice President Al Gore. He is also passionate about electric vehicles and writes about his experience driving EVs.Through his website, Gipe is well known for his frank appraisal of the promise and pitfalls of wind energy, including his stinging critiques of internet wonders and the hustlers and charlatans who promote them. His most recent book, Wind Energy for the Rest of Us, is Gipe's seventh book on wind energy. In it, he debunks novel wind turbines, rebukes revisionist historians, and argues that renewable energy is too important to be left to electric utilities.Gipe's interest in wind energy grew out of his wish to limit the environmental effects of conventional energy sources, particularly those of coal and nuclear power. He contributed to the seven-year struggle for passage of the National Surface Mining Act, which regulates the strip mining of coal in the United States. As part of that effort, Gipe co-authored Surface Mining, Energy, and the Environment and was invited to the White House by President Jimmy Carter for the signing ceremony.He and Ted discuss the wind energy industry at large, highlighting technological advancements in design, commercial vs. residential uses, offshore "floaters" vs. on land turbines, and solar vs. wind cost efficiency. They also share their love for driving EVs. 

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, CFC Director of Utility Research & Policy Brian Sloboda connects the dots on artificial intelligence (AI) and important business questions cooperatives should consider asking during implementation of new AI technology. He highlights cooperative use cases and potential ways to integrate AI into business processes and systems.  Listen to the latest episode of CFC Solutions Cast to discover the most important questions electric cooperatives need to be asking about AI integration. To view the 2024 Economic and Industry Trends visit https://interactive.nrucfc.coop/economic-and-industry-trends-2024/ Share your cooperative story, contact: Christine Petchenick: christine.petchenick@nrucfc.coopBrian Sloboda: brian.sloboda@nrucfc.coopOutline00:00 Intro00:57 What Is AI?05:31 Building Infrastructure for AI07:00 AI and the Workforce12:13 Member Engagement Strategy

In Episode 80, Patrick speaks with Sayon Chanda, Senior Scientist at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), one of US Department of Energy's leading federal research laboratories in Denver Colorado.The team discusses the NISQ era of Quantum Computing, the complexities of current electric utility configurations, and how electric utilities can prepare for a post quantum future. Learn more: https://www.nrel.gov/news/program/2023/quantum-computers-can-now-interface-with-power-grid-equipment.htmlSayonsom Chanda is a senior scientist at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Boulder, Colorado. He works in the intersection of advanced computing technologies and the electric power grid. For last seven years, he has worked extensively in implementation of AI technology for electric utilities in North America. Recently, his work on interfacing quantum computers and power grid simulators for developing industrial applications of quantum computing for solving the complex challenges of our times - including energy insecurity and climate change. Prior to joining NREL, Dr. Chanda was a Senior Data Scientist at National Grid in New York and an electrical engineer at Idaho National Laboratory. He is also the co-founder of two tech start-up companies where he helped them raise venture capital and develop commercial solutions for the utility industry. Over a dozen prominent conferences in the United States and abroad have invited him to speak on AI applications in the Energy industry, including a TEDX talk in 2021. He holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Washington State University, has published more than 18 articles in journals with a high impact factor and holds three patents in cloud computing for power systems. He is also the author of a book “Resiliency of Electricity Distribution Systems," published by Wiley in the United Kingdom.

Climbing electricity demand is forcing utilities to make weighty investment decisions – at the same time interest rates and inflation have hit 50-year highs. In this episode of Power Plays, CoBank thought leaders JT Parker, Matt Hale and Justin Merkowitz give their 2024 outlook, from balancing new demand to the changing nature of assets and new approaches to managing interest rate risk. 

Pat Hohl and Bill Meehan, renowned bloggers on Energy Central, have amassed an impressive total of half a million views on the platform. With nearly a century of combined experience in the energy industry, including almost half of that time spent working at power companies, their expertise is undeniable. In this engaging podcast series, each episode lasting between 10 to 15 minutes, Pat and Bill take a relaxed approach to exploring the ways utilities can leverage GIS (Geographic Information System) to share, understand, and capture critical utility data. Contrary to the prevailing perception of GIS as a mere repository for asset information, Bill and Pat will present a fresh perspective. They will delve into the transformative potential of GIS, demonstrating its effectiveness as a powerful tool for engaging with all utility stakeholders. The inaugural episode, titled "Sharing GIS Information," provides a glimpse into how GIS can be harnessed to foster exceptional collaboration and communication within the utility sector. Interested in transforming your utility with GIS? Start here: https://www.esri.com/en-us/industries/electric/overview In case you missed it, the full series can be found at these links: Episode 1: https://soundcloud.com/energycentral/unlocking-the-power-of-gis-with-pat-hohl-and-bill-meehan-special-series-presented-by-esri Episode 2: https://soundcloud.com/energycentral/harnessing-gis-for-utility-management-with-pat-hohlbill-meehan-special-series-presented-by-esri Episode 3: https://soundcloud.com/energycentral/the-role-of-gis-data-digital-twins-with-pat-hohl-bill-meehan-special-series-presented-by-esri Key Links: Energy Central Post with Full Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/esri/special-episode-unlocking-power-gis-sharing-understanding-and-capturing-utility GIS for Electric Utilities from ESRI: https://www.esri.com/en-us/industries/electric/overview Episode #10: ‘The Past & Future of Circuits & How GIS is Transforming the Grid, COVID-19 Response, & More' with Pat Hohl of Esri - [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]: https://energycentral.com/c/iu/energy-central-power-perspectives%E2%84%A2-podcast-episode-10-%E2%80%98-past-future-circuits-how  Episode #12: ‘To Unlock the Modern Utility, GIS is Key' with Bill Meehan of Esri - [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]: https://energycentral.com/c/iu/energy-central-power-perspectives%E2%84%A2-podcast-episode-12-%E2%80%98-unlock-modern-utility-gis Episode #47: GIS, Digital Twin, and the Intelligent Reality of Utilities Today with Pat Hohl and Bill Meehan of Esri [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/special-edition-gis-digital-twin-and-intelligent-reality-utilities-today-pat-hohl Episode #80: 'Taking a Geographic Approach to Public Grid Investment' with Bill Meehan and Pat Hohl of Esri [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-80-taking-geographic-approach-public-grid-investment-bill-meehan-and-pat Episode #95: 'Debating Utilities' Role In Transportation Electrification' With Esri's Bill Meehan & Pat Hohl [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-95-debating-utilities-role-transportation-electrification-esris-bill Pat Hohl's Energy Central Profile: energycentral.com/member/profile/204983/about Bill Meehan's Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/360/about Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

In the GIS for the utility industry and as authors on Energy Central, few have quite the pedigree of Pat Hohl and Bill Meehan as experts in their field. While the series opener offered an intriguing view into how GIS can revolutionize collaboration and communication in utility management, this second episode finds Pat and Bill moving past the conventional view of GIS as just a tool for asset data storage. The conversation offers a refreshing narrative of the broader implications of GIS, including the transformational capacity of the technology and highlighting its role as a robust facilitator for stakeholder insight in the utility sector. Curious about transforming your utility operations with GIS? Begin your journey here: https://www.esri.com/en-us/industries/electric/overview In case you missed it, the full series can be found at these links: Episode 1: https://soundcloud.com/energycentral/unlocking-the-power-of-gis-with-pat-hohl-and-bill-meehan-special-series-presented-by-esri Episode 2: https://soundcloud.com/energycentral/harnessing-gis-for-utility-management-with-pat-hohlbill-meehan-special-series-presented-by-esri Episode 3: https://soundcloud.com/energycentral/the-role-of-gis-data-digital-twins-with-pat-hohl-bill-meehan-special-series-presented-by-esri Key Links: Energy Central Post with Full Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/special-episode-harnessing-gis-strategic-utility-insight-pat-hohl-and-bill-meehan Energy Central Post with Full Episode Transcript: XX GIS for Electric Utilities from ESRI: https://www.esri.com/en-us/industries/electric/overview Episode #10: ‘The Past & Future of Circuits & How GIS is Transforming the Grid, COVID-19 Response, & More' with Pat Hohl of Esri - [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]: https://energycentral.com/c/iu/energy-central-power-perspectives%E2%84%A2-podcast-episode-10-%E2%80%98-past-future-circuits-how  Episode #12: ‘To Unlock the Modern Utility, GIS is Key' with Bill Meehan of Esri - [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]: https://energycentral.com/c/iu/energy-central-power-perspectives%E2%84%A2-podcast-episode-12-%E2%80%98-unlock-modern-utility-gis Episode #47: GIS, Digital Twin, and the Intelligent Reality of Utilities Today with Pat Hohl and Bill Meehan of Esri [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/special-edition-gis-digital-twin-and-intelligent-reality-utilities-today-pat-hohl Episode #80: 'Taking a Geographic Approach to Public Grid Investment' with Bill Meehan and Pat Hohl of Esri [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-80-taking-geographic-approach-public-grid-investment-bill-meehan-and-pat Episode #95: 'Debating Utilities' Role In Transportation Electrification' With Esri's Bill Meehan & Pat Hohl [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-95-debating-utilities-role-transportation-electrification-esris-bill Pat Hohl's Energy Central Profile: energycentral.com/member/profile/204983/about Bill Meehan's Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/360/about Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

