$951K for "green" streetlights in Detroit

[Buy American]

Hidden in: Energy and Water Appropriations Act
Porkers: Senators Carl Levin [[D-Mich.) and Debbie Stabenow [[D-Mich.)
From the Pig Book: $951,500 by Sens. Carl Levin [[D-Mich.) and Debbie Stabenow [[D-Mich.), and House appropriator Carolyn Kilpatrick [[D-Mich.) for downtown Detroit energy efficient street lighting. That’s the least of the city’s problems.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-w...#ixzz16v60D9TZ

Does anyone really think that money will make it to the right departments?

Here's another one:

Hidden in: Transportation/Housing and Urban Development

Porkers: Sen. Carl Levin [[D-Mich.)

From the Pig Book: $3,800,000 by Sen. Carl Levin [[D-Mich.) for the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy for preservation and redevelopment of a public park and related business activities in the Corktown Neighborhood. Michael LaFaive, a fiscal analyst with the free-market Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland, summed up the project’s problems in a Detroit Free Press article on January 27, 2009: “It’s not only irresponsible to redirect these precious resources to saving Tiger Stadium … it’s unfair to everyone with no voluntary connection to the stadium whatsoever. And that comes in the form of people who don't like baseball, people who don’t go to the city of Detroit, people who have no desire to see what remains of the old stadium because of this rescue.”


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-w...#ixzz16v6iVWNw

[EastsideAl]

Anyone who says that street lighting isn't a serious problem in the city doesn't live here.

[luckycar]

Anyone who says that street lighting isn't a serious problem in the city doesn't live here.

Anyone who says Carl Levin isn't a serious problem doesn't live here.

[Ravine]

I live in Detroit, and street lighting is a problem. A big problem.

But, let's separate one thing from the other: we need street lighting, lots of it. Whether, or not, it's "green" is not so important.
Conversion to "green" technology is fine with me, if it doesn't cost much more than the regular stuff, but right now we are in Crisis Mode, and "a nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse."

[wolverine]

Weren't the energy efficient LED streetlights installed in Ann Arbor in the past few years made in the US? What's made in America supports you right, BuyAmerican?

It's just a matter of keeping up here with other cities.

[3rdDegreeBurns]

Green lighting = energy-efficient lighting = significantly lower public lighting costs. Every city in the U.S. that can afford these upgrades is doing them [[see Ann Arbor for a local example). The federal government has been putting money towards energy efficiency projects for decades because it is in the national interest, and because these projects reduce the need for new power generation facilities [[typically heavily subsidized as well). It's really just a shift of the subsidy from a supply-side, power generation model to a demand-side energy-efficiency model. The added bonus is that we prevent air pollution, GHG-emissions, and hazardous waste creation by controlling demand. Hence, the "green" label.

[lilpup]

Not only energy efficient but lower maintenance, too. The LEDs don't burn out anywhere near as quickly as conventional streetlights and can tolerate more physical abuse, too.

[Novine]

The entry for Tiger Stadium falsely implies that the money is going to save the stadium which all of us know no longer exists. Typical of what passes for "journalism" these days.

[Novine]

Why is something that was published in April 2010 now worthy of attention?

[Melocoton]

Right-wing propaganda. More efficient street lighting in Detroit is absolutely the kind of thing the government should spend money on. I just hope some of that $$ goes to the neighborhoods where street lighting is really a serious safety issue.

The idea that many people don't like or care for baseball, and therefore the feds shouldn't give any money to a baseball-related project is nonsense, too. Like many people, I don't much care for Chevrolet and have never driven one--should that disqualify the government aid to GM? I've never been to Nevada--can we close the Hoover Dam now? I don't like fishing and camping--why do my tax dollars support national parks?

[Planner3357]

I live downtown, and yes..lights are a problem. All of the street lights around GCP are out.

Highland Park is having LED street lights installed on Woodward..the first city along Woodward to do so.

[Mikeg]

Yes, streetlights are important, but why is it the federal government's responsibility to provide the funding for something that has always been a local responsibility?

