#taxpayers — Public Fediverse posts

@schnedan regarding the #transparency of #LaunchCost : Arianespace hasn’t publicly disclosed the cost of an #Ariane6 launch https://mastodon.social/@arstechnica/117130008062227837

European #taxpayers are subsidizing every launch of #satellites for Jeff Bezos by roughly $75 million 💰 https://spacey.space/@spaceflight/114439108543553287

#ESA

🏷️ #IRS #ICE #Law #Courts #taxpayers #Data #Privacy

🔗 https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/irss-data-sharing-with-ice-violated-law-appeals-court-rules-f0403f62?st=LY56YE&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

Arkansas Times: Entergy blows a fuse over mistakenly shared documents revealing who’s paying data center bills. “Explosive revelations in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette today show that Google, the Silicon Valley giant building data centers in Little Rock and West Memphis, will pay only about a third of the price tag of its 600-megawatt solar facility in Jefferson County. The documents also […]

Arkansas Times: Entergy blows a fuse over mistakenly shared documents revealing who’s paying data center bills. “Explosive revelations in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette today show that Google, the Silicon Valley giant building data centers in Little Rock and West Memphis, will pay only about a third of the price tag of its 600-megawatt solar facility in Jefferson County. The documents also […]

Arkansas Times: Entergy blows a fuse over mistakenly shared documents revealing who’s paying data center bills. “Explosive revelations in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette today show that Google, the Silicon Valley giant building data centers in Little Rock and West Memphis, will pay only about a third of the price tag of its 600-megawatt solar facility in Jefferson County. The documents also […]

Arkansas Times: Entergy blows a fuse over mistakenly shared documents revealing who’s paying data center bills. “Explosive revelations in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette today show that Google, the Silicon Valley giant building data centers in Little Rock and West Memphis, will pay only about a third of the price tag of its 600-megawatt solar facility in Jefferson County. The documents also […]

Arkansas Times: Entergy blows a fuse over mistakenly shared documents revealing who’s paying data center bills. “Explosive revelations in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette today show that Google, the Silicon Valley giant building data centers in Little Rock and West Memphis, will pay only about a third of the price tag of its 600-megawatt solar facility in Jefferson County. The documents also […]

IRS slashes its "direct file" feature, leaving #taxpayers to #navigate the labyrinthine world of #tax software 🌀. As if doing taxes wasn't already like running a marathon with weights strapped to your feet, now you'll need a GPS to find a decent #filing service. 🗺️💰
https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/irs-direct-file-tax-program-ended-00172148 #IRS #TaxSoftware #TaxSeason #HackerNews #ngated

**I've told you all, several times, that you shouldn't trust #BCNDP & that they're #sellout #neoliberals. They pander to #CorporateLobbyists invested in #Ecocide & exploitation of unceded #IndigenousLands. #RCMPCIRG = #CorporateMercenaries funded by #PublicMonies - our #Taxpayers funds. I told you that #DavidEby was groomed by #JohnHorgan too. I wasn't lying. They both lied to public though.**

Controversial B.C. RCMP unit to police opposition to fast-tracked resource projects.

A widely-criticized police unit is participating in provincial committees coordinating surveillance and policing of protest against major resource projects—including those fast-tracked under new legislation.

https://breachmedia.ca/rcmp-unit-controversial-police-opposition-fast-tracked-resource-projects

#BCpoli #CDNpoli #BanCorporateLobbyists #StopCorporateWelfare #DoYourJob #Neoliberalism #Corruption #MilitarizedForce #PublicInterest #PublicTransparency #PublicAccountability #PublicScrutiny #BCNewDeathParty #FossilFuels #BoughtByIndustry

Neoliberal/fascist people in positions of public power never say - Violence isn't the answer - when they give more raises to state mercenaries to buy more weapons of state funded violence & militarized/armored vehicles & to beat up nonviolent citizens exercising their rights to public #dissent & peaceful #protests.

I'm uninterested in bootlicker responses. I will block those who choose to commit bootlicking offenses on my timeline - on sight.

