Study of native-health costs taxpayers $15 million
- Taxpayers spent nearly $15 million since 2003 for a Colorado researcher to
study health disparities between Native Americans and Alaskan Natives, which
some argue was a waste of money. “They could’ve provided a lot of health care
for $15 million in cash to care for people and not just study it,” said Jon
Caldara, president of the Independence
Institute, a free-market think tank in Denver. Led by University of
Colorado-Denver Professor Spero Martin Manson, the study apparently does offer some
health care, but this year will focus on the impact of trauma on the two populations.
The review, funded this year for $1.1 million, will also “seed money for
community research conferences,” build capacity at those conferences and train
community advocates in “Digital Storytelling” to energize public health efforts
in the communities, the grant summary said. Previous studies, which often were
funded at more than $1 million a year since 2003, apparently focused on
different aspects of health disparities between the native peoples. But Caldara
said this type of research is more about filling researchers’ pockets than
helping indigenous populations. “This is a way to retire the debt for post-graduate
degrees,” he quipped.….
Vermont’s green energy plan to have no impact on global warming - At
the first public hearing for Vermont’s updated energy plan, audience members
criticized the siting of wind and solar projects, and the plan’s policy expert
told Vermont Watchdog going completely green will have no impact on global warming.
The Vermont Public Service Department on Wednesday held the first of five
public hearings on the state’s 2015 Comprehensive Energy Plan. The 380-page draft lays out a path to reaching Vermont’s goal
of operating on 90 percent renewable energy by 2050. The plan’s targets include
reaching 25 percent renewable power by 2025, up from 16 percent in 2015.
Targets also include a 15 percent reduction in Vermonters’ energy use by 2025,
and a one-third reduction by mid-century. Also by 2025, planners expect to
attain 10 percent renewable transportation and 30 percent renewable buildings.
A full 67 percent of electric power will be generated by renewable sources…… While
the objectives look good on paper, prominent environmentalists around the state
say the goals could require siting wind turbines on one-third of Vermont’s
mountain ridgelines, or solar panels across
90,000 acres. One well-known developer, David Blittersdorf, predicts
Vermonters may have to abandon cars in favor of electric mass transit……
Latest Nebraska move could delay Keystone XL three more years
- TransCanada’s
decision to take its case for the Keystone XL oil pipeline to an obscure
Nebraska regulatory board could delay the process another three years. This week, the Canadian pipeline
company reversed course and walked away from condemnation proceedings against
about 90 remaining holdouts in Nebraska. TransCanada first applied in 2008 to transport tar sands oil from Canada
through Nebraska and other states to get to Gulf Coast refineries. But their
efforts have been repeatedly blocked by Nebraska activists.…..
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