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Wednesday, April 27
Harkin Works to Make Television More Accessible for the Visually Impaired
by
Caroline Vernon
on Wed 27 Apr 2005 04:46 PM CDT
 Harkin Works to Make Television More Accessible for the Visually Impaired
by Caroline Vernon
This
guy is my hero! He's always looking out for the underdog... being a
disabled person myself, I am eternally grateful for the work he is
doing.
Thanks to: Allison Dobson/ Maureen Knightly
April 26, 2005
Washington,
D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) yesterday joined Senators John McCain
(R-AZ), Gordon Smith (R-OR), and Ted Stevens (R-AK) to introduce the
Television Information-Enhancement for the Visually Impaired (TIVI) Act
of 2005. This bipartisan measure would increase video description in
television programming — a service that allows blind and visually
impaired viewers to enjoy television programming through the insertion
of verbal descriptions of actions or settings not contained in the
normal audio track of a program.
“It is
important that television broadcasters make public airwaves accessible
for all Americans to enjoy,” Harkin said “This bill will ensure that
video description services are available to individuals with visual
disabilities.”
Specifically,
the TIVI Act will require television broadcasters, during at least 50
hours of their prime time or children’s programming every quarter, to
insert verbal descriptions of actions or settings not contained in the
normal audio track of a program. The description is often provided over
a Secondary Audio Programming channel (SAP), which currently allows
additional soundtracks, such as foreign language programming.
This
bill is necessary due to a 2002 decision by District of Columbia
Circuit Court of Appeals which held that the Federal Communications
Commission did not have authority to issue the video description rules
in 2000.
This bill would reinstate the FCC’s video description rules
within 45 days of enactment and would authorize the FCC to make
additional changes to the rules. Further, the bill would require the
FCC to consider whether on-screen, emergency warnings should be
provided in an accessible format for viewers with disabilities.
Senator
Harkin, sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), is a
longstanding advocate for individuals with disabilities in the U.S. and
abroad.
Big Benefits in Small Wind Projects for Iowa
by
Linda Thieman
on Wed 27 Apr 2005 12:26 PM CDT
 Big Benefits in Small Wind Projects for Iowa
Iowa Policy Project
Economic Advantages Seen in Local Wind-Power Projects
DES MOINES, Iowa – Megawatt for megawatt, small, locally-owned wind projects
deliver greater economic benefits in Iowa communities than do large
projects, a new report shows.
The Iowa
Policy Project (IPP) report reviewed three studies that compared the
economic development benefits of small and large projects. All showed
more dollars are more likely to stay in the local economy when
wind-projects are small-scale and owned by community members.
A bill
moving through the Iowa Legislature, SF390, would make a tax credit
available to owners of small-scale wind and other renewable energy
projects. It passed the Senate and has moved to the House.
“Iowa
has done good things to advance wind power, but it is important for the
state to stay competitive with policies that assure small-scale,
locally owned projects are feasible,” said David Osterberg, executive
director of the IPP.
IPP
Research Associate Teresa Welsh, who authored the report, noted one
analysis found nearly 10 times more economic activity at the community
and state level from small, locally owned wind generation than from
large, out-of-state companies. Specifically, the study found for every
1 MW of large-scale wind generating capacity owned by out-of-state
companies, $17,300 stays in the community and state annually and for
every 1 MW of small scale generating capacity owned by local community
members, $167,200 stays in the community and state annually.
“As Iowa
continues to promote wind energy, it is essential to consider the
benefits of doing this in a manner that doesn’t let much needed dollars
blow out of our economy,” Welsh said.
“Currently,
wind generated power accounts for a small portion of Iowa’s energy
consumption. Yet, our Hawkeye State has the 10th-highest wind potential
in the nation and if fully utilized this represents enough power
available to produce 4.8 times more energy than Iowans consume,” she
added.
Welsh
noted that some analysts believe state incentives are important to help
small operators install wind systems because the federal renewable
energy production credit is geared to large operators.
“Most don’t make enough from the small wind operation to make the federal credit pay off,” she said.
The
Iowa Policy Project, based in Mount Vernon, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan
organization that produces research reports for the public to foster
better-informed debate on issues of importance to Iowa citizens. IPP
reports are available to the public, free of charge, on the web at www.iowapolicyproject.org.
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