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AFTER 20 YEARS - - IS THE COUNTY ENGINEER GLASS HALF FULL - OR HALF EMPTY ?? A. WAYNE COLLINS PE, AICP, F.ASCE HOW DID THE WESTERN REGIONAL COUNTY ENGINEERS CONFERENCE GET STARTED? TIME FRAME ABOUT 1990 SYSTEM OF FHWA REGIONAL COUNTY ROAD ADVISORS EXISTED SOME REGIONS HAD REGIONAL CONFERENCES REGION IX NEVER HAD FHWA SUPPORTED THE IDEA RENEE HOEKSTRA MADE IT HAPPEN – SEPTEMBER OF 1991 IN LAS VEGAS, NEVADA SIGNIFICANT COUNTY ENGINEER CHANGES OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS RESOURCES – MONEY RESOURCES – STAFF TALENT TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE TO COUNTY ENGINEER REGULATIONS POLITICAL INFLUENCE OVER PROGRAMS WHAT ABOUT THIS LIST ? TERRORISM ISSUES NATIONAL DEBT - RECESSION ECONOMY HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT HEALTH CARE COSTS ? “TRUST” FUNDS RAIDED HIGH ENERGY COSTS INCREASING ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS - - INCLUDING - - - GLOBAL WARMING ! ! ! IS OUR GLASS HALF FULL - OR HALF EMPTY ?? HUNDREDS RALLY TO PROTEST GLOBAL WARMING THE DISCUSSION STARTED HERE THE LITANY - - THE EARTH IS WARMING AT AN UNACCEPTABLE RATE THE CAUSE IS MAN-MADE – PARTICULARLY INCREASES IN CO2 EMISSIONS GLOBAL CATASTROPHIES WILL OCCUR UNLESS WE ACT NOW THERE IS NEAR-UNANIMOUS SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS OF THE LITANY DO SOMETHING BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE ! THE WARMING PLANET WILL INCREASE: DISEASE SEVERE STORM EVENTS DROUGHT FLOODS EXTREME WEATHER DEATHS ANYTHING ELSE THAT GOES WRONG WE CAN’T OTHERWISE EXPLAIN LET’S ADDRESS THE LITANY #1 99% OF SCIENTISTS AGREE THAT MAN-GENERATED CO2 IS CAUSING ALARMING GLOBAL WARMING THERE IS CONSENSUS !!! THE ARGUMENTS ARE OVER - - NOTE THIS US SENATE REPORT THE PETITION PROJECT PETITION ELIGIBILITY RULES FORMAL BACHELOR OF SCIENCE OR HIGHER IN A SCIENTIFIC FIELD PETITIONS ONLY CIRCULATED IN U.S. OBTAIN YOUR COPY FROM: www.Petition Project.org STRONG ATTEMPT MADE TO SCREEN OUT DISCREDITING FORGERIES CURRENT PETITION STATUS ATMOSPHERE,EARTH & ENVIRONMENT 3,803 COMPUTERS AND MATH 935 PHYSICS AND AEROSPACE 5,810 CHEMISTRY 4,818 BIOCHEM, BIOLOGY, AGRICULTURE 2.964 MEDICINE 3,046 GENERAL ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE 10,102 (9.029 PHD’S) TOTAL 31,478 LOOK AT ALL THESE REFERENCES THERE IS NO SCIENTIFIC CONSENSUS (THE TERM “CONSENSUS” IS NOT A SCIENTIFIC TERM) MANY TECHNICAL PROFESSIONALS DISAGREE AND THE PUBLIC DOESN’T AGREE THE REAL SCIENTIFIC DISCUSSION HASN’T HAPPENED YET LET’S ADDRESS THE LITANY #2 THE EARTH IS WARMING AT AN ALARMING RATE THE CAUSE IS MAN-MADE – PARTICULARLY INCREASED CO2 EMISSIONS LET’S TALK MORE ABOUT ACTUAL