Posted on 03/16/2012 7:06:59 PM PDT by Steve Peacock
The U.S. government is embarking upon, and partly financing, a series of groundwater remediation initiatives in China -- despite the fact that China already plans to pump (USD) $5.5 billion of its own money into such actions through 2020.
According to a Scope of Work (SOW) that U.S. Trade & Aid Monitor has located, the U.S. Trade & Development Agency (USTDA) initially will fund what is known as a "definitional mission," or DM, to China (#RFQ-CO201261140). The agency will outsource this preliminary endeavor to a private contractor, who would then travel to Beijing and two other cities that the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP) has identified as "priority locations for groundwater and soil remediation projects," the SOW says.
The document points out that the China MEP requested U.S. assistance because it "recognized U.S. experience and technology leadership in this sector." It also attempts to justify this transfer of funds from the U.S. Treasury to U.S. contractors on the grounds that:
While U.S. companies are among the leaders in these technologies, significant competition exists from Canadian, European and Japanese firms, most of which are focusing their efforts on the Chinese market.
Following the DM, the selected contractor will provide a Final Report to USTDA assessing and justifying whether the agency should fund subsequent groundwater- and soil remediation-related Feasibility Studies or Technical Assistance packages.
Programs identified for additional funding would enable USTDA to "build on success of the 2010 USTDA-funded U.S. China water Quality Cooperation Program that provided 12 workshops and seminars for China's environmental leaders on multiple water quality topics."
A search of the FedBizOpps contracting database shows that the agency in 2009 awarded a $450,000 contract (Award #CO-2009310004) to Scranton Gillette Communications, Inc.. of Arlington Heights, IL, to conduct those workshops and seminars.
What a relief to know a use was finally found for part of this worrisome budget surplus !
I cannot tell you what bad signal of posturing and weakness this sends. China holds more than a trillion USD of our public debt. The government chooses to spend its money elsewhere and every penny of our current budget deficit we make up by either borrowing or inflating.
To paraphrase Rick Santelli: STOP SPENDING, STOP SPENDING, STOP SPENDING!
I’m aware that some folks may argue that such a small investment may help boost U.S. exports; however, one question remains: Should the tax dollars of working men and women — from dishwashers to doctors, construction workers and cosmetic technicians — be compelled to finance such ventures, with no return on their “investment”?
Make the ChiComs pay by the drop.
What a bunch of clowns that are in charge.
We stopped being a serious country some decades ago.
Bad things happen to countries that stop being serious.
These things will be deserved.
No tickie, no washie water.
This is the right thing to do because if left in the hands of those who produced it, that money might be used to continue the outdated notion of self reliance and some people may use it to pursue happiness and we can’t have that.
I forgot to add that I wonder how much the “contractors” contributed to the Democrats, or is it the Republicans? I’m starting to have a hard time telling them apart.
Wait...ok....so..... We borrow some money from China,
then give it to them for ‘groundwater cleanup’
(hah!), THEN, we pay them back what we borrowed
(to give to them) with interest....
So the Chinese are getting 200%+ ROI....
Damn.....
After all, China is broke.
/s
Idiots are in charge of our country. Idiots.
That's rather short sighted of you. The return they get is that the Earth is being saved, one acre at a time. Who could ask for more? /sarc
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