Detroit's PLD can't even keep electricity flowing to all of the light fixtures they already have, so the touted "green" benefits [[longer life, less electricity usage) can't be fully realized until the DPLD system reliability is improved. That's why - even if you can accept the premise that funding for Detroit street lights should be a federal responsibility - this earmark can still be perceived to be a waste of federal tax dollars.

[old guy]

Toronto, Ontario in Canada is one city that has illustrated just how creative a city can be when it comes to the use of LED energy efficient lights. In fact, Toronto, Ontario is the first Canadian city to be known as an LED city and is the first Canadian metropolitan to join the LED City Initiative. Other cities that can officially be called an "LED City" include Raleigh, NC; Ann Arbor, MI; Austin, TX; and Torraca, Italy. This initiative sets out to share the best practices in the evaluation, promotion, and deployment of the light technology through its municipal works.

LED light technology, particularly when used at the city-wide level, has been known to consume 90% less electrical energy and the lights last longer than incandescent lighting. Toronto has capitalized on this savings by installing the energy efficient lights in street lights, parking garages, and in pedestrian lighted areas. Light emitting diode holiday lighting is also being utilized as all publicly controlled holiday lighting has now been switched over to LED light technology.

But Toronto has taken it even a step further than that. Perhaps the most famous public structure in Toronto is the CN Tower, a beacon of strength for many Torontonians, and the most famous landmark in the city. All lights within the CN Tower have been switched over to LED light technology, which in turn lights the public locale of Exhibition Place. This change alone has worked to save the city of Toronto 50% of their energy use and costs on an annual basis. When you add this major change, along with the addition of the change of over 160,000 Toronto streetlights, the city of Toronto does not just save in energy use. They also save a total of $6 million dollars annually in electricity costs. More importantly, the estimated reduction of greenhouse gas emissions with these changes is ball parked at around 18,000 tonnes.

To read the entire article.

http://ezinearticles.com/?LED-Cities...ncy&id=1289066

If every city and small town in this country switched over, can you imagine the power savings. The manufacturing business this will create is also going to be phenomenal. Some industrial cities better jump on the band wagon. Sorry, but I'm pretty passionate about this subject.

[ScienceFair]

Thanks, old guy. That is great to hear about a forward-thinking city using technology to its benefit. I think people are put-off by the overuse/misuse of the word "green" these days and assume it to be some liberal buzz-word that burns up tax dollars. Here is a great example of efficient lighting design saving the City a ton of money while also helping to reduce carbon emissions.

[j to the jeremy]

They should fill in all the streets in downtown and midtown that haven't gotten replaced yet with "green" ones. Buy American, this is less than a million dollars. Compared to other things that have gone down at all levels of government, this should be the least of your worries. What if instead of subsidizing for-profit weapons manufacturers we reinvested that money in our local economies? Then we could afford more than 900,000 dollars worth of solar lights!

[Johnlodge]

How is an appropriation for public lighting that uses less energy "hidden" in an Energy appropriations bill?

How is development of a public urban park "hidden" in an Urban Development appropriations bill?

Was invisible ink used? Is it written in 1 point font?

[casscorridor]

What frustrates me is how empty blocks will be light while well-populated streets are dark.

[bartock]

Yes, streetlights are important, but why is it the federal government's responsibility to provide the funding for something that has always been a local responsibility?

Detroit's PLD can't even keep electricity flowing to all of the light fixtures they already have, so the touted "green" benefits [[longer life, less electricity usage) can't be fully realized until the DPLD system reliability is improved. That's why - even if you can accept the premise that funding for Detroit street lights should be a federal responsibility - this earmark can still be perceived to be a waste of federal tax dollars.

Google "federal funding LED city streetlights" - cities all over the country are getting the same or similar "earmarks" from federal tax dollars.

[JBMcB]

Buy American, this is less than a million dollars. Compared to other things that have gone down at all levels of government, this should be the least of your worries.

