Taxpayer Groups Challenge Outdated Energy Support
With Congress poised to move forward on more taxpayer-backed loan guarantees for nuclear, wind, solar, “clean coal” and other energy sources, leading U.S. taxpayer and conservative groups cautioned today that America can ill afford such subsidies in the face of a $1.65 trillion deficit and a $14 trillion national debt.
President Obama has requested a $36 billion increase for the Title XVII Loan Guarantee program. Appropriators will soon decide whether to increase its funding. The Senate is considering the establishment of a new financing entity, known as the Clean Energy Deployment Administration (CEDA) that would subsume Title XVII and expand energy loan guarantees.
Ryan Alexander, president, Taxpayers for Common Sense, said: “Facing a $1.65 trillion deficit, taxpayers cannot afford to jeopardize billions on high-risk, capital intensive projects — projects that private markets steered clear of even at the height of the credit bubble.
Hospital Design Competition for Innovative Healthcare
Oakland, Calif. (June 1, 2011) – Transparent roofs that produce energy and collect rainwater; interactive walls patients could use to Skype with family or physicians; and a pneumatic pharmacy distribution system that delivers medications to patients’ rooms, were just a few of the ideas presented by architecture and engineering firms competing last week in Kaiser Permanente’s Small Hospital, Big Idea competition.
Kaiser Permanente announced three finalists in its hospital design competition Tuesday. They are: Aditazz, Inc.; Gresham, Smith and Partners; and Mazzetti Nash Lipsey Burch.
Each firm will receive compensation of up to $750,000 to flesh out their winning concepts over the next several months. Final designs are due later this year.
The three finalists were selected after presenting to a design jury May 25 – 26 in San Diego.