In the final episode of the ESRI-presented podcast series about capturing GIS information more effectively, the esteemed Pat Hohl and Bill Meehan move past the typical association of GIS with maps and move into what they believe serves a larger purpose in the realm of discovery and understanding complex data, especially within the utility sector. Pat and Bill discuss transitioning from paper to digital maps in this conversation and how utilities move towards fully connected, intelligent models for better interoperability and load flow management. The role of mobile tools and web services will serve to reduce data latency and increase transparency, with an emphasis on safety and operational efficiency. Specifically, Digital Twins combine multiple data sources like imagery, real-time sensor data, and logical representations for more informed decision-making, and this episode serves as a starting point for understanding how GIS acts as a foundation for these technologies. Want to dive in more deeply with ESRI's expertise? Start that process here: https://www.esri.com/en-us/industries/electric/overview In case you missed it, the full series can be found at these links: Episode 1: https://soundcloud.com/energycentral/unlocking-the-power-of-gis-with-pat-hohl-and-bill-meehan-special-series-presented-by-esri Episode 2: https://soundcloud.com/energycentral/harnessing-gis-for-utility-management-with-pat-hohlbill-meehan-special-series-presented-by-esri Episode 3: https://soundcloud.com/energycentral/the-role-of-gis-data-digital-twins-with-pat-hohl-bill-meehan-special-series-presented-by-esri Key Links: Energy Central Post with Full Episode Transcript: https://energycentral.com/c/iu/special-episode-role-gis-data-mobility-and-digital-twins-pat-hohl-and-bill-meehan GIS for Electric Utilities from ESRI: https://www.esri.com/en-us/industries/electric/overview Episode #10: ‘The Past & Future of Circuits & How GIS is Transforming the Grid, COVID-19 Response, & More' with Pat Hohl of Esri - [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]: https://energycentral.com/c/iu/energy-central-power-perspectives%E2%84%A2-podcast-episode-10-%E2%80%98-past-future-circuits-how  Episode #12: ‘To Unlock the Modern Utility, GIS is Key' with Bill Meehan of Esri - [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]: https://energycentral.com/c/iu/energy-central-power-perspectives%E2%84%A2-podcast-episode-12-%E2%80%98-unlock-modern-utility-gis Episode #47: GIS, Digital Twin, and the Intelligent Reality of Utilities Today with Pat Hohl and Bill Meehan of Esri [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/special-edition-gis-digital-twin-and-intelligent-reality-utilities-today-pat-hohl Episode #80: 'Taking a Geographic Approach to Public Grid Investment' with Bill Meehan and Pat Hohl of Esri [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-80-taking-geographic-approach-public-grid-investment-bill-meehan-and-pat Episode #95: 'Debating Utilities' Role In Transportation Electrification' With Esri's Bill Meehan & Pat Hohl [an Energy Central Power Perspectives™ Podcast]: https://energycentral.com/o/energy-central/episode-95-debating-utilities-role-transportation-electrification-esris-bill Pat Hohl's Energy Central Profile: energycentral.com/member/profile/204983/about Bill Meehan's Energy Central Profile: https://energycentral.com/member/profile/360/about Did you know? The Energy Central Power Perspectives Podcast has been identified as one of the industry's 'Top 25 Energy Podcasts': blog.feedspot.com/energy_podcasts/

On this episode, we are joined by Ron Beck, interim President, and CEO of the Utilities Technology Council (UTC) a global trade association dedicated to creating a favorable business, regulatory, and technological environment for critical infrastructure providers. With a renewed focus on broadband technology, Ron is leading efforts to promote its adoption and advancement in the utility sector. Click now to listen. Also, subscribe to the Broadband Bunch on your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. https://utc.org

May 22, 2023 - New York Public Service Commission Chair & CEO Rory Christian discusses emergency response plans for electric utility companies in the state.

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we speak with Cherryland Electric Cooperative (CEC) Engineering & Operations Manager Frank Siepker about a generator loan program that enhances resilience and supports business continuity for commercial and industrial (C&I) member-owners. Based in Grawn, Michigan, CEC faces challenges from derecho wind bursts, thunderstorms and other extreme weather events. The cooperative leverages the generator loan program to help C&I members keep the lights on during extended power outages and provides public services to the community, such as food, shelter and other forms of assistance. Siepker discusses how the generator loan program came about, what the lending requirements are and why the cooperative recently decided to shift away from its role as an authorized reseller of Generac generators to focus on providing C&I members with generator planning and loans.  Tune in to hear the critical insights CEC shares about implementing a commercial backup power system loan program that reduces vulnerabilities to the effects of extreme weather and ensures reliability for C&I member-owners.

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we speak with Oglethorpe Power Corporation Director of Emerging Technologies Alan Shedd about the continued growth of electric vehicle (EV) adoption, creating a national EV charging network and how electric cooperatives can get ahead of the EV adoption curve. Shedd explains why cooperative leaders should not panic, yet, about growing EV sales, and instead focus on where 80% of EV charging will take place—at home. He describes three steps cooperatives can take to prepare their systems: get educated about the effects of EVs charging at home, collect data to understand how many EVs are on their system and get experience with EVs. Listen to the latest episode of CFC Solutions Cast to hear how electric cooperatives can prepare for the future growth of EV sales. 

In this episode of Flanigan's Eco-Logic, Ted speaks with Ralph Cavanagh, senior attorney and co-director of Natural Resources Defense Council's energy program. Ralph joined the Natural Resources Defense Council in 1979 and has had an illustrious career focusing on removing barriers to cost-effective energy efficiency, and on the role that electric and natural gas utilities can play in leading a clean energy transition.Ralph and Ted discuss his studies at Yale College and the Yale Law School, and becoming a member of the US Secretary of Energy's Advisory Board (SEAB) from 1993 - 2003. They also dig into performance-based rate paying, revenue decoupling, NRDC's stance on net-energy metering in California, and current decarbonization works. Ralph has been a visiting professor at the Stanford and UC Berkeley Law Schools and a lecturer on law at Harvard, and he is a long-time faculty member at the University of Idaho's Energy Executive Course. He chairs the advisory board of the Energy and Efficiency Institute at the University of California at Davis, and he serves on the boards of the Bipartisan Policy Center and BPC Action. He has received the Heinz Award for Public Policy, the BPA Administrator's Award for Exceptional Public Service, the Alliance to Save Energy's Charles H. Percy Award for Public Service, and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners' Mary Kilmarx Award. 

In this episode of CFC Solutions Cast, we speak with CFC Senior Energy Industry Analyst Roman Siegert about the lessons learned from the unprecedented load curtailments and power outages in North Carolina, Tennessee, Maine and Pennsylvania caused by Winter Storm Elliott. Siegert discusses how Winter Storm Elliott caused the perfect storm for the electric grid during the holidays and how extreme weather events will require energy providers to collaborate more to share resources and export and import electricity from each other in order to keep the lights on. Listen to the latest episode of CFC Solutions Cast to hear what the electric industry needs to be better prepared for the next major winter storm. 

Robert is joined this week by Tony Seba, world-renowned thought-leader, Silicon Valley entrepreneur, educator and the author of the Amazon #1 best-selling book “Clean Disruption of Energy and Transportation: How Silicon Valley Will Make Oil, Nuclear, Natural Gas, Coal, Electric Utilities and Conventional Cars Obsolete by 2030.” Tony's work focuses on the convergence of technologies, business models, and product innovations that disrupt the world's major industries. Illustrating his approach by using the metaphor “A caterpillar is not a butterfly, and a butterfly is not a caterpillar with wings.” Tony explains how we must look at these challenges differently if we are to find a route to super-abundance.

Electric utilities are falling short on climate action. To explain why, we're bringing back our season one finale. This episode features former utilities regulator Kris Mayes, who recently won a nail-biting election to become the second woman and first openly LGBTQ attorney general of Arizona. Go, Kris! Since season one, Leah has been busy investigating utilities' past and present role spreading climate denial, doubt, and delay. You can read the paper she co-wrote on the topic last fall, and discover the dirty truth about your electric utility and their climate plans in the report she released with Sierra Club. Spoiler alert, Arizona Public Service is one of the top offenders. We can't wait to share the whole sordid tale with you one more time… In 2013, a series of attack ads blitzed television sets across Arizona. They warned of a dire threat to senior citizens. Who was the villain? Solar energy. These ads came from front groups funded by Arizona Public Service, the state's largest utility. It was part of a years-long fight against rooftop solar that turned ugly. “I mean, for Star Wars fans, APS became the Darth Vader of electric utilities in America. I mean, I think you would be hard-pressed to find a utility that behaved as badly as APS did in the last decade,” explains former regulator Kris Mayes. But APS isn't alone. It's a prime example of how monopoly utilities abuse their power to influence regulatory decisions and slow clean-energy progress. What happens if your electric utility starts doing things you don't agree with? What if they start attacking solar and proposing to build more and more fossil gas plants? What if they actively resist clean energy progress? Well, you don't get a choice. You have to buy electricity, and you have to buy it from them. As a customer you're funding that.  In this episode, we'll detail how it happened in Arizona – and how public pressure forced APS to come clean. Featured in this episode: Ryan Randazzo, Kris Mayes, David Pomerantz. 

As demand for EVs grows, so too does the role of electric utilities. . From powering the grid to ensuring the reliability of EV charging stations, the electric utility industry plays a pivotal role in accelerating EV adoption. . For more than a century, Duquesne Light Company (DLC) has delivered electricity to more than 600,000 customers in the Pittsburgh region. Currently, there are more than 6,000 EVs in DLC's service territory—and they expect that number to grow to more than 23,000 by the end of 2025. . With this projected growth, DLC is not only providing reliable power, but EV information analysis and incentives like a Community Charging Program and Electric Fleet Advisory Service Program. . We sat down with Sarah Olexsak, Senior Manager, Transportation Electrification, to discuss the role of electric utilities and how DLC is supporting EV adoption in Western Pennsylvania. . We'd love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to podcast@sae.org. Don't forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today—where we discuss emerging technology and trends in mobility with the leaders, innovators and strategists making it all happen—and give us a review on your preferred podcasting platform. . Follow SAE on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Follow host Grayson Brulte on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

In this episode, we will learn more about the 81 cities, towns and villages across Wisconsin that own and operate a municipal electric utility. These municipal utilities are organized together through the Municipal Electric Utilities of Wisconsin (MEUW), and we brought together a panel of experts to share more about the unique benefits of public power, including: Tim Heinrich, President and CEO of MEUW; Tyler Vorpagel, Director of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs at MEUW; Troy Adams, General Manager, Manitowoc Public Utilities; Jill Weiss, Utilities Director at Stoughton Utilities; and, Rick Wicklund, General Manager, Sun Prairie Utilities. Note: MEUW is a member of the Customers First! Coalition. Links from Episode: Municipal Electric Utilities of Wisconsin https://www.meuw.org/ Manitowoc Public Utilities https://www.mpu.org/ Sun Prairie Utilities https://www.sunprairieutilities.com/ Stoughton Utilities https://stoughtonutilities.com/ Great Lakes Utilities https://www.greatlakesutilities.org/ WPPI Energy https://wppienergy.org/

On Episode 18 of the TID Water & Power Podcast we sit down with TID's Dave Arounsack to discuss the District's cybersecurity efforts.October is Cybersecurity Awareness month and as the we live in becomes more and more interconnected via computers, cell phones, and other technology, the threat of cyberattacks continues to rise. And this is no different for TID. With hundreds of thousands of people relying on the irrigation water and power the District delivers, TID goes to great lengths to secure our systems and prevent cyberattacks. On this episode we discuss the threat of cyberattacks on utilities and how the District protects and fortifies our cybersecurity system.Let's get social!Facebook: @TurlockIDInstagram: @TurlockIDTwitter: @TurlockIDLinkedIn: /company/turlockidFind out more about TID at https://www.TID.org/podcast. 

