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Federal Impediments to P3 Market Growth

27 May 2016, Posted by staff in All Posts, Blog Posts

By Shane Skelton, Executive Director The U.S. Public Private Partnership (P3) market is beginning to gain steam. As we pointed out in our Policy Brief, “Innovation in the P3 Marketplace,” states and localities across the country are becoming more creative in the types of infrastructure projects P3s are being used…

Pipeline Safety Legislation Inches Closer to Becoming Law

02 May 2016, Posted by staff in All Posts, Blog Posts

Written by Shane Skelton, Aii Executive Director Pipeline safety reauthorization legislation cleared another crucial hurdle on its way to the President’s desk on Wednesday when the U.S. House of Representatives (House) Committee on Energy & Commerce (Energy & Commerce) reported their version of the bill out of the full committee….

Improving Pipeline Safety by…Drone?

19 Apr 2016, Posted by staff in All Posts, Analysis, Blog Posts

Written by Shane Skelton, Aii Executive Director Commercial and private drone use has become a frequent topic of discussion around the country and in Washington, DC these days. New regulations and registration requirements from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), reports of close calls with air traffic, the desire to use…

The European energy union: A win for both continents

06 Apr 2016, Posted by staff in All Posts, Analysis, Blog Posts

Energy Union In a first step toward creating an integrated energy grid, the European Commission last week allocated € 200 million ($223 million) for cross-border energy infrastructure projects aimed at increasing the efficiency of energy transportation across European Union members. While these grants signal momentum toward a desired “Energy Union,”…

Guest Blog: Netflix and Fly? A Brief Look at In-Flight Wi-Fi

31 Mar 2016, Posted by staff in All Posts, Analysis, Blog Posts

By Chanil De Silva, Director of Policy at Nouveau Inc. Innovation can be a wonderful thing, especially when it allows you to continue watching your favorite Netflix series while soaring 30,000 feet above the ground. In-flight Wi-Fi initially limited to certain domestic flights is available almost universally, on both domestic…

Increasing Internet Access Through Lifeline Program

23 Mar 2016, Posted by staff in All Posts, Analysis, Blog Posts

On March 31, the Federal Communications Commission will vote on a new plan for the Lifeline subsidy, which will help the program’s recipients apply the subsidy to mobile or fixed broadband should they choose to do so. The program originated in 1985 to provide discounted landline phone service to low-income…

Guest Blog: Just Say No to Europe and Nord Stream 2

15 Mar 2016, Posted by staff in All Posts, Analysis, Blog Posts

Written by Debra Cagan, Senior State Department Fellow at the Center for Transatlantic Relations, Johns Hopkins, SAIS One would think that with plunging oil and gas prices, with suppliers tripping over themselves to desperately gain market share in a flooded market, and more choices than ever in securing gas for the European…

Revisiting Rail Safety Technologies

03 Mar 2016, Posted by staff in All Posts, Analysis, Blog Posts

Last August, we released a rail safety report, “Back on Track: Bringing Rail Safety into the 21st Century,” which focused on technologies and best practices that if incorporated would improve passenger and freight rail safety. At the time we noted that we wanted to kick start a conversation on the…

Congress Begins Work on WRDA Reauthorization

24 Feb 2016, Posted by staff in All Posts, Analysis, Blog Posts

Written by Shane Skelton, Aii Executive Director On February 24, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure held a hearing titled, “A Review of United States Army Corps of Engineers Reports to Congress on Future Water Resources Development and Chief’s Reports.” The hearing was held in anticipation…

Broadband Deployment

11 Feb 2016, Posted by staff in All Posts, Analysis, Blog Posts

On December 2, 2015, the U.S. House of Representative’s Committee on Energy & Commerce’s Subcommittee on Communications and Technology held a markup (vote) on a discussion draft bill aimed at facilitating the deployment of broadband Internet service. Among other things, the bill aimed to remove barriers to broadband access by…

High-Speed Internet Access: A Luxury No More

01 Feb 2016, Posted by staff in All Posts, Analysis, Blog Posts

A contribution by Chanil N. De Silva; Policy Director at Nouveau Inc. High-speed Internet had in the past been associated with affluence, while many households used dial-up modems and many more had no Internet access at all. Over time, the Internet – initially developed as a defense resource – has become…