Senate Stimulus-Green Recovery, Part 3: Mass Transit & Science

Published February 07, 2009 @ 08:09PM PT

Seriously fighting global warming involves transforming so many different aspects of how we live -- from taking care of infrastructure (so we don't have to use new energy and materials to rebuild it), to improving the nation's capacity to do basic scientific research.

So in reading through the appropriations in the Senate version of the Obama administration's economic stimulus package, many items jumped out at me in the broad context of stopping climate change -- and I'm posting them here.

Part 1: Infrastructure

Part 2: Energy

Part 3: Mass Transit:

$8.4 billion for mass transit projects, including $200 million for grants to public transit agencies for capital investments that will reduce the energy consumption or greenhouse gas emissions of their public transportation systems
$5.5 billion for competitive grants to state and local governments for transportation investments.
$3.1 billion for railroads, including:
- $2 billion for grants for investments in high speed rail corridors;
- $250 million for grants to states for investments in intercity passenger rail;
- $850 million for capital grants to Amtrak (no more than 50% to be used on the Northeast Corridor)

$60 million for grants to states for the construction of ferry transportation systems

Science:

National Science Foundation: $1.2 billion total. Major cuts here in the Senate compromise bill, including:
- $1 billion to "help America compete globally"
- $150 million [$400 million] for scientific infrastructure
- $50 million [$100 million] for competitive grants to improve the quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): $1.3 billion total funding:

$450 million for Earth science missions to provide critical data about the Earth’s resources and climate;

$200 million to enable research and testing of environmentally responsible aircraft and for verification and validation methods for complex aerospace systems and software;

$450 million to reduce the gap in time that the U.S. does not have a vehicle to access the International Space Station; and

$1 billion total for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), including:

$645 million to construct and repair NOAA facilities, equipment and vessels to reduce the coastal charting backlog, upgrade supercomputer infrastructure for climate research, and restore critical habitat around the country.

$475 million total for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), including:

$307 million for renovation of NIST facilities and new laboratories using green technologies;

$168 million for scientific and technical research at NIST to strengthen the agency’s IT infrastructure; provide additional NIST research fellowships; provide substantial funding for advanced research and measurement equipment and supplies; increase external grants for NIST-related research.

$330 million for laboratory infrastructure and construction at the Department of Energy’s Science program

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Comments (11)

Emily, I have read these three articles and I am happy the environment is getting this attention. The problem is this gigantic bundle of pork was supposed to stimulate Our economy. I do not understand how ACORN getting 4.5 billion to register non-citizens and dead people will stimulate the economy. Giving money to NEA to buy bad art from bad artists is not productive. I also hate to say it but most of these environmental moves will not stimulate the economy until years have passed. This is FDR all over again. Get ready for a full blown depression. I believe it will be even worse than FDRs, because this guy has far more power!

Posted by Charlie Reed on 02/08/2009 @ 05:36AM PT
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IF this were FDR all over again (whatever that means), a majority of Americans would probably be overjoyed, seeing as FDR got the nation out of the Great Depression!

But anyway: I'd like to demonstrate that when we go to primary sources to confirm these assumptions, they prove to be the products of spin rather than reality.

If you search the text of the bill -- provided at http://www.readthestimulus.org by the Heritage Foundation -- you won't find the word "ACORN" anywhere in it.

I find the word "registration" in the context of "...jobless adults who comply with work registration and employment and training requirements under section 6, section 20, or section 26 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 ..." Is this the registration you're referring to? (Searching on "register" brings up several mentions of the Federal Register, which is where agencies have to publish information about new laws and regulations.)

As for the NEA provision, here is how that reads in the House version of the bill:
---
NATIONAL FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS GRANTS AND ADMINISTRATION For an additional amount for ‘‘Grants and Administration’’,$50,000,000, to be distributed in direct grants to fund arts projects and activities which preserve jobs in the non-profit arts sector threatened by declines in philanthropic and other support during the current economic downturn: Provided, That 40 percent of such funds shall be distributed to State arts agencies and regional arts organizations in a manner similar to the agency’s current practice and 60 percent of such funds shall be for competitively selected arts projects and activities according to sections 2 and 5(c) of the National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 951, 954(c)): Provided further, That matching requirements under section 5(e) of such Act shall be waived: Provided further, That the amount set aside from this appropriation pursuant to section 1106 of this Act shall be not more than percent instead of the percentage specified in such section.

---
So, what I read here is that the money is not going to purchase of artworks, but to supporting state and regional programs that will keep people working in arts-related projects, which generate millions of dollars and jobs across the country. In New York City, in 2005, the arts injected $21.2 billion into the local economy, created over 160,000 jobs; in New York state in the same year, the impact was $25.7 billion, with 194,000 jobs created. (Source: "Arts as an industry," Alliance for the Arts, http://AllianceforArts.org/pdfs/ArtsIndustry_2007.pdf).

