无需祈祷:德克萨斯州议会通过重大水利基础设施和节约法案

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预计未来几十年德克萨斯州将在几个方面发生变化。随着公司、制造商和人们迁居至此,人口激增没有任何放缓的迹象。我们已经温暖干燥的气候预计将变得更加温暖和干燥。这两种力量共同增加了对该州日益减少的供水的需求。

在一个州长曾经祈求降雨的州,一项气候适应奇迹法案最近在众议院获得通过——尽管实际上没有提及“气候变化”。内森尼尔·格罗内沃尔德为 EENews 报道

在掌声中,146 名州议员批准了 H.B. 4 法案,该法案将为一项新基金提供资金,通过动用该州所谓的“雨天基金”开始投资新的基础设施和其他项目。从雨天基金中提取的 20 亿美元用于水计划只是对 TWDB 呼吁在未来 40 年内支出约 530 亿美元的预付款,其中预计 270 亿美元将直接来自州政府。


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情况会更好吗?是的!介绍该法案的共和党州代表艾伦·里特甚至放弃了“s”字(通过 StateImpact Texas

“正如大自然在过去几年提醒我们的那样,我们无法改变天气,”里特在听证会开始时说,“但凭借可靠的科学和具有远见的规划,我们可以保护和开发供应以满足我们未来的需求。”

再次,我认为保守主义(小写“c”),在词语的真正意义上,与环保主义并不矛盾,两者都重视效率和资源管理。

David Wogan is an engineer and policy researcher who writes about energy, technology, and policy.

David's academic and professional background includes a unique blend of technology and policy in the field of energy systems. Most recently, David worked at Austin Energy, a Texas municipal utility, implementing a Department of Energy stimulus grant related to energy efficiency. Previously, David was a member of the Energy & Climate Change team at the White House Council on Environmental Quality for the Obama Administration.

David holds two Master's degrees from The University of Texas at Austin in Mechanical Engineering and Public Affairs. While at UT, David was a researcher in the Webber Energy Group, where his research focused on advanced biofuel production to offset petroleum use in the transportation sector. David holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin, where he researched nuclear non-proliferation measurement technology.

David is a 2013 Aspen Institute Journalism Scholar, joining a select group of journalists from Slate, ABC News, and The New York Times.

David lives in Austin, Texas. Follow along on Twitter or email him at david.wogan@me.com.

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