BuzzMashr

Cement manufacturer CEMEX was recently cited by the Construction Products Association for its new campaign to reduce accidents between trucks (called lorries by our British cousins) and bicyclists.

CEMEX has modified its truck fleet to prevent potentially fatal collisions with the cyclists. These changes include:

1. New mirrors to improve visibility on blind spots
2. Cyclists warning signs on all trucks
3. Proximity sensor “side-scan” to warn truck drivers of the any approaching things on the left side
4. Side under-bars on tippers that act as protection for cyclists

“Certainly we would urge all hauliers and transport companies to look at their procedures and do all they can to minimize accidents,” said a spokesman for CEMEX. “These types of measures could help prevent more deaths on the road, as well as costly legal proceedings.”

Bravo to CEMEX for making the roads safer for cyclists!

Article Source: CEMEX lauded for cyclist protection Builders Merchant Journal

A proposal announced by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and U.S. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) could increase the development and use of solar electricity-generating plants to 70 percent of the current existing plants. Such plants would be implemented on federal lands in California, Arizona and Nevada, in areas that are some of the nation’s most fragile desert habitat.

Press Release
June 29, 2009
Secretary Salazar, Senator Reid Announce ‘Fast-Track’ Initiatives for Solar Energy Development on Western Lands

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Under initiatives announced today by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and U.S. Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), federal agencies will work with western leaders to designate tracts of U.S. public lands in the West as prime zones for utility-scale solar energy development, fund environmental studies, open new solar energy permitting offices and speed reviews of industry proposals.

“President Obama’s comprehensive energy strategy calls for rapid development of renewable energy, especially on America’s public lands,” said Secretary Salazar. “This environmentally-sensitive plan will identify appropriate Interior-managed lands that have excellent solar energy potential and limited conflicts with wildlife, other natural resources or land users. The two dozen areas we are evaluating could generate nearly 100,000 megawatts of solar electricity. With coordinated environmental studies, good land-use planning and zoning and priority processing, we can accelerate responsible solar energy production that will help build a clean-energy economy for the 21st century.”

“I want to thank Secretary Salazar for his commitment to renewable energy, and for being here in Nevada today,” said Reid. “This is the Secretary’s second visit to Nevada to announce key renewable energy initiatives that will help make Nevada the blueprint for everything that’s right about the future of our nation’s energy policy. We’ve got sunny skies, strong winds, and land that when used properly, will allow us to lead the nation’s children into a cleaner, more efficient, and more profitable tomorrow.”

Under one initiative, 24 tracts of Bureau of Land Management-administered land located in six western states, known as Solar Energy Study Areas, would be fully evaluated for their environmental and resource suitability for large-scale solar energy production. The objective is to provide landscape-scale planning and zoning for solar projects on BLM lands in the West, allowing a more efficient process for permitting and siting responsible solar development.

Those areas selected would be available for projects capable of producing 10 or more megawatts of electricity for distribution to customers through the transmission grid system. Companies that propose projects on that scale in areas already approved for this type of development would be eligible for priority processing. The BLM may also decide to use alternative competitive or non-competitive procedures in processing new solar applications for these areas.

Secretary Salazar and Senator Reid also announced the opening of a new Interior renewable energy coordination office (RECO) in Nevada, the first of four, with the others located in Arizona, California, and Wyoming. The offices will help to expedite processing of the increased number of applications for renewable energy projects on U.S. lands.

Currently BLM has received about 470 renewable energy project applications. Those include 158 active solar applications, covering 1.8 million acres, with a projected capacity to generate 97,000 megawatts of electricity. That’s enough to power 29 million homes, the equivalent of 29 percent of the nation’s household electrical consumption. The BLM will continue to process existing renewable energy applications, both within and outside of the solar energy study areas.