GLOBAL TEMPERATURE HISTORY From HEAVEN AND EARTH – GLOBAL WARMING – THE MISSING SCIENCE by Ian Plimer From HEAVEN AND EARTH – GLOBAL WARMING – THE MISSING SCIENCE by Ian Plimer From HEAVEN AND EARTH – GLOBAL WARMING – THE MISSING SCIENCE by Ian Plimer From HEAVEN AND EARTH – GLOBAL WARMING – THE MISSING SCIENCE by Ian Plimer JUST LAST WEEKEND LET’S ADDRESS THE LITANY #2 THE EARTH IS WARMING AT AN ALARMING RATE NOT TRUE THE CAUSE IS MAN-MADE – PARTICULARLY INCREASED CO2 EMISSIONS NOT TRUE WARMING (AND COOLING) PRIMARILY A FUNCTION OF RELATIVE SOLAR ACTIVITY LET’S ADDRESS THE LITANY #3 INCREASED LEVELS OF CO2 ARE BAD CO2 SHOULD BE CLASSIFIED AS A “POLLUTANT” CO2 IS: COLORLESS ODORLESS YOU CAN’T SEE IT YOU CAN’T TASTE IT IT DOESN’T MAKE HAZE IT DOESN’T MAKE YOU SICK WE ALL PRODUCE IT - ! THROUGH THE PHOTOSYNTHESIS PROCESS IT CREATES THE OXYGEN WE HAVE ON THE PLANET ! CO2 IS NOT A POLLUTANT HOW MUCH CO2 IS THERE? CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics – 62nd Edition – 1981-1982 CO2 IS 0.033% TOTAL AIR WHAT’S THAT MEAN? OF $ 1,000: 33% = $330 3.3%= 33 .33%= 3.30 .033%= $ 0.33 (A VERY SMALL NUMBER) DUMB ENGINEER QUESTION WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE CO2 MOLECULE THAT IT CAN MAKE SO MUCH DIFFERENCE IN THE TEMPERATURE OF THE OTHER 99.967% OF THE AIR AND OUR GLOBE? WHERE DOES CO2 COME FROM? A Primer on CO2 and Climate (Second Edition) Howard C. Hayden MAN’S EMISSIONS FROM FOSSIL BURNING ARE SMALL - BY THE WAY - THE OCEAN IS A HUGE CO2 SINK THE ATMOSPHERE CONTAINS ABOUT 750 GIGATONS OF CO2 THE OCEAN CONTAINS ABOUT 40,000 GIGATONS OF CO2 ICE CORE RECORDS SHOW THAT CO2 LEVELS GO UP OR DOWN AFTER TEMPERATURE RISES OR LOWERS THERE IS NO LINK BETWEEN CO2 AND GLOBAL TEMPERATURE EXCEPT THAT ATMOSPHERIC CO2 MAY BE A FUNCTION OF TEMPERATURE – NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND INCREASE IN CO2 DOES NOT AFFECT GLOBAL TEMPERATURE INCREASE IN CO2 IMPROVES PLANT GROWTH CO2 IS OUR FOOD EPA WANTS TO CLASSIFY CO2 AS A “POLLUTANT” SO THEY CAN CONTROL IT (AND US) THE CO2 GLOBAL WARMING LITANY IS SIMPLY WRONG SO NOW – WHAT MAKES ENERGY SENSE? THERE IS A SERIOUS NATIONAL ENERGY ISSUE NOT BEING ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED WE SEND $1 TO $2 BILLION OVERSEAS EVERY DAY TO IMPORT ENERGY TO THIS COUNTRY WE SEND IT TO COUNTRIES THAT DON’T LIKE OR RESPECT US LOOK WHERE OUR GAS MONEY GOES IS THE U.S. REALLY LACKING IN OUR OWN ENERGY RESOURCES? MORE THAN ¼ WORLD’S COAL MORE WESTERN OIL SHALE THAN SAUDI ARABIA OIL OFFSHORE OIL/GAS RESERVES ARCTIC RESERVES (ANWR) LARGE SOLAR/WIND POTENTIAL PROVEN GEOTHERMAL ASSETS MAJOR NUCLEAR CAPABILITY AMERICAN INGENUITY AND CREATIVITY OUR ACHIEVEMENTS: SIMULTANEOUSLY DESTROYED