The NEA primarily funds organizations; as the agency notes on its web site, "Direct awards to individuals are made only through Literature Fellowships, NEA Jazz Masters Fellowships, NEA Opera Honors, and NEA National Heritage Fellowships in the Folk & Traditional Arts." Jazz, literature, opera, folk art -- subversive stuff!!
http://www.nea.gov/grants/apply/index.html

And as for how long it will take for these funding items to create jobs -- it takes a while to spend billions of dollars, right, especially if we don't want to waste it?

But whether it's weeks, months, or years, is likely much more about how honestly and efficiently people go about implementing the law.

Since a lot of the money is going to the states for disbursement, I have no doubt that there's going to be delay and some bad decisions made.

That said, these projects entail hiring people to do work -- from building high-speed data lines, to weatherizing homes, to upgrading electrical transmission lines, to building or improving high speed rail corridors, to researching biofuels and other renewable energy technologies.

I'd rather that get done well and properly -- hiring the businesses and people who can get the jobs done right the first time, really advance our knowledge and technologies, etc. -- than within some arbitrary definition of what is "fast enough."

If that means it takes a couple years, but that in the process, the nation becomes well-positioned to compete for the next several decades in the global economy, use a lot less oil (domestic or foreign), house and care for our armed forces with the quality they deserve, etc. etc., -- that's a real recovery, instead of a superficial, short-term injection of money into the consumer economy.

That's recovery not just from the past couple years of the real estate bubble and burst, leading up to this economic meltdown, but of the past eight years when critical needs at home were starved, while billions were spent on a war that has not made the US or anyone else any safer.

Posted by Emily Gertz on 02/08/2009 @ 09:51AM PT
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Reforming Mass Transit is a sure way to reduce carbon immisons and save dollars on fuel. The use of natural gas microturbines has been shown to increase fuel mileage by as much as 60% and at the same time decrease pollution. Maintainance costs are also reduced dramatically. Simple, easy, immediate.

Posted by Herb Levin on 02/08/2009 @ 11:15AM PT
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Emily, by registration, I meant ACORN registered dead people to vote. I believe FDRs' policies caused a recession to turn into a depression. You do make good arguments in defense of the Porkulus package. I will be ready to admit I was wrong, We will see.

Posted by Charlie Reed on 02/08/2009 @ 06:26PM PT
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The problem with too much being spent on mass transit is that nobody wants to ride it. We Americans like our cars, We should be concentrating more on developing non fossil fuel cars.

Posted by Charlie Reed on 02/08/2009 @ 06:32PM PT
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Charlie, the Great Depression started in 1929. FDR was elected in 1932.
But I've been hearing this "FDR started the Depression" meme going around lately -- can you say where you read that?

Posted by Emily Gertz on 02/11/2009 @ 05:05PM PT
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I do agree that a car can can be fun -- I've driven across the country twice. I love not owning one, though. I am a member of Zipcar, and it suits my needs perfectly: I can sign out just the vehicle I need (big, small) when I need it, and not have to hassle with a car otherwise.

Posted by Emily Gertz on 02/11/2009 @ 05:22PM PT
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Emily, sorry I missed that other question. I know FDR is a god among people with socialist leanings. I too feel He should be greatly respected. As to my I have heard from many conservative sources, most

Posted by Charlie Reed on 02/12/2009 @ 05:14AM PT
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Sorry, I accidently hit "post". Most of my sources are conservatives who claim that raising taxes and expanding government retarded economic growth. I do have a book coming that should explain it more completely. " New Deal or Raw Deal", but Who knows when I will be able to read it, I have 6 unread books waiting in line now. I read books from the left and the right. I can not wait to retire so I can return to my one book a day routine of my pre-grandchildren days.

Posted by Charlie Reed on 02/12/2009 @ 05:26AM PT
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Well, when you can offer up a citation or link to one of these conservative sources, I'd be interested to take a look.

Posted by Emily Gertz on 02/12/2009 @ 06:25AM PT
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Emily, I often listen to Neil Cavuto, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly. I would guess they are likely sources of such opinions. I can imagine You have little respect for such people, but I make an honest effort to see both sides of every issue. (That is one of two reasons I look into this site) I see absurdity on both sides of the isle. It makes it hard to make a stand sometimes when You see both sides. Although I am probably pretty right leaning, I have been a fervent environmentalist since I was ten or younger. (I'm 55) I do not just "talk it" like so many lefties. I live it. I do so many things torward that end that most have become so much a part of my life I forget I do them. I eliminated white clothes from my wardrobe years ago to eliminate bleach, brown coffee filters, I put out at least 100 gallons of recycling every 2 weeks, compost all garbage, It is strictly a myth that liberals have this market cornered. Bill O'Reilly actually espouses a green agenda, He's not the "right wing nut" that people Who do not listen to him say He is. I think I'm rambling a bit now, I'm not even sure what My point is.

Posted by Charlie Reed on 02/12/2009 @ 07:15AM PT
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