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Author Archives: matt ohern
Des Moines Water Works’ Law Suit Could Impact VA Farmers
The Des Moines Water Works (DMWW) filed its latest legal response on Friday, May ,5 claiming Iowa Drainage Districts do not have an agricultural stormwater runoff exemption for water discharged from drainage tiles. The Clean Water Act (CWA), however, is specific and makes it clear runoff water from agricultural fields is not a point source under the CWA and requires no federal NPDES permit. Continue reading
Posted in Agriculture
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We Don’t Need Taxpayers’ Billions To Prevent Zika
The Zika virus is increasingly linked to serious neurological complications for pregnant women and microcephaly in newborns: smaller than normal heads and brains. It also affects areas of fetal brains that control basic muscular, motor, speech and other functions, leading to severe debilities that require expensive care throughout a person’s life. Continue reading
Posted in Health Care
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U.S. Tax System Forces Corporations to Look Overseas
Anti-big-business rhetoric is alive and well in this presidential election year.
Of course Big Business works the halls of government to its advantage whenever it can. As do the lobbies for small business, unions, farmers, etc. But when it comes to creating a business climate where our internationally renowned businesses can succeed, the prestige of Big Business seems to be failing miserably. Continue reading
Posted in Taxes
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North Virginia's Metro is Failing
How bad is the Washington Metro rail system? So bad that only 84% of its trains ran on time, mainly due to poor maintenance. So bad that ridership declined 5% since 2010, even as transit ridership nationally was up. So bad that the system needs an extra $1.3 billion every year to invest in capital projects, and no one knows where the money will come from. The Metro rail system is so bad that even the Washington Post has perked up and taken notice. Continue reading
Posted in Transportation
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Taking the Teeth Out of Federal HOV/HOT Performance Requirements
In the MAP-21 surface transportation reauthorization bill enacted in 2012, Congress required FHWA to actually start enforcing its standard for the performance of federally assisted HOV and HOT lanes. Specifically, that the average speed in such lanes during peak periods must exceed 45 mph at least 90% of the time during any 180-day period. State DOTs would thenceforth be required to take action within 180 days to remedy the failing status of such lanes by either: (1) increasing the HOV occupancy requirement, (2) increasing the toll rate (if it’s a HOT lane), or (3) adding lane capacity. In the December 2012 issue of this newsletter, I commended the new provision as “a gift from Congress for HOV and HOT lanes,” because the threat of sanctions would give state DOTs a defensible reason to do what they were reluctant to do on their own: increase the HOV occupancy requirement “because the feds made us do it.” This, I expected, would lead to a lot more HOV to HOT conversions. Continue reading
Posted in Transportation
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