washingtonwatch.com · Domains

Cost of a NOAA Doppler Radar by Required+Snark · 2015-04-27 22:49 · Score: 4, Interesting · on A Cheap, Ubiquitous Earthquake Warning System

The cost of a single NOAA Doppler radar in 2010 was $7,000,000. That's just to buy the system and install it, no operating budget.

This funding will complete the purchase of a Doppler Radar system for Southwest Washington and provide for the land and installation costs associated with the system.

The cost of the "expensive" earthquake early warning system is around the cost of 5 Doppler systems. As of 2013 the National Weather service has access to 159 Doppler installations.

In addition to the 122 NWS-owned radars, the full nationwide radar network includes another 37 radar sites owned by the FAA and Defense Department, which will be completely upgraded to dual-pol technology this summer. NOAA’s NEXRAD radar program is a tri-agency effort with NOAA, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the United States Air Force.

Note that the national radar network is being upgraded to high end Doppler for tornado and severe storm detection. So why do those in the Midwest, Gulf Coast and East Coast deserve early warning on tornadoes and California gets peanuts ($5,000,000) for the inevitable large earthquake? Politics.

Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) can't explain why more money wasn't approved.
"It's inexplicable given how much we have at stake here. Obviously these have been very tough budgetary times, but if you're going to invest in something that is significant down the road, this is about the best investment you can make," he said.
Japan, Mexico, Turkey and Mongolia already have similar systems in place.

So they can afford this in Mongolia and it's too much for California? Really?

The unmentionable plays a role by Anonymous Coward · 2014-08-10 12:58 · Score: 0, Informative · on Toxic Algae Threatens Florida's Gulf Coast

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The unmentionable.

Companies like Synagro and WeCare Organics take municipal waste and deposit it on farm fields where your food is grown.

There is a lot of money in this - the kitty is so rich, sometimes back room deals are made to keep the gravy train rolling and sludge hauling contracts active.

Powerful lobbies, such as the WEF and AWWA "educate" the political establishment to keep nutrient standards low.

Look up what happened in the Chesapake Bay....

Algae blooms are the inevitable result.

On the other side, people have been trying for years to get labeling standards improved so consumers can make informed choices as to if they want to eat food grown in sludge, but year over year the bill dies in committee. The opposing side doesn't have the money to counter the powerful WEF lobby, so congressional masters kill the bill in committee every year its introduced.

One can only hope is that now that algae blooms are happening with greater frequency and more people are being impacted, that new nutrient standards will become the norm and this sludge spreading nonsense will end.

temporary earmark program by slew · 2012-12-11 11:48 · Score: 2 · on Laser Fusion Put On a Slow Burn By US Government

Although the funding and research at the NIF is no doubt aimed towards weapons research, its recent detour to support the National Ignition Campaign was basically a pork barrel project designed to channel federal stimulus money into california. For example, this earmark among others. The funding was sold to other congressfolk as them voting for an alternative energy research program, and now that the results of the campaign have been spotlighted as a failure, they of course are wondering what they voted for.

I'm sure that makes another round of earmarks unlikely and now that the stimulus spending spree is over, the NIF will of course return back to be to its previous pork-barrel life as a weapons research money pit.

Washington Lawyers by Tokolosh · 2012-02-02 04:34 · Score: 3, Interesting · on In Small WV Town, Monsanto Faces Class-Action Suit Over Agent Orange Chemical