WWII AXIS POWERS IN 3 YRS 8 MOS INITIAL DEVELOPMENT NUCLEAR POWER SOUTH KOREA IS NOT COMMUNIST MISPLAYED VIETNAM WAR BUT “DOMINOES” DIDN’T FALL PUT A MAN ON THE MOON NO SOVIET UNION AND BERLIN WALL THE WORLD’S MODEL LIFESTYLE PERSONAL FREEDOM ENVY OF THE WORLD WE DO MORE TO HELP THE REST OF THE WORLD THAN ANYBODY WE HAVE THE POWER WE NEED DEDICATION AND FOCUS TO BECOME NATIONALLY ENERGY INDEPENDENT A NATIONAL FOCUS SHOULD BE: GET SERIOUS ABOUT MINIMIZING (ELIMINATING) OUR DEPENDENCE ON EXTERNAL ENERGY SOURCES A NATIONAL FOCUS SHOULD BE: A NATIONAL SCIENTIFIC NONPOLITICAL EMPHASIS - - - SOMETHING LIKE THE MANHATTAN PROJECT OR PUTTING A MAN ON THE MOON PIECES OF THE SOLUTION MORE WISE USES OF COAL NUCLEAR SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL US PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS ASSETS CREATIVITY – SOLAR – WIND – WAVE – ????? CONSERVATION REALLY LOOK AT ALL ALTERNATIVES ARIZONA PALO VERDE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT UNDER CONSTRUCTION APRIL 1983 PALO VERDE CONTAINMENT WALLS APRIL 1983 USS CARL VINSON CVN 71 USS CONNECTICUT SSN 22 BIOFUELS BLEND AS MILITARY AVIATION FUEL SOLAR-HYDROGEN VEHICLE, ATSUGI, JAPAN MARINE CORPS BASE, 29 PALMS, CALIFORNIA GUANTANAMO BAY CUBA WORLD’S FIRST LARGE –SCALE FLOATING WIND TURBINE 2.3 MW ROTOR 82M DIAMETER SE OF KARMANDY, NORWAY AN INTERESTING QUOTE: “NEXT WE ARE RESTORING SCIENCE TO ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE. ON MARCH 9TH, I SIGNED AN EXECUTIVIE MEMORANDUM WITH A CLEAR MESSAGE. UNDER MY ADMINISTRATION, THE DAYS OF SCIENCE TAKING A BACK SEAT TO IDEOLOGY ARE OVER. OUR PROGRESS AS A NATION - - AND OUR VALUES AS A NATION - - ARE ROOTED IN FREE AND OPEN INQUIRY. TO UNDERMINE SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY IS TO UNDERMINE OUR DEMOCRACY. IT IS CONTRARY TO OUR WAY OF LIFE.” (REMARKS BY PRESIDENT OBAMA AT THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES ANNUAL MEETING APRIL 27, 2009) ACTUALLY USE THIS POLICY TO START OVER WITH A FRESH DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY PHILOSOPHY REFRESH THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY FOCUS TO MAKE THE U.S. ENERGY INDEPENDENT REMEMBER THIS? WHY NOT TRY THIS ? WHY AREN’T WE DRILLING ? IT’S NOT BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE ENERGY RESOURCES AVAILABLE IT’S NOT BECAUSE WE DON’T NEED ENERGY RESOURCES IT’S NOT (I HOPE) BECAUSE WE WANT TO TRANSFER OUR MONEY AND JOBS OUT OF THE COUNTRY IT’S BECAUSE WE CAN’T HANDLE THE ENVIRONMENTAL LOG JAM A VERY INTERESTING BOOK “This book describes why the world can’t afford to fall for Global Warming alarmism and environmental hysteria” ONE VIEW OF THE PROBLEM A LINK BETWEEN POWER AND