Category Archives: Congressional Record U.S.

United States Senate and House Hearings

550,000 abandoned mines, $50 billion to clean up the worst of them

Preface. Below are excerpts of a US House 2010 congressional hearing on cleaning up abandoned mines. Abandoned mines can cause soil erosion, heavy metal contamination (i.e., cyanide, lead, arsenic, mercury, uranium), and acid drainage that threatens thousands of streams and … Continue reading

Posted in Congressional Record U.S., Hazardous Waste, Mining, Pollution, Water Pollution | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Energy and potato crops. U.S. House Hearing 2011

Preface. We eat so many potatoes I thought it interesting how future oil shocks may reduce potato crops. Potatoes are very “oily” needing a great deal of diesel fuel over their life cycle of planting, harvest, delivery to sorting, grading, … Continue reading

Posted in Congressional Record U.S., Farming & Ranching | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Energy and potato crops. U.S. House Hearing 2011

A nationwide blackout lasting 1 year could kill up to 90% Americans

Preface. What follows is the 30-page testimony of Dr. Pry at a 2015 U.S. House of Representatives session that I’ve summarized. In addition to electromagnetic pulses from a solar event, nuclear weapon, or purpose-built equipment, cyberattacks can also bring down … Continue reading

Posted in Blackouts, Congressional Record U.S., Electricity Infrastructure, EMP Electromagnetic Pulse, Extreme Weather, Nuclear Power Collapse, Nuclear War, U.S. Congress Energy Policy, U.S. Congress Infrastructure | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

America’s energy security, jobs & climate challenges

Preface. In this 2010 House of Representatives hearing, General Wesley Clark foresaw in 1973 “that US military forces might have to become engaged to defend or protect oil-producer governments”.  Today “we can look back on the continuing failures of American … Continue reading

Posted in Caused by Scarce Resources, Climate Change, Congressional Record U.S., Military | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Can the lights be kept on with distributed generation? 2015 U.S. House hearing on a reliable electric system

Preface.  Corporate speakers testify mainly, rather than less biased researchers from universities or national laboratories. Corporations are selling a product, and likely to exaggerate what their product can do. The most interesting testimony is from Dean Kamen, who is “selling” … Continue reading

Posted in Congressional Record U.S., Distributed Generation, Grid instability | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Can the lights be kept on with distributed generation? 2015 U.S. House hearing on a reliable electric system

Not only are telecom companies screwing us on net neutrality, they refuse to get rid of robocalls

Preface. It’s four years after the 2013 Senate hearing below and the telecomm industry has still refused and congress and/or the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have not demanded robocalls be blocked despite over 10 years of complaints.  In fact, unwanted … Continue reading

Posted in Congressional Record U.S., Scams | Tagged , | Comments Off on Not only are telecom companies screwing us on net neutrality, they refuse to get rid of robocalls

The effect of high energy prices on small business. U.S. House of Representatives, 2014

[ This hearing is about how the unaffordable prices of energy are affecting ordinary people.  Chairman Tipton at one point says that “I do not think that Americans truly realize the significant amount of energy that is necessary to be … Continue reading

Posted in Congressional Record U.S. | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The effect of high energy prices on small business. U.S. House of Representatives, 2014

Water as a geopolitical threat. U.S. House of Representatives

Preface. Water scarcity is causing unrest and could led to war in Asia and the Middle East. There’s a website that keeps track of conflicts over water going back for 3,000 years here — 655 of them.   The prevalence of … Continue reading

Posted in Caused by Scarce Resources, Congressional Record U.S., Peak Water, Water | Comments Off on Water as a geopolitical threat. U.S. House of Representatives

National security implications of international energy and climate change policies, Senate hearing

[This is an excerpt of a very interesting senate hearing that looks at how war can be caused by climate change (i.e. drought, hunger, rising sea levels) and how climate change will affect infrastructure. The European emissions trading scheme and … Continue reading

Posted in Climate Change, Congressional Record U.S., Energy Infrastructure, Middle East | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on National security implications of international energy and climate change policies, Senate hearing

Emerging threats of resource wars. U.S. House hearing

Goh Chun Teck, Lim Xian You, Sum Qing Wei, Tong Huu Khiem. 2011. Resource Wars. Players compete with each other for territories that generate resources such as coal, water, gold and gas. A Player can sell resources for money, which … Continue reading

Posted in Caused by Scarce Resources, Congressional Record U.S., Military, Supply Chains | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Emerging threats of resource wars. U.S. House hearing