FFB Episode 85 - Electric Utilities And Their Role In Broadband Expansion by Fiber Broadband Association - Fiber for Breakfast

You've probably seen retail electric providers advertising free nights and weekends on TV at some point, right? You've probably heard it on the radio as well. In fact, I'm guessing you've seen and heard these ads with some regularity in recent years. While it does sound like a great deal –I mean, who doesn't love “free”?—there is a catch hidden within the fine print. 

One of the best things about being part of an electric co-op is that you get a voice. As CoServ Members, you democratically elect a collective Board of Directors who represent you. While there are seven districts and Board Members, candidates are elected at large, meaning all Members as of the record date are eligible to vote for whoever, regardless of district number. This year, Districts 2 and 7 are up for election, with voting opening May 12th. That said, if you've been a CoServ Member for a while, you might have already known that. That's fine, but I'm willing to bet you didn't know these 10 facts about the CoServ Annual Meeting!

Our multi-part series on local climate action continues with an episode dedicated to one of our country's major sources of greenhouse gas emissions - electricity. In particular, we discuss the decades of work by local activists to get Austin's publicly-owned electric utility on a path to zero emissions. There's just one problem... the Fayette Power Project, Austin's last remaining coal plant. Guests include Kaiba White (Public Citizen Texas), Amber Mills (MOVE Texas), Annie Fierro (Sunrise Movement), and Makenna Jonker (City of Austin Electric Utility Commission). Want to learn more about what we discussed in this episode? Check out our list of links below... ** Public Citizen's Stop Burning Coal Petition -https://publiccitizen.salsalabs.org/keep-your-promise-atx-stop-burning-coal/index.html ** The Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign - https://coal.sierraclub.org/ ** MOVE Texas - https://movetexas.org/ ** Sunrise ATX - https://www.instagram.com/sunriseatx/ ** City of Austin Electric Utility Commission -https://www.austintexas.gov/content/electric-utility-commission

    “I'm like a dog chasing cars, I wouldn't know what to do if I caught one, you know, I just do…things.” -- The Joker, The Dark Knight, 2008, Jonathon and Christopher Nolan   Matt Stephenson welcomes Chris Humphreys to pm73media. How does a nice boy from Metro Washington DC start playing pro football (or soccer for you heathens) in England, then move on to multiple other international squads before landing in the United States Army as a linguist with a focus on security? After that... how does he become a leading expert for state and national cybersecurity initiatives? And just how many Pulp Fiction references can they make in a single show? Dig it...   About Chris Humphreys Chris Humphreys (@CBHumphreys) is the Founder and CEO of The Anfield Group Inc. which provides cybersecurity, regulatory, and technological strategic advisement to all Critical Infrastructure sectors. He is an internationally recognized thought leader and evangelist in the industry verticals of Cybersecurity, Critical Infrastructure Protection, Intelligence Operations, Data Privacy and Regulatory Compliance. With over 20 years of experience, Chris has written National-Level policy on cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection as well as served as the first Cyber Regulator for Electric Utilities within the Texas Region and across North America. Chris has provided testimony for both the Senate and House of Rep on Data Privacy regulation and as a Legislative Advisor for Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Regulation.   About Matt Stephenson My name is Matt Stephenson (@packmatt73) and I have hosted podcasts, videos and live events all over the world which put me with experts on every corner of the cybersecurity landscape. pm73media is my first solo endeavor. On this platform and others to come, I will continue to expand upon the tradition we started with the Insecurity podcast as I seek out the leading minds in the tech industry and beyond. I am always looking for fun people who may break things every now and again. In 20 years in the ecosystem of Data Protection and Cybersecurity I have toured the world extolling the virtues of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning and how, when applied to information security, these technologies can wrong-foot the bad guys. Whether in person, live virtual events or podcasting, I get to interview interesting people doing interesting things all over the world of technology and the extended world of hacking. Sometimes, that means hacking elections or the coffee supply chain... other times that means social manipulation or the sovereign wealth fund of a national economy. Wherever I go, my job is all about talking with the people who build, manage or wreck the systems that we have put in place to make the world go round...   If you tuned in to any of my previous podcasts, there's great news…! pm73media is here! I will be bringing the same kind of energy and array of guests you know and love. Best part? We're still at the same spot. You can find it at Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music & Audible as well as GooglePlay, Gaana, Himalaya, I Heart Radio and wherever you get your podcasts!   Make sure you Subscribe, Rate and Review!  

Bonneville Power Administration and Energy Australia present case studies of their asset management successes, challenges, and lessons learned. Speakers: - Glenn Schumacher, Head of Engineering, Energy Australia - Stacy Webster-Wharton, Acting Asset Manager, Bonneville Power Administration - Peter Kohler, Director of the Asset Management College, Australia - Sally Nugent, Managing Director at Salyent Pty Ltd

Private electric utilities in the Pacific Northwest are planning tens of millions of dollars in upgrades to reduce the risk that their power lines could spark wildfires during extreme weather. Utilities such as Pacific Power, Avista, Idaho Power, Portland General Electric and Puget Sound Energy are either required to or are voluntarily submitting wildfire mitigation plans.

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, a rebroadcast from the Building Local Power Podcast, we share a recording of ILSR's Democratizing Power event: a conversation with advocates about how communities have challenged monopoly power.… Read More

For this episode of the Local Energy Rules Podcast, a rebroadcast from the Building Local Power Podcast, we share a recording of ILSR's Democratizing Power event: a conversation with advocates about how communities have challenged monopoly power.… Read More

In this episode of Energy Talks, Robert Wang, Recloser Control Solutions Product Manager at OMICRON and Justin Henson, Distribution Line Technician Specialist at Pacific Gas & Electric Company, discuss how the reliable operation of recloser controls in the power grid plays an important role in wildfire mitigation at electric utilities. Justin also describes how PG&E implements its zero-tolerance policy for wildfire sparks caused by downed power lines.

Electric utility CEOs met with President Joe Biden on Wednesday to push Democrats to pass the clean energy tax incentives in the Build Back Better bill. The meeting represents the highest profile move yet for the sector and a significant shift in the utilities' stance on clean energy adoption in recent years, POLITICO's Catherine Morehouse reports.   Nirmal Mulaikal is a POLITICO audio host-producer.  Catherine Morehouse is an energy reporter for POLITICO.  Carlos Prieto is an audio producer for POLITICO.  Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio. Jenny Ament is the interim executive producer of POLITICO's audio department.

Mike Jolly, Director of Electric Utilities for the City of Rock Hill, joins Matthew Kreh and Ashley Studebaker on CityCast to discuss what happens when there is an outage, the city's electrical infrastructure and the worst thing that can happen when you follow a trail of ants.

This Day in Maine for Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022

On this episode of Building Local Power, we share a recording of ILSR's recent event Democratizing Power: New Citizen Initiatives Challenge Monopoly Electric Utilities. Across the country, powerful utilities are actively blocking decentralized solar energy, degrading the reliability of the power lines even as they raise prices, and failing to make the grid investments needed for a clean, carbon-free future. Listen to ILSR's Stacy Mitchell and John Farrell facilitate conversations with the advocates who are leading the movement to take back control from electric utility monopolies. Highlights of the event's discussions include: Rep. Seth Berry and Sen. Rick Bennett of the Maine State Legislature discuss Our Power, a citizen-led ballot campaign in Maine that aims to convert the utility serving most of the state to a consumer-owned electric company, allowing for competition and innovation on a public grid system. Jean Su, Energy Justice Director at the Center for Biological Diversity, explains how advocates in Arizona are using antitrust and anti-monopoly laws to fight a big utility's plans to crush customer-owned rooftop solar power. Mariel Nanasi, Executive Director of New Energy Economy in New Mexico, tells the story behind a recent and highly unusual rejection of a proposed utility merger in New Mexico, brought about by grassroots advocacy effort. “Clean electricity is how we get out of the climate emergency. And all of that needs to flow over the poles and wires. Those poles and wires are a monopoly. And because of the last 150 years or so of the evolution of that industry, we have allowed it without really thinking about it. Without really noticing, we've allowed it to globalize, we've allowed it to conglomerate. We've allowed it to be the province of the few in order to extract value from the many. And so this is about power. It is about money. It's also very much about climate. If we're going to decarbonize, we know that we need to shift to consumer ownership because it works.”     Related Resources Democratizing Power: New Citizen Initiatives Challenge Monopoly Electric Utilities The Role of Antitrust Law in Creating Energy Justice — Episode 127 of Building Local Power Mainers Consider Putting Electricity, Internet in Local Hands — Episode 103 of Building Local Power In Santa Fe, Momentum Builds for Locals to Take Charge of Electricity System – Episode 39 of Local Energy Rules Podcast A David and Goliath Fight to Tap World Class Solar – Episode 14 of Local Energy Rules Podcast Transcript Jess Del Fiacco: Hello. Welcome to Building Local Power, a podcast dedicated to thought-provoking conversations about how we can challenge corporate monopolies and expand the power of people to shape their own future. I'm Jess Del Fiacco, the host of Building Local Power and communications manager here at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. For more than 45 years, ILSR has worked to build thriving, equitable communities where power, wealth, and accountability remain in local hands. Hello, today we have something slightly different for you. Last week, ILSR hosted an event called Democratizing the Grid. And at that event ILSR Co-directors, John Farrell and Stacy Mitchell were joined by Representative Seth Berry and Senator Rick Bennett of Maine, as well as Mariel Nanasi of New Energy Economy in New Mexico, and Jean Su of the Center for Biological Diversity. This group discussed the people-powered movements around the country that are taking on the electric utility monopolies with the aim of accelerating the shift to clean energy and winning democratic community control. We're going to share a recording of that conversation with you today. So without further ado, here's ILRS's Stacy Mitchell. Stacy Mitchell: Hello everyone. Welcome today. My name is Stacy Mitchell. I'm the co-executive director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, and I'm super excited about today's event. I'm excited to welcome all of you.

In this episode of Building Local Power, we share a recording of ILSR's recent event Democratizing Power: New Citizen Initiatives Challenge Monopoly Electric Utilities. Across the country, powerful utilities are actively blocking decentralized solar energy, degrading the reliability of the power lines even as they raise prices, and failing to make the grid investments needed for a clean, carbon-free future. Listen to ILSR's Stacy Mitchell and John Farrell facilitate conversations with the advocates who are leading the movement to take back control from electric utility monopolies. … Read More

Arkansas electric utility companies are disptaching crews to help repair electrical grid damage in Louisiana caused by Ida, a Category 4 hurricane which battered the Gulf Coast over the weekend. More than 1.2 million customers after the storm struck were without power Monday. Spokespersons with Soutwestern Electric Power Company and Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas describe their mutual assistance network deployment underway.