#ACAB #AntiFascist #DefundThePolice #PoliceReform #AbolishPoliceUnions #AbuseOfAuthority #AbuseOfPower #NoTransparency #DemandAccountability #TaxFundedStateViolence #Unethical #Immoral #StateTerrorists #StateViolence #YourTaxDollars #Taxpayers #CivilLiberties #HumanRights #DemocraticRights #Dissenters #CitizensUprising

#DiabloCanyon #NuclearPowerPlant brings #profits for PG&E, deadly risk for residents [and the #environment]

Tina Landis
August 19, 2024

"Despite opposition from residents and #environmental organizations, California legislators passed #SenateBill846 in 2022 to extend the life of the dangerous, aging Diablo Canyon #nuclear facility.

"Located on the Central Coast surrounded by several #fault lines, one has to question why a nuclear facility was placed in an #earthquake zone to begin with, much less allowing it to continue to operate well past its retirement date. The world witnessed what can happen to a coastal nuclear facility in an earthquake zone when the 2011 #Fukushima disaster triggered a meltdown that displaced nearly half a million residents, with vast amounts of #RadioactiveWater still being released into the ocean today.

"As long as Diablo Canyon remains open, Californians live with the constant risk of suffering the same type of disaster.

"From its inception, Diablo Canyon had little public support. Protests occurred regularly during its construction, and thousands were arrested for #CivilDisobedience actions in 1981.

"In the 1970s and 1980s, California’s three largest utilities spent billions of dollars building dangerous and costly nuclear plants like Diablo Canyon, which resulted in skyrocketing rates for customers. Big industry fought back against these increased energy costs, which resulted in deregulation bills consisting of multi-billion dollar #bailouts to the state’s utility companies to cover their costly investments in nuclear.

"Today, the last remaining nuclear plant operating in the state is still draining billions in funds that could be used for safe, #renewable energy development. To keep Diablo Canyon running 5 years past its retirement date is expected to cost $8 billion to $12 billion. A federal aid package of $1.1 billion will contribute to some of those costs – meaning federal #taxpayers’ money – while the remaining billions will be passed on to #California #ratepayers.

"Despite being run by PG&E and only generating power for its territory, customers of #SouthernCaliforniaEdison and #SanDiegoGasAndElectric will help cover the remaining costs of the Diablo extension. Edison bills will increase by around $1.25 a month and SDG&E by 87 cents a month, while PG&E customers are expected to chip in $2.07 a month – and that’s just for the first year. Critics warn that costs are likely to increase in coming years to keep the plant running, and that’s on top of already skyrocketing PG&E rates that have doubled over the last decade. And if PG&E collects more funds than are needed for Diablo’s operations, they get to keep it!

"In 2022, when legislators pushed this through #SB846, the excuse of energy shortages was used due to pandemic-related supply chain issues and massive #wildfires. But today, there is plenty of energy being produced with increased #solar and #battery storage capacity that has kept the lights on even during this summer’s unprecedented heat waves driving up demand. The California Public Utility Commission’s own reporting shows that an additional 18,500 megawatts of new resources were added to the grid between 2020 and 2024, which is enough to power around 14 million homes. Another 11,000 megawatts will be added by 2028.

"Nuclear has the third highest lifecycle emissions of all energy sources after scrubbed #coal fired plants and natural gas – meaning it is far from being zero-emission. It also creates the unresolved issue of the #RadioactiveWaste which remains dangerous for tens of thousands to millions of years.

"Keeping the Diablo facility running will only hold back further development of safe and truly low-carbon, low cost renewable sources like solar and #wind energy.

"So why isn’t Diablo Canyon being decommissioned? The short answer is that #capitalism must ensure continued profits for the #InvestorClass.

"SB 846 authorized Diablo’s extension through 2030, and gave PG&E a $1.4 billion loan for the for-profit utility to facilitate the plant’s extension. #GovernorNewsom facilitated another transfer of taxpayer dollars to PG&E through an additional $400 million loan from the state’s general fund, included in the recent budget deal. Critics warn that these 'loans' will never be repaid, meaning residents will be fully subsidizing the Diablo extension – from federal and state tax dollars to our utility fees.