Interior also is coordinating with states to expedite permitting for a number of solar power projects nearing approval. The BLM will begin site-specific environmental reviews for two major projects in Nevada that would have a combine capacity of more than 400 megawatts of electricity: the NextLight Silver State South array is planned to produce 267 megawatts; and the NextLight Silver State North would produce about 140 megawatts. Interior continues to work with the Western Governors Association to develop renewable energy zones and transmission corridors.

The Solar Energy Study Areas, located in Nevada, Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah and outlined in maps to be published in the Federal Register Tuesday, encompass about 670,000 acres. Only lands with excellent solar resources, suitable slope, proximity to roads and transmission lines or designated corridors, and containing at least 2,000 acres of BLM-administered public lands were considered for solar energy study areas. Sensitive lands, wilderness and other high-conservation-value lands as well as lands with conflicting uses were excluded.

As part of this initiative, the BLM will segregate the study areas from new mining claims and other actions initiated by third parties under public land laws. This temporary 2-year segregation will give BLM time to complete its environmental review and make a determination on solar energy zones. It will not affect rights established prior to the temporary segregation. The public will have the opportunity to comment on these proposed solar energy study areas during the environmental reviews before any final decisions are made. The evaluation is expected to be completed in late 2010.

An ongoing federally-funded environmental evaluation of potential solar energy development on public lands in 6 Western States, known as the Solar Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, or PEIS, will be expanded to include an in-depth analysis of the potential impacts of utility-scale solar energy development on public lands in the 24 Solar Energy Study Areas. This enhancement will be supported by additional federal funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The BLM will continue to process the 158 active solar applications during preparation of the PEIS. The bureau will also continue to accept new applications both within and outside of the Solar Energy Study Areas. However, these applications will be subject to any decisions made from the Solar PEIS.

This expanded evaluation, a collaborative effort with the Department of Energy, will allow the Bureau of Land Management to take a close look at each study area to determine where it makes sense to develop large-scale solar projects in an environmentally responsible way. Companies proposing solar energy projects in designated areas would be able to “tier” to this study, using it as part of their environmental impact studies for site-specific projects, which are required by the National Environmental Policy Act.

Additional information on the BLM’s renewable energy program is available at www.blm.gov

According to Roni Lynn Deutch, head of the national tax firm Roni Lynn Deutch, A Professional Tax Corporation, California gay marriage legalization could potentially bring nearly $10 billion…yes, billion…to California’s struggling marriage industry. That’s a pile of cash even a muscleman like Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger would have trouble lifting…even after taking out the taxes his state desperately needs!

In her blog, Roni Lynn Deutch states the case that gay marriage helps the economy. Five states have already legalized gay marriage, and accordingly, those state governments have seen a significant increase in tax revenue. Referring to a Forbes article by Miriam Marcus, Roni Lynn Detuch believes this uptick in revenue comes from industries that are directly involved in the marriage business. Miriam Marcus writes, “Howls of protest erupted last month when California’s Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8, stripping gay and lesbian couples of their right to marry. Adding to the din: all the disappointed planners, seamstresses, jewelers, travel agents and caterers who comprise the massive yet plodding American wedding industry.”

“Talk about a stimulus package,” Miriam Marcus emphatically declares. “While wedding-related revenues–snagged by small shops to giant corporations like Tiffany, Williams-Sonoma and Marriott International –top $160 billion… If half of the same-sex couples got hitched, Forbes estimates that the industry would reap nearly $10 billion in additional revenue.”

Roni Lynn Deutch also believes gay marriage can help the economy. She knows a thing or two about California economics; she runs one of the country’s largest tax advocacy law firms in the country, and has helped thousands of ordinary Californians with their taxes.

What’s more, Roni Lynn Deutch has been a pioneer in assisting gay couples in financial matters. In her blog, she has written such posts as “Taxes 101 for Domestic Parents & Same-Sex Couples” and “Top 9 Tax Tips for the LGBT Community.”

With nearly 800,000 same-sex couples living in the country, gay marriage in California makes economic sense. Fired Miss California Carrie Pejean may not like gay marriage, but BuzzMashr is guessing the cash-strapped state government of California would have no problem with it. Instead of yelling “No to Prop 8!”, maybe activists should be chanting “Show me the money!”