Indiana will award a group of eight electric utilities more than $5.5 million to set up charging stations for electric vehicles across the state. The money comes from the settlement with Volkswagen over its Clean Air Act violations.

Tilson's Elin Katz talks to DEI about how electric utilities are making it possible for rural America to get broadband internet connections.

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Uspostavljen je novi program kojemu je cilj upućivanje pomoći useljeničkim domaćinstvima koja se suočavaju s visokim računima za električnu energiju tijekom ljetne sezone. Projekt nazvan "Train the Trainer" će preusmjeriti vjerske i kulturne čelnike unutar zajednica u stručnjake na polju energetike koji će, tako obučeni, biti u stanju dijeliti savjete o uštedi električne energije.

A new program has been set up to help migrant community households deal with soaring summer power bills.

In 2013, a series of attack ads blitzed television sets across Arizona. They warned of a dire threat to senior citizens. Who was the villain? Solar energy.These ads came from front groups funded by Arizona Public Service, the state’s largest utility. It was part of a years-long fight against rooftop solar that turned ugly.“I mean, for Star Wars fans, APS became the Darth Vader of electric utilities in America. I mean, I think you would be hard-pressed to find a utility that behaved as badly as APS did in the last decade,” explains former regulator Kris Mayes.But APS isn’t alone. It’s a prime example of how monopoly utilities abuse their power to influence regulatory decisions and slow clean-energy progress.What happens if your electric utility starts doing things you don’t agree with? What if they start attacking solar and proposing to build more and more fossil gas plants? What if they actively resist clean energy progress? Well, you don’t get a choice. You have to buy electricity, and you have to buy it from them. As a customer you’re funding that. In this episode, we’ll detail how it happened in Arizona -- and how public pressure forced APS’ to come clean.Featured in this episode: Ryan Randazzo, Kris Mayes, David Pomerantz. Follow our co-hosts and production team:Leah StokesKatharine WilkinsonStephen LaceyJaime KaiserA Matter of Degrees is a production of Post Script Audio. For more episodes and transcripts, visit our website.

John discusses the Electric Utilities in the state.

In this Episode, Derek Arcuri, Team Lead for Industry and Application Marketing for Genetec, first identifies three main trends in the Electric Utility Marketplace: M&A, Regulations, and Cyber Security. He then describes in detail the opportunities and challenges for each of these trends and describes technology that can help with regulatory compliance.

In this Episode, Derek Arcuri, Team Lead for Industry and Application Marketing for Genetec, first describes how technology can assist Electric Utilities with Cyber Security and Genetec’s approach to leveraging technology to help with M&A, Regulatory, and Cyber Security challenges. He also shares a Genetec case study, where to find more info, and final thoughts.

In this episode, Justin is in downtown Denver to sit down with Sarah Derdowski Executive Director for University of Colorado Denver's Global Energy Management program. The two of the talk about the GEM Program and what the program is about and what students can expect from the program and the requirements they will need to get into the program   Alumni Profiles  Free Classes:  Fundamentals of Global Energy Business Fundamentals of Electric Utilities   Prof Dev Classes:  Lifecycle of Oil and Natural Gas Events On Campus Executive in Residence:    Mountain Bike Fun: Women who ride: just Linked In message me or Facebook and I will add you to my text list. I organize a ride for Petunia Mafia (team in Summer).   Leave a Review Enjoy listening? Support the show by leaving a review in iTunes. Sign Up and Win Click here to sign up to win a mini projector from Tendeka! OGGN Announcements Street Team If you're interested in joining the street team, join our Facebook Group here. Upcoming Events HACK n WHACK Anyone out there in the Houston area interested in playing oilfield hockey? Come join the Hack n Whack crew for some old timer hockey. We do it every three weeks at Memorial City Mall ice rink. Hit me up on linkedin for more details. Wildcatters Ball API Luncheon API Energy Houston Three Gun Chapter  DoqaruCon:  Creating High Impact Sales in Energy OGGN is always accepting Happy Hour sponsors.  If you would like to get your company in front of our large young, professional audience, reach out to our Project Coordinator, Brooke Omachel by e-mail. More Oil and Gas Global Network Podcasts Oil and Gas This Week Podcast | Oil and Gas HS&E Podcast | Permian Prescriptive | Engage with Oil and Gas Global Network LinkedIn Group | Facebook | modalpoint | Lean Oilfield | WellHub Connect with Justin Gautier LinkedIn | E-Mail | Oil and Gas Global Network From Designated Hitter to Oilfield Account Management with Matthew Hoppens, Account Manager at Weatherford. - OGOS034

Want to make sure you don't mistakenly forget your ID and have to leave a townie dive bar to go drink wine in your car? Or have you, without realizing it, 'career hit-on' some unsuspecting friendly service employee? Well you came to the right place! In this episode we interview Gideon Katsh, Transmission Network Intelligence Lead at National Grid. He helps us tweak our Jambalaya restaurant example and also tells us a little about what it's like working for an electric utility. You can find Gideon here: LinkedIn Stay in the know and please subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Want to follow us on social media? We're honored! You can do so here: Twitter; Instagram

This week we're joined by Fred Dock, the former Transportation Director for the City of Pasadena California.  Fred talks about his work over the past 30 years, Pasadena's move to measuring VMT and other metrics over level of service, innovation in smaller cities and more!

Sean Griffin and Scott Sternfeld, Co-Founders of Agile Inclusion, discuss the critical need for electric utilities to share their data with public agencies and others in an attempt to improve emergency response and increase security of our communities.

Electric utilities around the world are expected to be greatly transformed by deregulation, climate change, the rise of renewable energy, new technologies, declining populations, and changing user needs. The transformation will eventually see the power grid's integration with industries such as water, gas, transportation, among others, which ultimately could mean better service. A factor driving the changes is the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Electricity and heat production is among the biggest sources of emissions, which is why energy producers have been adding more renewable sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, hydropower, and biomass into their power mix. Technology and changing demographics and user needs will also change utilities. Now that technologies can better track customers' energy consumption, utilities will be able to predict when it is highest and ensure supply during those times. Utilities' transformation will come in three waves. Read the transcript https://bit.ly/2Lg4AWG Watch the related video https://bit.ly/2ORTd9g About the speaker Hiroshi Okamoto is executive vice president of Japan's Tepco Power Grid. Know more about ADBI's work https://bit.ly/2Bsqbvp https://bit.ly/2zmmNQr

This week, we bring you a conversation with Tony Seba, a serial entrepreneur, educator, and thought leader on disruption. He's the author of the book "Clean Disruption of Energy and Transportation – How Silicon Valley Will Make Oil, Nuclear, Natural Gas, Coal, Electric Utilities and Conventional Cars Obsolete by 2030." Emerge85's Afshin Molavi recently spoke with Tony Seba at a conference on sustainability at the International Finance Corporation, IFC, in Washington DC. They talked about how the way we get around is set to radically change, and the particular impact that will have on the emerging world.

Understanding your electricity bill is key to ensuring you're charged the correct amount. If you find mistakes on your bill or you're not able to pay on time, there are ways to get help.

Since the last show, Sam has spent time with the Volvo XC60 and Mercedes-Benz GLE550e plug-in hybrid. Dan gets an encore with the Nissan Armada and some time with the Dodge Charger GT. As we head into this year’s Beijing Motor Show, images of the new Mercedes-Maybach sedan-SUV concept surface and frankly it’s not good.… Read More »Episode #065 – Midsize Luxury SUVs, New Electric Utilities and Fast Charging