WATER 15 PUMPING STATIONS RAISE WATER 3000’ CAP LARGEST ELECTRICITY USER IN STATE 2.8 MILLION MWH 500 BILLION GALLONS TO 80% STATE POPULATION US HAS RIGHTS TO 24.3% POWER FROM NAVAJO GENERATING STATION CENTRAL ARIZONA ’90’S - $400 MILL - SO2 PROJECT (CAP) 2011 - $45 MILL – NOX ??? - $1 BILL – NOX –CSR ? - BY THE WAY - A COUPLE OF INTERESTING QUESTIONS - - IF CO2 (OR SOMETHING ELSE MAN MADE) IS THE THERMOSTAT KEY TO GLOBAL TEMPERATURE - - • WHAT IS THE EARTH’S OPTIMUM TEMPERATURE ? • WHO WILL CONTROL THE SWITCH? SO WHAT’S YOUR POINT ? REGARDING NATIONAL ENERGY AND GLOBAL WARMING: FORGET YOU ARE A REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT TAKE POLITICS OUT OF THE DISCUSSION MAKE SURE OUR PRESIDENT FOLLOWS HIS OWN SCIENCE POLICY “NEXT WE ARE RESTORING SCIENCE TO ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE. ON MARCH 9TH, I SIGNED AN EXECUTIVIE MEMORANDUM WITH A CLEAR MESSAGE. UNDER MY ADMINISTRATION, THE DAYS OF SCIENCE TAKING A BACK SEAT TO IDEOLOGY ARE OVER. OUR PROGRESS AS A NATION - - AND OUR VALUES AS A NATION - - ARE ROOTED IN FREE AND OPEN INQUIRY. TO UNDERMINE SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY IS TO UNDERMINE OUR DEMOCRACY. IT IS CONTRARY TO OUR WAY OF LIFE.” THE SCIENCE IS CLEAR : CO2 HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GLOBAL WARMING – NEVER HAS – NEVER WILL GLOBAL WARMING AND COOLING IS A SOLAR VARIATION ISSUE – WE CAN’T CHANGE REALITY IF WE WANTED TO WITH “CAP AND TRADE:” REALLY BIG GOVERNMENT WILL: RATION ENERGY TO THE TAXPAYER GREATLY INCREASE ENERGY USAGE TAX HELP DESTROY U.S. ECONOMY SEND OUR MONEY AND JOBS OVERSEAS MAKE SELECTED PEOPLE RICH WITHOUT AFFECTING CLIMATE CHANGE WITHOUT SOLVING OUR ENERGY DEPENDENCY PROBLEM ONE DUMB ENGINEER’S VIEW OF GLOBAL WARMING WHAT DON’T I UNDERSTAND? WHAT ABOUT THIS LIST ? TERRORISM ISSUES NATIONAL DEBT - RECESSION ECONOMY HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT HEALTH CARE COSTS ? “TRUST” FUNDS RAIDED HIGH ENERGY COSTS INCREASING ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS - - INCLUDING - - - GLOBAL WARMING ! ! ! ARE OUR GLASSES HALF FULL - OR HALF EMPTY ?? ARE OUR KIDS’ GLASSES HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY ?? EACH OF US HAS TO ANSWER NO COUNTRY OFFERS BETTER OPPORTUNITY NO COUNTRY HAS BETTER TECHNOLOGY NO COUNTRY HAS BETTER HUMAN SPIRIT NO COUNTRY DOES MORE FOR THE HEALTH OF THIS PLANET WE ARE RELATIVELY WELL OFF BE NOT ASHAMED OF BEING WELL OFF USE OUR RESOURCES AND TALENTS WISELY JUST DON’T OVERDUE CONSTRAINTS ON CREATIVITY AND FREE ENTERPRISE WHAT A GREAT TIME TO BE AN ENGINEER OR SCIENTIST ! ARE COUNTY ENGINEER GLASSES HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY ? QUESTIONS/COMMENTS ? .