Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
the transmission and distribution inadequacies. However, this repre-
sents a drop in the bucket compared to what is needed. According to the
Department of Energy, the capital costs to accommodate a 20% contri-
bution from wind power are estimated at US$197 billion. However, the
department further argues that the true net present value of achieving a
20% contribution from wind power is US$43 billion, because wind power
will result in approximately US$154 billion in fuel expenditure savings.
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Yet unless a system is established to cover the capital costs out of electric-
ity revenues, the capital costs will somehow have to be fronted by some
combination of the 240 investor-owned utilities, 3187 other private utili-
ties, 2012 public utilities, 2168 nonutility generating entities, and nine
federal utilities that own and manage individual portions of the US elec-
tricity grid.
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Given that the US electricity grid has arrived at its current
suboptimal state under the current disparate regime of grid operators,
there is little evidence to suggest that appropriate grid enhancements can
be efectively made without a federal mandate and universally agreed and
enforced standards.
7.6 POLITICAL INFLUENCES ON POLICY
7.6.1 National Political Structure
he United States is a federal constitutional republic where the federal gov-
ernment and state governments share the responsibility for governance.
Federal governance is carried out through three separate branches—the
legislative, the executive, and the judicial.
he legislative branch is bicameral, consisting of the House of
Representatives and the Senate. he House of Representatives consists of
435 voting members, each of whom represents a congressional district.
Together the House of Representatives has a constitutional right to levy
and collect taxes, establish post oices and roads, issue and manage patents,
create the courts, and undertake decisions related to national defense. he
House of Representatives is also where bills are put on the path to becoming
a law. he other part of the legislative branch is the Senate, which is made
up of two senators from each state, who serve six-year terms. he Senate
is tasked with the provision of legislative oversight and is responsible for
providing advice to cabinet oicers, federal judges, department secretar-
ies, senior military oicers, and ambassadors. It also reviews or rejects bills
originating from the House of Representatives. Upon Senate approval of
a bill, the bill then goes on to become law when signed by the president.