More bills than anyone could possible read were passed by a branch of Congress in June, including the 994 page National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), four government funding bills, and thirty bills governing a wide range of topics, including Wall Street, MediCare, fishing, carbon dioxide emissions, stolen art, chemical storage, taxes, and more. Please support Congressional Dish: Click here to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin; click the PayPal "Make it Monthly" checkbox to create a monthly subscription Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Mail Contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! New Congressman Rep. Trent Kelly of Mississippi's 1st district was sworn into office Emergency The Obama Administration continued the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13405 on June 16, 2006 with respect to Belarus Bulletin: Prospects for Belarus' Membership in the WTO by Anna Maria Dyner, The Polish Institute of International Affairs, July 31, 2013. Laws H.R. 2048: USA Freedom Act Outlined and discussed in Congressional Dish Episode 98: The USA Freedom Act H.R. 2620: United States Cotton Futures Act Hearing: House Agriculture Committee, June 17, 2015. Exempts cotton from foreign companies from part of the United Sates Cotton Futures Act, which will allow foreign cotton companies to participate in cotton futures trading. Current law only allows 100% U.S. cotton to be traded on the futures exchange. Passed the House of Representatives and the Senate by voice votes Sponsored by Rep. David Scott of Georgia's 13th district His #2 contributor is ICE Group, (stands for Intercontinental Exchange) which is a network of financial exchanges and clearing houses; it operates eleven exchanges, including three in the United States, Canada, and Europe that deal with agriculture futures. The company has ten lobbyists and has spent over $1.3 million lobbying for the last Congressional election. In the last election cycle, ICE Group gave more to Rep. David Scott than to any other politician, and over the years, the company has given Rep. David Scott at least $73,850. 1 page H.R. 1626: DHS IT Duplication Reduction Act Makes the DHS submit a report about the department's technology and gives them no additional money to complete it. Passed the House of Representatives and the Senate by voice votes Sponsored by Rep. Will Hurd of Texas's 23rd district 2 pages Bills H.R. 1735: National Defense Authorization Act Passed the House of Representatives 269-151 The version passed by the House of Representatives received a veto threat by President Obama Passed the Senate with changes 71-25 Sponsored by Rep. Mac Thorneberry of Texas's 13th district 994 pages Weird advertisement for the NDAA H.R. 2685: Department of Defense Appropriations Act Passed the House of Representatives 278-149 Received a veto threat from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen of New Jersey's 11th district 170 pages H.R. 2596: Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 Passed the House of Representatives 247-178 Received a veto threat from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Devin Nunes of California's 22nd district 63 pages H.R. 2578: Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016 Passed the House of Representatives 242-183 Received a veto threat from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. John Culberson of Texas's 7th district 218 pages H.R. 2577: Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act Passed the House of Representatives 216-210 Received a veto threat from President Obama Sponsored by Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida's 25th district 354 pages H.R. 1335: Strengthening Fishing Communities and Increasing Flexibility in Fisheries Management Act Hearing: House Rules Committee, May 19, 2015. Changes the rules for management of an overfished fishery so that there is no hard deadline (currently 10 years) to replenish the fishery and adds exceptions, including one that allows the overfishing to continue if replenishment can't be done "without significant economic harm to the fishery". Doubles the amount of time an emergency regulation can adjust a fishery management plan. Adds economic impact to "fishing communities" to the list of factors that need to be considered when creating catch limits and exempts for some fish with short life spans. Regional Fishery Management Council meetings will have to be posted online All requirements of the the National Environmental Policy Act and all related implementing regulations will be deemed approved if the Regional Fishery Management Council completes a fishery impact statement. Creates a pilot program for using electronic monitoring at fisheries. Repeals independent peer-reviewed analysis' of the quality of statistics collected on fishing populations and a requirement for catch limits for Gulf of Mexico red snapper for recreational and commercial fishermen Ensures that this law will trump the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, the Antiquities Act, and the Endangered Species Act Prohibits the government from factoring in red snapper killer during the removal of offshore oil rigs when determining catch limits. Prohibits the government from factoring fish caught by foreign vessels in the U.S. economic zone when determining catch limits. Requires new guidelines be issued that will use nongovernmental sources for fisheries management decisions. Passed the House of Representatives 225-152 Received a veto threat from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Don Young of Alaska His #4 contributing industry for the upcoming election is Fisheries and Wildlife; he has taken $9,000 from them for this election cycle as of 9/11/15. 57 pages H.R. 2042: Ratepayer Protection Act of 2015 Hearing: House Rules Committee, June 23, 2015. Prohibits any final rule to address carbon dioxide emissions from existing fossil-fuel powered electric utilities from being enforced until all lawsuits and appeals filed within 60 days of the final rule's publication are complete. Exempts states from complying with a final rule addressing carbon dioxide emissions from existing fossil fuel powered plants if the Governor informs the EPA that the rule would increase rates or have a significant adverse effect on the reliability of the State's electricity system. Hydropower will be counted as renewable energy Passed the House of Representatives 247-180 Received a veto threat from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Ed Whitfield of Kentucky's 1st district His #1 and #2 industries for the upcoming election are Oil and Gas and Electric Utilities; he's taken $46,100 from Oil and Gas and $38,500 from Electric Utilities as of 9/11/15. Over the course of his Congressional career, he has taken at least $771,315 from Electric Utilities and $562,097 from Oil and Gas. 6 pages H.R. 2289: Commodity End-User Relief Act Hearing: House Rules Committee, June 2, 2015. Extends operations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Limits the rules and regulations that can be enacted on futures commissions merchants Adds seven more considerations (including alternatives to regulation) to the requirements of cost-benefit analysis of regulations. Orders the CFTC cost benefit analysis to be reviewed by a judge. Allows the traders to be regulated to challenge new CFTC rules directly to the US Court of Appeals, the second most powerful court in the country. Limits the subpoena power of the CFTC Removes the requirement that the CFTC be immune from lawsuits that arise from sharing data about swaps with domestic and foreign authorities and backdates this change to July 21, 2010, the effective date of Dodd Frank Financial Reform. Adds "a utility operations-related swap" to the list of swaps that can be traded, which allows gambling on the future of natural gas or electric generation, purchases, sales, supplies or delivery. Exempts traders from being classified and regulated as a "swaps dealer" if they trade less than $8 billion (current CFTC rule exemption limit is $3 billion). Expands the number of financial models swaps dealers will be allowed to use to determine how much actual money they need to hold onto. Passed the House of Representatives 246-171 Received a veto threat from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Michael Conaway of Texas's 11th district His top contributor for the upcoming election is Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation, which is a swaps clearing house; he received $15,000. His top 5 contributors over the course of his career are, in this order, the American Institute of CPA's an international association of accountants, KPMG LLP, a multinational corporation specializing in auditing and regulation compliance, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and even larger multinational corporation specializing in regulation compliance, Energy Future Holdings Corp, a portfolio of energy companies, and Deloitte LLP, the self-proclaimed "world's largest" multinational corporation that specializes in auditing and risk management. From these five companies, Conaway has taken at least $319,873. 80 pages H.R. 1190: Protecting Seniors' Access to Medicare Act of 2015 Hearing: House Rules Committee, June 16, 2015. Repeals the Independent Payment Advisory Board, which is designed to suggest solutions if Medicare costs get out of control. Drastically cuts funding for the Prevention and Public Health Fund, cutting it by a total of $8.8 billion by 2026, which is a 61% cut. Passed the House of Representatives 244-154 Received a veto threat from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Phil Roe of Tennessee's 1st district His #1 contributing industry over the course of his career is Health Professionals; he has taken $435,088 as of 9/11/15. 3 pages H.R. 160: Protect Medical Innovation Act of 2015 Hearing: House Rules Committee, June 16, 2015. Repeals the medical device excise tax The effects of this repeal on the budget will not be counted The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that this will increase the budget deficit by $24.4 billion Passed the House of Representatives 280-140 Received a veto threat from President Obama Sponsored by Rep. Erik Paulsen of Minnesota's 3rd district His #3 contributing industry over the course of his career has been Pharmaceuticals/Health Products; he has taken at least $654,929. His #4 contributing industry has been Health Professionals; from them, he has taken $622,645. 4 pages H.R. 2200: CBRN Intelligence and Information Sharing Act of 2015 Allows the Office of Intelligence an Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security to share information and work with the Intelligence community to analyze possible chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear attacks. Allows the Department of Homeland Security to share information related to terrorist attacks with the public. Passed the House of Representatives 420-2 Sponsored by Rep. Martha McSally of Arizona's 2nd district 6 pages H.R. 805: DOTCOM Act of 2015 Press Release: NTIA Announces Intent to Transition Key Internet Domain Name Functions, March 14, 2014. Prohibits the transition of NTIA's functions in Internet domain name registry until 30 days after a report is submitted. Passed the House of Representatives 378-25 Sponsored by Rep. John Shimkus of Illinois's 15th district 4 pages H.R. 2576: TSCA Modernization Act Eliminates a requirement that EPA use the "least burdensome requirements" when regulating toxic chemicals Orders the EPA to do risk evaluations on chemicals used, stored, sold or disposed of by commercial companies. The risk evaluations will not consider cost If the risk evaluation is requested by a manufacturer, the manufacturer will pay for the risk assessment The EPA will be required to do at least 10 risk assessments per year "subject to the availability of appropriations". Adds an exemption for "replacement parts" from the EPA rules prohibiting chemicals unless the replacement parts "contribute significantly to the identified risk". Adds the requirement that any rules created "shall provide for a reasonable transition period." Eliminates the requirement for an informal hearing when making rules about toxic chemicals. Creates a "critical use exemption" option for the EPA if the requirement is not "cost-effective", if it would "significantly disrupt the national economy, national security, or critical infrastructure" The exemption would be valid for 5 years at a time The exemption will include conditions on the use of the toxic chemical Allows data to be shared with State, local, or tribal governments and with health care professionals to assist with diagnosis or treatment. Forces companies that want to keep information confidential to explain their reasons and automatically releases the information to the public in 10 years, unless the company justifies the confidentiality again in writing. Eliminates caps of fees that can be collected and creates a "TSCA Service Fee Fund" to collect, store, and disperse the funds to pay for the EPA's costs for regulating chemicals. Passed the House of Representatives 398-1 Sponsored by Rep. John Shimkus of Illinois's 15th district 48 pages H.R. 1615: DHS FOIA Efficiency Act of 2015 Orders the Chief Freedom of Information Act Officer of the Department of Homeland Security to update Freedom of Information