Yes it should. The problem isn't a million dollars on LED lighting for Detroit. It's the hundreds of thousands of other, similar expenditures spread throughout the country. Why is the federal government involved in this at all? Why do we send the bulk of our tax dollars to DC, only to have to beg and deal to get them back into the state?

What if instead of subsidizing for-profit weapons manufacturers we reinvested that money in our local economies?

How about we stop subsidizing all companies who rely on crony capitalism to survive? Leave energy and parks & rec decisions to the cities, where they belong.

[Buy American]

Bottom line, it's wasted Federal money IMHO. Unemployment benefits are finished for many in this state and the government is worried about LED lights in Detroit. That money will never be used for the purpose it was intended, mark my words.

[Novine]

"Unemployment benefits are finished for many in this state and the government is worried about LED lights in Detroit."

If the government can deploy military forces around the world and fight two wars, it can handle unemployment benefits and LED lights.

The funding for LED lights in Detroit is about reducing our national energy consumption by implementing technology in ways that make absolute sense. Read old guys comments that explains why this is a no-brainer.

[EastsideAl]

It's in an energy bill, so it's not money that's going to be used for unemployment benefits anyway. I see no reason why our otherwise underfunded city, which is very badly in need of some updated street lighting, shouldn't get its share of this money.

In fact, I'd be much happier if there were more of it than this rather paltry 951K. Our government spends more than that in a few minutes on killing people halfway around the world. I'd much rather it go to something our own tax paying citizens actually need.

In any event, we'd have the unemployment benefit extension if the damn Republicans weren't holding the thing up as part of their efforts to obstruct the President on every single issue and to reward their wealthiest contributors with permanently low low low tax rates. The hold up certainly not due to a few better street lights for Detroit.

[Mikeg]

Google "federal funding LED city streetlights" - cities all over the country are getting the same or similar "earmarks" from federal tax dollars.

Your comment is a non-sequitur. Just because the federal government is going deeper in hock to fund some other cities' LED streetlight upgrades doesn't make it right - plus the federal funds for LED streetlights in Detroit will do nothing to improve DPL's chronic circuit outage problems.

The funding for LED lights in Detroit is about reducing our national energy consumption by implementing technology in ways that make absolute sense.

That's bullshit and you know it.

Our national energy consumption needs to be reduced during the summertime daylight hours when loads are at their peak and most variable due to high temperatures. Predictable street lighting loads utilize the excess capacity that exists at night and converting to LED lighting doesn't do a damn thing to help reduce the peak loads which are straining our generating capacity and distribution grid.

I see no reason why our otherwise underfunded city, which is very badly in need of some updated street lighting, shouldn't get its share of this money.

"Oink, oink - Washington DC needs keep borrowing that money from the Chinese so Detroit can get its share! Who cares if the streets in Detroit with the new LED lights still go dark for weeks at a time?"

Let me repeat it again, Detroit's DPL needs an updated street lighting infrastructure and a maintenance plan before they start converting the existing light fixtures to LEDs.

[old guy]

That's bullshit and you know it.
Our national energy consumption needs to be reduced during the summertime daylight hours when loads are at their peak and most variable due to high temperatures. Predictable street lighting loads utilize the excess capacity that exists at night and converting to LED lighting doesn't do a damn thing to help reduce the peak loads which are straining our generating capacity and distribution grid..

Reducing energy consumption during peak hours is only one problem to consider. Our national energy consumption needs to be reduced per operating unit, period. If we don't utilize more efficient units we need to add more generating stations which are very expensive. Should we just stick with all this inefficient, outdated infrastructure so the government can subsidize more nuclear power plants? That's really cost effective.

[bartock]

[quote=Mikeg;203161]Your comment is a non-sequitur. Just because the federal government is going deeper in hock to fund some other cities' LED streetlight upgrades doesn't make it right - plus the federal funds for LED streetlights in Detroit will do nothing to improve DPL's chronic circuit outage problems.


Had you initially said "just because the federal governement is going deeper in hock to fund some other cities' LED streetlight upgrades doesn't make it right [to do it in Detroit]" then my comment would have been a non-sequitur.