Meter Reading: Extreme Weather Threatens Infrastructure, Earthquakes and Injection Wells, and More

Photo by ELISE MENAND/AFP/Getty Images

Extreme weather could hurt infrastructure.

Rise in Weather Extremes Threatens Infrastructure  – “From highways in Texas to nuclear power plants in Illinois, the concrete, steel and sophisticated engineering that undergird the nation’s infrastructure are being taxed to worrisome degrees by heat, drought and vicious storms.” — New York Times

Electricity monitors, high-tech thermostats slice bills  – “Monitors and thermostats can help just about anyone — residential customers and business owners — cut electricity usage. As electricity companies begin offering these simple services, customers are falling in love. It doesn’t seem logical that simply knowing how much electricity they are using should cause people to use less. But it does.” — Dallas Morning News

Earthquakes: officials ignore advice about injecting into faults – “Seismologists have simple advice for oil and gas companies to avoid unleashing an earthquake — don’t inject millions of gallons of wastewater near active faults.” — E&E

When The Ship Comes In To Brownsville, Rip It Up – “The deepwater Port of Brownsville lies inland at the end of a 17-mile channel connecting to the Gulf of Mexico. The long channel provides unparalleled protection from hurricanes and tropical storms. In the last two decades, the city has become the center of the U.S. ship-recycling industry. Five of the nation’s eight recycling companies are here. It’s like Home Depot locating right next to Lowe’s and Ace Hardware.” — NPR