Act regulations within 90 days of the bill's passage. Orders the Chief FOIA Officer to identify the total annual cost of implementing the FOIA within 90 days. Orders the Chief FOIA Officer to identify unnecessary actions taken in the course of processing requests and eliminate them within a year of identifying them. Orders the Chief FOIA Officer to develop a plan to to process requests electronically. Orders the Chief FOIA Officer to issue guidance to the necessary people to reach the goal of reducing the FOIA request backlog by 50 percent by 2018. Passed the House of Representatives 423-0 Sponsored by Rep. Buddy Carter of Georgia's 1st district 7 pages S.611: Grassroots Rural and Small Community Water Systems Assistance Act Authorizes $15 million per year until 2020 to provide technical assistance to small public water systems. Passed the Senate by a voice vote Sponsored by Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi 5 pages S. 653: Water Resources Research Amendments Act Adds a requirement for additional research into new water treatments into the Water Resources Research Act Requires an evaluation of water resource research projects every three years and withdraws funds from projects that do not qualify based on the evaluation. Authorizes $13.5 million per year through 2020. Passed the Senate by a voice vote Sponsored by Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland 5 pages H.R. 2088: United States Grain Standards Act Reauthorization Act of 2015 Reauthorizes the Department of Agriculture's process for grain inspections until September 30, 2020. Forces the Secretary of Agriculture to waive weighting and inspections of grain in an "emergency, a major disaster"; currently, the Secretary has the option to do so, but does not have to. A "major disaster" is defined to specifically include "a sever weather incident causing a region-wide interruption of government services". Changes the location of export inspections to specifically "export elevators" at export port locations. Widens the criteria for who is qualified to perform official inspections by deleting a list of requirements. Delegations of authority to conduct grain inspections to a State will expire every five years, and my be renewed. Adds a public comment period before the Secretary can delegate inspection responsibility to a State and requires a notice in the Federal Register announcing if the State was approved and the rational for the decision. The State would have to give at least 90 days notice advanced notice in writing to the Dept. of Agriculture if they want to stop performing grain inspections, unless there has been a major disaster. The public must be given online a list of the States delegated to perform official inspections, which needs to be updated at least twice a year. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Michael Conaway of Texas's 11th district His #2 contributing industry over the course of his career has been Crop Production and Basic Processing; he has taken at least $646,470. 18 pages H.R. 2051: Mandatory Price Reporting Act of 2015 Extends mandatory price reporting requirements for livestock until September 30, 2020. Clarifies that reports are expected on days the Dept. of Agriculture is open for business, including days when the government is "on shutdown or emergency furlough as a result of a lapse in appropriations". Allows transactions between pork packers and producers to take place using a new pricing formula. Changes the definition of an importer of lamb to include anyone who imports an average of 1,000 metric tons per year; currently importers have to comply with regulations if they import and average of 2,500 metric tons of lamb per year. Changes the definition of a lamb packer to someone who owns 50% or more of a facility and slaughters an average of 35,000 heads of lambs per year; currently if they slaughter 75,000 lambs per year. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Michael Conaway of Texas's 11th district 8 pages H.R. 2394: National Forest Foundation Reauthorization Act of 2015 Reauthorizes and appropriates $3 million per year until 2018 for the National Forest Foundation Act, which established a partnership with a non-profit to study and restore national forests. This is triple the previous funding. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania's 5th district 3 pages H.R. 235: Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act Article: Internet tax moratorium extended again by Grant Gross, IDG News Service, December 15, 2014. Makes the moratorium on Internet access taxes permanent. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Bob Goodlatte of Virginia's 6th district 2 pages H.R. 889: Foreign Cultural Exchange Jurisdictional Immunity Clarification Act Prohibits art imported into the United States to be temporarily displayed from being seized by the United States, even if that art is discovered to have been stolen. This immunity does not apply to art stolen by the Nazis. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Steve Chabot of Ohio's 1st district 5 pages S. 184 and H.R. 1168: Native American Children’s Safety Act Requires criminal background checks of any person who lives in a house applying to provide foster care to an Indian child and prohibits placement if anyone in the home is found to have committed certain crimes. This will not apply to emergency foster care placement Both bills passed the Senate and the House of Representatives by voice votes S. 184 was sponsored by Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota and H.R. 1168 was sponsored by Kevin Cramer of North Dakota S. 184: 12 pages H.R. 1168: 10 pages S. 246: Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children Act Establishes the Alyce Spotted Bear and Walter Soboleff Commission on Native Children. All 11 members will be appointed by the President and Congressional leaders and their appointments will be for the entire duration of the commission. The Commission's job will be to complete a study on the effectiveness of programs aimed at the health and education of native children and to make recommendations for fixing the inadequacies. The Commission will terminate 90 days after they submit their report. Authorizes, but does not appropriate, $2 million. Passed the Senate by a voice vote Sponsored by Senator Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota 27 pages H.R. 404: Authorizing early repayment of obligations to the Bureau of Reclamation within the Northport Irrigation District in the State of Nebraska Allows Nebraska landowners to repay construction debts at any time. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Adrian Smith of Nebraska's 3rd district 3 pages H.R. 1493: Protect and Preserve International Cultural Property Act Directs the State Department to designate an existing employee to coordinate efforts to protect art around the world from being stolen and/or destroyed. Establishes a committee, which will meet once a year and be made up of representatives from various Federal agencies, who will "coordinate and inform Federal efforts to protect international cultural property". Blocks importation of "archaeological or ethnological material of Syria" starting 120 days after the bills enactment. The import restrictions will expire in five years, but can be extended. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Eliot Engel of New York's 16th district 19 pages S. 253: Federal Communications Commission Consolidated Reporting Act Orders a public report every two years on competition, availability of services, and regulatory barriers to entry into the communications services business. Repeals an annual public report on privatization of the communications services industry, which includes public comments. Repeals an annual report on foreign and domestic competition in the communications satellite market. Eliminates an annual report on the "status of competition in the market for the delivery of video programming". Eliminates the requirement that a report on cable industry price be completed annually. Eliminates the requirement that a report on regulatory barriers be reviewed every three years. Eliminates an FCC analysis "of whether any of such competitors have a dominant share of the market" Passed the Senate by a voice vote Sponsored by Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada 16 pages S. 565: Federal Vehicle Repair Cost Savings Act Encourages Federal agencies to use remanufactured vehicle parts to maintain Federal vehicles. Passed the Senate by a voice vote Sponsored by Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan 4 pages H.R. 2570: VBID for Better Care Act Establishes a three year demonstration project to test "value-based insurance" for Medicare patients at two Medicare Advantage sites. Value based insurance allows insurance companies flexibility with co-payments, allowing them to lower co-payments for services deemed to be "high value" preventative services and increasing rates for services with uncertain value. It's designed to "create financial disincentives for poor health choices". The demonstration projects would not allow increases in co-payments to discourage the use of services. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Diane Black of Tennessee's 6th district 17 pages H.R. 2507: Increasing Regulatory Fairness Act Extends the amount of time between proposed Medicare rate changes are announced and when they can go into effect from 60 days to 90 days. Requires more information about why the changes are being implemented. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas's 8th district 4 pages H.R. 2505: Medicare Advantage Coverage Transparency Act Requires an annual report to Congress detailing the location and number of people enrolled in Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and Medicare Part D. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania's 3rd district 4 pages H.R. 2582: Securing Seniors' Health Care Act Prohibits the government from terminating a contract for a Medicare Advantage organization because it fails to meet minimum quality standards until the end of 2018. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Vern Buchanan of Florida's 16th district 10 pages H.R. 1633: DHS Paid Administrative Leave Accountability Act of 2015 Article: Administrative Leave Restrictions at DHS Backed, FedWeek, July 8, 2015. Orders a report to be completed by the Department of Homeland Security four times per year on the number of people on paid administrative leave for more than six months and the cost associated. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Barry Loudermilk of Georgia's 11th district 7 pages H.R. 1646: Homeland Security Drone Assessment and Analysis Act Orders a report on how commercially available small and medium sized drones could be used to commit terrorist attacks and what the Department of Homeland Security could do to stop this type of attack. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman of New Jersey's 12th district 4 pages H.R. 1637: Federally Funded Research and Development Sunshine Act of 2015 Orders an annual report on the Federally funded research projects being conducted by the Department of Homeland Security Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. John Ratcliffe of Texas's 4th district 3 pages H.R. 2390: Homeland Security University-based Centers Review Act Orders an annual report on the effectiveness of using universities to conduct Department of Homeland Security research. Passed the House of Representatives by a voice vote Sponsored by Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi's 2nd district 5 pages June Hearings Senate Committee on Foreign Relations: Security Assistance in Africa, June 4, 2015. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations: Trade Promotion and Capacity Building in the Asia-Pacific Region, June 16, 2015. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: Western Hemisphere Drug Interdiction Efforts, June 16, 2015. House Committee on Financial Services: The Impact of the International Monetary Fund: Economic Stability or Moral Hazard?, June 17, 2015. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform: Drones: The Next Generation of Commerce?, June 17, 2015. House Committee on Energy and Commerce: A National Framework for the Review and Labeling of Biotechnology in Food, June 18, 2015. House Committee on Foreign Affairs: The Future of Property Rights in Cuba, June 18, 2015. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations: American Energy Exports, June 23, 2015. Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control: Cannabidiol, June 24, 2015. House Committee on Homeland Security: DHS' Efforts to Secure .Gov, June 24, 2015. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: The State of Positive Train Control Implementation in the United States, June 24, 2015 House Committee on Ways and Means: Repatriation of Foreign Earnings as a Source of Funding for the Highway Trust Fund, June 24, 2015 Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry: Country of Origin Labeling, June 25, 2015 Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: Global Impact of a Greek Default, June 25, 2015. Jen's Podcast Appearances September 9, 2015 episode of American Workers Radio Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Money, Money, Money by The Undercover Hippy (found on Music Alley by mevio)