"But there is a way out. SB 846 allows the #CPUC to retire the plant earlier than 2030 if sufficient levels of new renewable zero-carbon energy resources exist, are interconnected, and meet demand, which is the case.

"CPUC has a long track record of serving PG&E’s interests, so intervention by the commission is unlikely. One example of many that demonstrates their close relationship: CPUC is not requiring PG&E to show how much of our utility bill actually goes to the Diablo extension, but instead lumps the cost in with 'public purpose programs,' making it impossible to determine.

"While communities are demanding an early shutdown of Diablo, PG&E is currently applying for a 20-year license renewal from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission [#NRC] for the facility, which is expected to be approved. This would mean customers will foot the bill to keep this dangerous nuclear facility running through 2045, far beyond the original expiration dates of 2024 and 2025.

"CPUC has proven their unwavering support time and again for PG&E’s monopoly control over the state’s energy system at the expense of residents’ safety and affordable rates. The Diablo Canyon nuclear plant is just another mechanism to squeeze ratepayers and line the pockets of shareholders who live far away from the dangers posed by this aging facility. Only a public takeover of this #corrupt utility can win clean, safe and affordable energy for all."

Source:
https://www.liberationnews.org/diablo-canyon-nuclear-plant-brings-profits-for-pge-deadly-risk-for-residents/

#PGAndE #RethinkNotRestart #NuclearCorruption #NuclearBailouts #RenewablesNow #NoNukes
#DiabloCanyonNuclearPlant
#NuclearPowerCorruptionAndLies #California #WaterIsLife #OceansAreLife

TY to @NoelWauchope for posting this on the nuclear-news.net web page! "#TheGlobalNetwork and #MaineNaturalGuard are organizing the No Toxic Rockets for ME campaign that will hold a #PeacefulProtest."

#Protest #Maine #SpaceIndustry Conference in Portland

Monday, November 6, 2023 at 11:30 am

Holiday Inn by the Bay, 88 Spring St, Portland, #Maine

TALKING POINTS (via #NoToxicRocketsForMaine)

- All rocket launches cause harm to our #Climate no matter what they claim and no matter what kind of fuel they use. #ClimateCrisis is hastened by rocket launches, and this is a rapidly growing concern. #AluminumOxide produced when launches fail and burn up re-entering Earth's airspace cause significant damage to the #OzoneLayer.

- Environmental toxins such as #PFAS from fire-suppression systems at rocket launch sites pose a deadly threat to our water and soil. Aluminum fallout from rockets and payloads that fail falls to Earth, along with other chemicals from the incineration of plastics and other components of rockets.

- All rocket launch sites previously built on the promise that there would be no military use failed to keep that promise. In Kodiak, Alaska their "civilian-use only" site has both the Pentagon and Israel's military using it for rocket launches of weapons and surveillance systems.

- #Birds in particular are harmed by rocket launches, often with mass death events following a launch. Jonesport's commercial fishing community imposed a moratorium on rocket launch sites due to concerns about disruption to their livelihood.

- Publicly supported development of facilities intended for private profit is a bad deal for #taxpayers. Why socialize research and development costs while privatizing the eventual profits?

Read more: https://sites.google.com/view/notoxicrocketsforme/take-action?authuser=0

#LD1923 #PortlandMaine #Protest #NoWar #MilitarisationOfSpace #KeepSpaceForPeace

GIS Powers Innovative Action Among State And Local Governments
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https://www.govtech.com/analytics/gis-powers-innovative-action-among-state-and-local-governments <-- shared technical article
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#GIS #spatial #mapping #stategovernment #localauthorities #localgov #localgovernment #localgovernments #government #governmentagencies #usecase #appliedscience #appliedtechnology #examples #publicsafety #publichealth #water #hydrology #waterresources #disasterriskreduction #disasterresponse #watermanagement #wildfire #wildfireresponse #wildfiremitigation #naturalhazard #planning #urbanplanning #transportation #infrastructure #community #communityplanning #communityhealth #taxpayers #taxpayerservices #spatialanalysis #environment #ecosystems #climatechange