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Last April, BuzzMashr reported on Trilegiant AutoVantage 2008 Road Rage Survey. Pittsburgh came in first as the most courteous city, with Miami being cited as having the rudest drivers.

Trilegiant has just released their 2009 survey results, and the results have changed significantly. First, the cities with the most polite drivers, compared to 2008 results:

1. Portland, OR (2008-Pittsburgh)
2. Cleveland (2008-Portland, OR)
3. Baltimore (2008-Seattle)
4. Sacramento (2008-Minneapolis/St. Paul
5. Pittsburgh (2008-Cleveland)

It looks like Seattle and Minneapolis/St. Paul dropped out of the list, while Portland drivers are even more polite! And congratulations to Baltimore, who was ranked the fourth worth city last year…and now they are third most polite drivers. Maybe those drivers got a good scolding from their mothers.

Now let’s look at the results for the cities with the worst drivers:

1. New York (2008-Miami)
2. Dallas/Fort Worth (2008-Boston)
3. Detroit (2008-New York)
4. Atlanta (2008-Baltimore)
5. Minneapolis/St. Paul (2008-Washington, D.C.)

Miami has finally ridden itself of the shame of having the worst drivers, but New York is now saddled with the dubious distinction of being the Road Rage Capital of the World. And what happened to Minneapolis/St. Paul? Last year they had the fourth most polite drivers, but now they have the fifth worst drivers! It just goes to show you that being polite isn’t necessarily a lifetime habit…you always have to work on your manners!

The full results of Trilegiant/Affinion’s Road Rage Survey.

Life Magazine has also featured the Affinion survey in a photographic article.

The federal government isn’t the only organization in the bank bailout business. Since banks started failing left and right, private equity firms and other investment banks have stepped up to the plate to do their part in the ensuing credit crunch. They also have taken part in the new infusion of capital the federal government is pumping into infrastructure and clean energy projects.

Private equity firm KKR is one of those firms, and they are no strangers to propping up struggling banks. During the last banking meltdown in 1991, KKR and Fleet Financial acquired the troubled Bank of New England. KKR ponied up $283 million of equity. It was a good move – KKR made eight times their initial investment.

But in the Great 2008 Bank Bust, KKR considered but eventually steered clear of the Washington Mutual collapse. TPG and other investors jumped in, investing a total of $7.5 billion into WaMu. Unfortuantely, TPG and their partners lost money.

KKR co-founder Henry Kravis sounds a cautionary note about private equity-led bailouts. “We couldn’t see what was in the banks; you couldn’t see where is the bottom for this thing,” said Henry Kravis. “And then once the government came in, we couldn’t compete with them. They provided the capital at a much cheaper rate.” In fact, KKR has looked at many bank bailout style investments, but have declined because of the risk. KKR has chosen not to follow the lead of The Blackstone Group and JC Flowers, who showed up at the auctioning off of failed banks IndyMac and BankUnited.

KKR’s other co-founder, George Roberts, echoes his partner’s caution. “Simply buying a pool of assets [through] a highly levered vehicle because a government is willing to give you more leverage than the markets and just sitting there and running off the assets and giving the money back to your partners is not what we do,” Mr Roberts said.

KKR is more bullish about government infrastructure programs. “I think there may be some programs where it will be appropriate for us to partner with the government,” Henry Kravis said. “I think one area in particular that I think is a very big need and where we will have opportunities to participate is in infrastructure.”

Henry Kravis referred to the Obama administration’s multi-billion dollar commitment to road and bridge construction, broadband development, and renewable energy initiatives.

Article Source: KKR sets out stall for role in stimulus package (Financial Times)

• Henry Kravis talks about KKR’s early years, and how it became a private equity powerhouse.
• The Chronicle of Philanthropy’s profile of George Roberts and the Roberts Fund, an experiment in Venture Philanthropy.