In this episode, we look at the riders added to the must-sign 2015 budget, including favors for Wall Street, unions, agribusiness, the oil and gas industry, electric utilities, the vending machine industry, telecoms, the trucking industry, the insurance industry, and the politicians themselves. Please Support Congressional Dish: Click here to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin; click the PayPal "Make it Monthly" checkbox to create a monthly subscription Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Mail Contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! CRomnibus Article: CRomnibus Disaster Signals a Sad New Normal in D.C. by David Dayen. The Fiscal Times. December 2014. Article: Wall Street's Omnibus Triumph, and Others by Russ Choma, OpenSecrets Blog, December 2014. Division A Agriculture & FDA Section 741: Defunds an advisory board made up of scientists that evaluates the effectiveness of food safety inspection processes. Section 750: Prohibits funding from being used to inspect livestock slaughterhouses to make sure diseased animals are separated from animals who will be eaten and to make sure the animals are being slaughtered humanely. Section 751: States can exempt schools from the requirement to provide whole grains to students in school lunches. Section 752: No money can be used to implement a law that would require a sodium reduction in school lunches. Division B Commerce, Justice, & Science Section 202: The Department of Justice can't pay for an abortion unless the mother's life is in danger or unless she was raped. The bill acknowledges that this might be unconstitutional and if so, this provision will be "null and void". Section 501: Money can't be used for propaganda that is not authorized by Congress. Section 509: No money can be used to seek the removal of another country's tobacco marketing restrictions, "except for restrictions which are not applied equally to all tobacco or tobacco products of the same type". Article: US floats cutting tobacco from part of Pacific trade pact, Krista Hughes, Reuters, October 21, 2014. Section 516: "None of the funds made available in this Act shall be used in any whatsoever to support or justify the use of torture by any official or contract employee of the United States Government." Section 517: Fully automatic weapons may be exported to Canada without an export license if they are to be used by the US Federal Government or the government of Canada. Section 519: Prohibits new trade agreements from including language that forces countries to police the unauthorized distribution of patented pharmaceuticals, language that prevents generic versions of drugs before the patent has expired, and language that allows patent owners to prevent importation of products even if their product is available in other countries. Section 528: No money can be used to transfer Khalid Sheikh Mohammaed or any other detainee from Guantanamo Bay prison to another location in the United States. Section 530: The government should purchase Energy Star light bulbs to the extent practicable. Section 533: Prohibits government employees from denying or ignoring a permit to import shotguns. Section 538: Prevents the Department of Justice from using it's money to prevent States from implementing their medical marijuana laws. TITLE VI- Travel Promotion Enhancement and Modernization Act Passed the House in July 2014 and was discussed on CD081: The July Bills. Changes the board of directors of Brand USA – a non-profit organization that advertises U.S. tourism – from being made up of travel industry specialists to one made up of entirely of executives, with five seats reserved for people with ties to multinational corporations. It eliminates the seat for the specialist in intercity passenger rail. Extends the authorization for the government to spend $100 million per year on Brand USA through 2020. Extends the Travel Promotion Fee – a $10 fee charged to people who get a visa to travel into the United States – until 2020. Division C Defense Coming Soon Division D Energy & Water Section 107: Federal funding can't be used to enforce the mitigation regulations known as the "Modified Charleston Method." The Modified Charleston Method was implemented in May 2011 and is a formula for calculating how much wetlands need to be protected for each acre of private development. This method protects more wetlands than are protected when it is not used, generally requiring 3 acres of wetland conservation for every acre destroyed. InfoPacket: The University of New Orleans 2013 Economic Outlook & Real Estate Forecast Seminar for the Northshore One of the projects impacted is a Kinder Morgan natural gas pipeline. Kinder Morgan has given almost $80,000 to the Boehner for Speaker Committee. Article: Wetlands Mitigation Rules Get Tougher, and St. Tammany Officials Get Worried by Christine Harvey. The Times-Picayune. March 2012. Amendment added by Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana Press Release: Scalise Applauds Delay of the Modified Charleston Method in 2015 Appropriations Bill, December 2014. The vast majority of Rep. Steve Scalise's campaign funds come from PACs - 71% - but his #1 listed contributing industry is Oil and Gas; he's taken over $600,000. Section 109: Prohibits changes to the regulatory definition of "fill material" or "discharge of fill material". In 2002, the Bush administration changed the definition of "fill material" which can be dumped into waterways with a permit, to include "waste" from coal mining. This was attached by Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho to the 2014 budget. He has taken over $445,000 from electric utilities and $137,000 from mining. Section 111: Prohibits the government from requiring a permit for dumping farming and ranching "fill material" into waterways. Section 112: Deletes an EPA/ Army rule that limits the farming and ranching "fill material" that can be dumped without a permit. Section 312: The Department of Energy is not allowed to construct centrifuges for enriched uranium in 2015 and needs to do a cost-benefit analysis of options for suppling enriched uranium for war purposes and an "estimate to build a national security train". Section 313: Prohibits enforcement of energy efficient light bulb standards. According to the Department of Energy, these standards will save $17.7 billion in energy costs over the next 30 years, as well as avoid 106 million metric tons of co2 emissions. This amendment was added by Rep. Michael Burgess of Texas, whose #5 contributing industry is Electric Utilities - he's taken almost $200,000 -, although he get 69% of his money from PACs. He has added it to must-sign legislation every year since 2010. Division E Financial Services Section 114: The Treasury Department may not redesign the $1 bill. Article: One is the Loneliest Dollar Bill by Sarah Mimms. National Journal. January 2015. Article: Bush Administration Fights Currency Redesign. Associated Press. December 2006. Article: The Blind Welcome a Ruling That May Help Them Count Their Cash by Tina Kelley. New York Times. May 2008. Section 502: Prevents the Federal Communications Commission from implementing a recommendation from 2004 that would change a government subsidy for telecoms to allow payment for broadband lines per household instead of per line, which would effectively reduce the subsidy for the companies. FAQ: Universal Service Administrative Company. Section 630: The text of HR 992, which was the bill written by Citigroup that will allow banks to gamble with credit default swaps on the stock market with customers deposits in FDIC insured banks. Article: Derivatives Markets Growing Again, With Few New Protections by Mayra Rodriguez Valldares. New York Times. May 2014. Article: Three Bankers Bolster Blankfein as Goldman Trading Sinks by Michael Moore. Bloomberg. May 2014. This provision was added by Rep. Kevin Yoder of Kansas, who took over $114,000 from Securities and Investment bankers for the last election alone. Over the course of his four year career, he's taken almost $700,000 from bankers... that we know of. Section 725: "Prohibits Federal agencies from monitoring individuals' internet use." Section 735 Prohibits funding for requirements that would make companies submitting offers for Federal contracts to disclose their political contributions. Section 809: Prohibits Washington DC from using its money to from legalize or reduce the penalties for a schedule I substance, which includes marijuana, for recreational use. Division F Land Management & Environment The Department of the Interior USGS: For the United States Geological Survey to surveys and research topography, geology, hydrology, biology, and the mineral and water resources of the United States... approx $1 billion, available until 9/30/2016. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, offshore safety: $125 million minus fees collected, estimated real appropriation of $66 million for enforcing regulations for leases for oil and gas, other minerals, and energy on the Outer Continental Shelf + $65 million - minus fees collected- over half of which needs to go towards expediting drilling permits on the Outer Continental Shelf. Collection and disbursement of royalties, fees, and other mineral revenue will get $265 million. Wildland fire management: $805 million. Hazardous fuels management and resilient landscapes activities can be privatized. This money can be used by the Secretary of State outside the United States. This money can be used to pay off debts incurred for fires in previous years. This money can be used as emergency funds to deal with earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, storms, oil spills, and to control cricket outbreaks. Section 122: Prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from protecting the Sage-Grouse under the Endangered Species Act. Oil backers, conservationists battle over fate of greater sage grouse by Sandra Fish, AlJazeera America, December 2013. Environmental Protection Agency Over $2.3 billion for fire suppression. Federal Firefighting Costs for suppression alone averaged $1.46 billion a year since 2000, a time period that has included 9 out of the 10 hottest years since records began in 1880. Section 411: Allows Alaska red and yellow cedar to be exported to foreign countries. Press Release: Petition Seeks to Protect Tongass' Ancient Yellow Cedars as Endangered Species by the Center for Biological Diversity, June 2014. Article: Forest Service criticized over Tongass management by Maria La Ganga, Los Angeles Times, November 2014. Article: Viking Lumber wins Big Thorne contract, again by Katie Mortiz, Juneau Empire, October 2014. Article: In Alaska, a Battle to Keep Trees, or an Industry, Standing by Michael Wines, New York Times, September 2014. Article: The Forest Service bets on second-growth logging in Alaska by Krista Langlois, High Country News, January 2015. Article: Budget bill boosts logging by Section 419: No money can be used to regulate carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, water vapor or methane emitted from livestock production. Section 420: No money can be used to require mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from manure management systems. Amendments identical to Sections 419 and 420 were attached to the 2014 budget by Rep. Ken Calvert of Southern California. He has taken over $650,000 from Agribusiness. Section 425: No money can be used to regulate the lead content of ammunition or fishing tackle. Division G Labor, Health, & Education Health and Human Services Section 217: Prohibits funding of gun control promotions. Section 220: The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) can privatize research into "security countermeasure" drugs for 10 years. Op-Ed: Ebola and the most important agency America has never heard of by former Rep. Mike Rogers, The Hill, October 2014. Department of Education Section 301: No money can be used for transporting children to other school districts to "carry out a plan of racial desegregation of any school or school system." Section 303: No money can be used to prevent voluntary prayer in public schools. Department of Labor Section 406: The National Labor Relations Board can't use their money to provide employees with electronic voting for electing representatives for their collective bargaining. All Departments Section 506: The Departments of Health & Humans Services, Labor, and Education can't use their money to pay for health benefits coverage that includes abortion coverage. Section 507: Abortions can be paid for with Federal funds if the pregnancy was a result of rape or incest or if the mother's life is in danger. States will be allowed to cover abortion and abortion coverage can be offered separately. Section 508: No money can be used for research that harms a human embryo. Section 521: No money can be used for programs that distribute sterile needles to drug addicts. Section 529: No money can go towards ACORN, "or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, allied organizations, or successors." Article: Congress's Undying (and Less Than Effective) ACORN Funding Ban, by David Weigel, Bloomberg, December 2014. Ebola Response & Preparedness Ebola money is available for use until September 30, 2019. Over $1.7 billion for the Centers for Disease Control to "respond to Ebola domestically and internationally." $10 million for hospital worker and emergency first responder training. $597 million for global health security The money can be used to purchase and insure vehicles in foreign countries. Section 601: The CDC can use this money to "acquire, lease, construct, alter, renovate, equip, furnish, or manage facilities outside the United States." $238 billion in "emergency" funding will go towards the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases" to "respond to Ebola domestically and internationally." $733 million for the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund to "respond to Ebola domestically and internationally" to develop and purchase vaccines, "necessary medical supplies, and administrative activities." Money can be used for the "renovation and alteration of privately owned facilities at the State and local level" Division H Congress Section 102: No money can be used to deliver a printed copy of a bill to a Representative unless that Representative asked for it. Section 105: No more than 50 copies total of the US Code can be printed for the entire House of Representatives. Section 1301: The Government Printing Office is renamed to the Government Publishing Office. Division I Military Construction Section 101: Construction contracts with guaranteed profits will be allowed in Alaska and/or if the Defense Secretary says there's a reason for one in writing. Section 109: Military construction money can't be used to pay property taxes in foreign countries. Section 110: The military can't use this money for any new installations without notifying the House and Senate Appropriations Committees first. Section 111: Architect or engineer contracts over $500,000 in Japan, NATO countries, or countries bordering the Arabian Gulf must be awarded to US firms or be partnerships with US firms. Section 117: Money for military construction can be held & used up to four years after it is appropriated. Section 127: $125 million extra is appropriated until September 2018 for projects anywhere excepts in Europe. Section 512: No money can be used to prepare any United States facilities to house detainees from Guantanamo Bay prison. Veterans Veterans benefits will cost $94 billion and medical expenses will cost $59 billion, which is $153 billion total. Section 236 The Veterans Integrated Service Networks are not allowed to change their system for contracting for diabetes monitoring supplies and equipment. Press Release: Sysmex America Sign Two Contracts with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, PR Newswire, November 2013. "Sysmex America now holds Veterans Administration hematology contracts and standardization agreements with 16 of the 21 VISNs." "The VA Schedules are indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity type contracts awarded to pre-approved vendors." OpenSecrets: Hal Rogers, chairman of the Appropriations Committee is a shareholder of Roche Holdings, which signed a 10 year distribution agreement with Sysmex America in 2012 which allows Roche to distribute Sysmex hemotology products to countries around the world. Division J State Department & Foreign Operations $2.1 billion for Worldwide Security protection for the State Department, which has doubled since 2008. Article: Exclusive: Blackwater Wins Piece of $10 Billion Mercenary Deal by Spencer Ackerman, Wired, October 2010. Approximately $3.5 billion will go towards the United Nations, including U.N. "peacekeeping missions". Over $1 billion plus $2.7 billion in "global health programs" funds will go to USAID. $5.6 billion will go towards combatting AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. $2.5 billion will go towards "development assistance", which includes spending on: Agribusiness Setting up financial institutions "Policy and regulatory programs" that "improve the environment" for financial institutions. Marketing Energy and storage facilities Infrastructure Schools spreading "ideas and practices of the United States, including new education material and curricula "To expedite the location, exploration, and development of potential sources of energy in developing countries" Over $2.6 billion for the "Economic Support Fund", which includes funding for: Promoting "economic or political stability" Legal education training Academic training for law enforcement (the military is prohibited from participating) Prison programs "Legal reform" and "revision and modernization of legal codes and procedures" Can be used for loan guarantees for Jordan, Ukraine, and Tunisia and this money won't count towards laws limiting assistance to countries. This money can be used to create "enterprise funds" for Egypt or Tunisia, which are "public-private partnerships for the purpose of investing US Government funds to support the private sector". This money "shall be available for economic programs and may not be used for military or paramilitary purposes." $853 million for the War on Drugs Includes authorization for the "use of herbicides for aerial eradication". Tells the State Department to report on the cost of "establishing an aviation platform in Africa" which would be used for, among other things, counternarcotics. $145 million for "Peacekeeping Operations" to "enhance the capacity of foreign civilian security forces" including military forces in charge of policing civilians (gendarmes). $106 million for "International Military Education and Training." $5 billion for the "Foreign Military Financing Program The money can be used "to procure defense articles and services to enhance the capacity of foreign security forces" Over $3 billion must be grants to Israel $1.3 billion can be put in an interest bearing account at the NY Federal Reserve for Egypt, and the money can be used for weapons as long as Egypt meets a list of demands (including giving detainees access to due process of law). Article: Congress allows Obama to reopen military aid to Egypt by Julian Pecquet. Al Monitor. December 10, 2014. $1 billion will be for Jordan. This money can be used in the Western Sahara. This money can be used for "counterterrorism and counterinsurgency" in Pakistan. Section 7004: The State Department can construction "diplomatic facilities" that include office space or "other accommodations" for the US Marine Corps. The Congressional report on where these facilities are and their costs can be classified. Congress doesn't need to be notified of new diplomatic facilities if there is a "security risk to personnel". Section 7008: Money can't be used to directly assist any government whose elected government is removed by the military. However, we can give that country money again as long as the next government is elected. Section 7034: Prohibits money being used for "tear gas, small arms, light weapons, ammunition, or other items for crowd control purposes for foreign security forces that use excessive force to repress peaceful expression." Section 7041: We will give $150 million to Egypt as long as Egypt is taking steps to "implement market-based economic reforms". Section 7041: The State Department can use its money to create a new government and "promote economic development" in Syria. Section 7042: State Department funds are going towards training and equipping Ethiopian military and police. Section 7042: State Department funds will also towards training militaries in Angola, Cameroon, Chad, Cote d"Ivoire, Guinea, and Zimbabwe. Section 7042: State Department money will go towards managing natural resources and supporting security forces in South Sudan. Section 7043: State Department money will be used for naval forces, coast guards and nongovernmental organizations "directly engaged in maritime security issues" in Asia. Section 7043: State Department money will go towards the Philippine army. Section 7043: State Department money will be given to the military of Vietnam and for health/disability activities in areas sprayed with Agent Orange and/or contaminated with dioxin. Section 7044: The State Department can construct and renovated US government facilities to accommodate Federal employees or contractors or expand aviation facilities in Afghanistan if it would "protect such facilities or the security, health, and welfare of United States personnel." Money for Afghanistan can go towards "programs in Central and South Asia relating to a transition in Afghanistan, including expanding Afghanistan linkages within the region." Section 7044: Money can go towards military training in Sri Lanka. Section 7045: State Department funds can be used to "support a unified campaign against narcotics trafficking" in Columbia. 10% of the funds will go towards "aerial drug eradication programs". Section 7045: State Department funds can be given to the Guatemalan army. Section 7045: State Department funds can be given to the Honduran army and police. Section 7045: State Department funds can be given to the Mexican army and police. Section 7074: $100 million for the Special Defense Acquisition Fund, which is under the control of the Defense Department, to buy weapons and defense services for foreign countries. Section 7083: The United States will contribute over $3.8 billion to the International Development Association, a branch of the World Bank that provides loans and grants to "boost economic growth" in poor countries. It's our 17th contribution. Over $1.3 billion will be for State Department security. Over $7.6 billion for the War on Terror. $1.5 billion for Ebola "assistance for countries affected by, or at risk of being affected by, the Ebola virus disease outbreak." Division K Transportation $500 million for national transportation infrastructure, including highway, bridge, rail, port, and public transportations projects. $9.7 billion: For the Federal Aviation Administration. $8.6 billion is from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund so the taxpayer subsidy for air travel is $1.1 billion. $40 billion for the highway trust fund. Section 133: Prohibits enforcement of regulations until September 30, 2015. The regulations delayed say: Commercial drivers must not work for 34 consecutive hours between weeks and that 34 hours must include two periods from 1am to 5am. Commercial drivers must not drive more than 60 hours in 7 consecutive days or 70 hours in 8 consecutive days. Truckers will be able to drive for 82 hours per week. Article: The Department of Transportation wants truckers to sleep more. Congress said no. by Lydia DePillis. Washington Post. December 2014. Article: Survey Shows Hours of Service Top Trucking Concern. Trucking Info. October 2014. OpenSecrets: Senator Susan Collins of Maine inserted the rider on behalf of the trucking industry. She received $21,000 from the trucking industry for the 2014 election. The trucking industry also gave $87,150 to Senator Mitch McConnell, the new Majority Leader in the Senate. $250 million for Amtrak operations. $1.1 billion for Amtrak investments and improvements. Housing Section 235 Forbids funding for a program that reduces mortgage rates for first time home buyers who go through home counseling and financial education. Section 420 "It is the sense of Congress that the Congress should not pass any legislation that authorizes spending cuts that would increase poverty in the United States." Division L Homeland Security Funding for the Department of Homeland Security remains at the same levels as 2014. Funding runs out on February 27, 2015. Article: With Shutdown Avoided, Who Are Winners (And Losers) In 2015 Budget? by Kelly Phillips, Forbes, December 2014. Division M Expatriate Health Coverage This section includes the altered text of HR 4414, the Expatriate Health Coverage Clarification Act of 2014, which was discussed on Congressional Dish episode CD075: The April Bills. Exempts expatriate health plans issued or renewed on or after July 1, 2015 from the minimum standards set by the Affordable Care Act. "Expatriate" includes people from foreign countries working in the United States as part of a job transfer. The effects of this on the PAYGO budget will not be counted. The original version of this bill was written by Rep. John Carney of Delaware, who has taken over $312,000 from the insurance industry. Division N Campaign Contributions In May, as discussed on Congressional Dish episode CD071: Our New Laws, the President signed into law the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act, which eliminated public financing of political party conventions. Section 101: Creates three separate funds for political parties, at least triples the amount of money an individual can contribute to each of these new funds, and eliminates limits on how the parties can spend the money. We don't know exactly how much individuals will be able to contribute to political parties now that this provision is law. NPR has a different number than the Washington Post, which has a different number than The New York Times. Congressional Dish calculations indicate that the changes will allow an individual to contribute at least $257,400 per year and that amount increases every two years based on the Consumer Price Index. Division O Pensions Under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), pensions for retiree's who have already started to collect benefits can't be cut unless a company goes into bankruptcy. This section changes the law to allow benefit cuts to multi-employer pension plans under other scenarios. Section 102: Allows a multi-employer pension plan to be labeled in "critical status" five years before it's projected to actually meet critical status criteria, if the plan sponsor chooses to label it that way. Department of Labor list of Multi-Employer Plans listed as "critical status" Section 106: After certifying that a plan is in critical status, a "funding improvement plan" must be crafted, and benefits cannot be cut nor new people excluded during this time. Section 121: Allows the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) to merge two or more multi-employer pension plans and allows the PBGC to give cash to the plans. Section 122: Multi-employer plans can be broken up if they've cut all the benefits allowed and need to do so to remain solvent. Section 131: Increases the premium rate for multi-employer plans from $12 to $26 in 2015 and then some complicated amount tied to the national average wage index after that. Section 201: Allows benefits to be cut when a plan is in "critical and declining status", which means the plan is in critical status and projected to become insolvent within the next 15 years. For plans with over 10,000 participants, one participant - selected by the plan sponsor - will advocate on behalf of all the retired participants. The following conditions need to be met in order to suspend benefits: The plan needs to certify that it will avoid insolvency. The plan needs to certify that it will become insolvent if it doesn't cut benefits. Limits on benefit suspensions Monthly benefits can't be reduced below 110% of what would be guaranteed by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, which is approximately $1,180 for participants in multi-employer plans. People over 75 are exempted from the benefit cuts. Disability benefits can't be cut. Eleven different factors will determine how much each participant's benefits would be cut. Benefits will be cut first for employees that worked for companies that withdrew from the plan and failed to pay. Benefits can't be cut until the plan sponsor submits can application to the Secretary of the Treasury and notifies plan participants, employers, and employee organizations. The notice can be in electronic form. Process for cutting benefits: The plan sponsor must submit an application to the Secretary of the Treasury for approval to suspend benefits. Within 30 days of receiving the application, the Secretary of the Treasury will solicit comments from employers, employee organizations, and participants on the website of the Secretary of the Treasury. If the Secretary of the Treasury does not approve or deny the application within 225 days, the application will be deemed approved. Within 30 days of the application's approval, participants and beneficiaries must vote on whether or not to cut benefits. Majority rules. If the participants vote not to cut benefits, the Secretary of Treasury can label the plan a "systemically important plan" and allow benefits to be cut even though the participants voted no. Access to the courts is limited: A court reviewing a lawsuit challenging a benefit cut can only grant a temporary injunction if the plaintiffs will probably win. A participant in a pension plan can not challenge a benefit cut in court. OpenSecrets: Rep. John Kline has taken over $14 million in campaign contributions from all kinds of industries. OpenSecrets: Former Rep. George Miller took over $2.4 million from unions, that we know of. Music Presented in This Episode Intro & Exit: Tired of Being Lied To by David Ippolito (found on Music Alley by mevio) Blame the Bankers by The Sharp Things (found on Music Alley by mevio) Growing Marijuana Song by Ben Scales Be Heard Have something to say? Leave a message on the Congressional Dish voicemail line and it might be featured on the show! 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On this week’s Extra Credit, Standard & Poor's Director Joseph Pezzimenti discusses our commentary on transit system credits, post- Hurricane Sandy, and Senior Director David Bodek explains how the storm affected certain electric utilities.

Privation of Public Utility. The Marketplace - The Marketplace show engages and discusses dynamics of the global economy, financial markets and business. Watch The Marketplace on The Economy Tv at www.sedivision.com

Wildfires can inflict billions of dollars in damage, but can also expose utility companies to significant liabilities. In this podcast you can listen to Nelson Money talk about the challenges of fire risk management in utility arboriculture. Learn about strategies that he believes will increase safety in utility vegetation management and reduce the threats posed by wildfires.