by veqq | 2026-01-01 20:42:18+00:00
> why socialism is failing their infrastructure

"socialism" is vague and meaningless, yes. But poor regulations are a huge problem in the US. Copying a comment from my notes (I didn't write it):

The year is 2010. The Los Angeles Department of Water & Power (LADWP) publishes its initial environmental study [1] on a large power infrastructure maintenance project. A portion of the project involves replacing about 200 wooden power poles that run through Pacific Palisades. The California State Lands Commission reviewed [2] the initial study and requested that LADWP provide a Native American Ground Monitor [3] during any digging to ensure that cultural resources are not inadvertently damaged or destroyed. By the final EIR [2] in 2016 LADWP decided that replacing all of those +70 year old power poles was no longer necessary.

The year is 2018. The Camp Fire ignites in northern California. Its cause was the failure of a 100 year old power line. By early 2019 LADWP decides to replace [4] those 70 year old powerlines running through Pacific Palisades, they're in a now deemed high fire threat area. The California Public Utilities Commission has recommended they be replaced as soon as possible. Work is to start in 2019.

July 7th, 2019. LADWP has started work to replace the power lines, as well as leveling and grading new fire roads. Amateur botanist and avid hiker David Pluenneke is hiking in the area. David is a member of the California Native Plant Society [5]. He sees that LADWP has trampled the endangered Braunton’s milkvetch. In all, 183 milkvetches [6] were murdered.

As a result:

- All newly constructed fire roads must be unconstructed and returned to their original condition.

- Any work must be supervised by an on site project biologist, or biologists if the worksite is large. These observers will make daily surveys of sensitive wildlife species and they have the authority to stop any work that could result in their harm.

- LADWP agrees to excavate the new powerline poles by hand, with shovels. Workers will walk to the site. Helicopters will bring in the new poles and remove the old.

- No construction activities that generate noise above 60 dBA (loudness of an average conversation) may take place during bird nesting season, which runs from mid February to mid September. Of course this requires another observer biologist, a bird biologist, to verify.

Checking Google Street View, as of August 2023 these poles were not replaced. [7] But overall there are 300,000+ [8] power poles in LA. As of 2019, 65% of them were older than the average lifespan of 50 years old. In 2024, LADWP replaced just 2743 poles. [9] Their average cost to replace a pole in the same year was $69,300. [10] At their 2024 rates it will take LADWP over 70 years and $14 billion to replace all past lifespan poles.

[1] https://www.ladwp.com/sites/default/files/documents/AppA_SGR...

[2] https://www.ladwp.com/sites/default/files/documents/SGRS_Fin...

[3] https://farwestern.com/monitoring/

[4] https://www.ladwpnews.com/ladwp-statement-on-power-pole-repl...

[5] https://www.cnps.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Compressed-D...

[6] https://www.courthousenews.com/la-to-pay-1-9-million-for-uti...

[7] https://earth.google.com/web/search/Temescal+Ridge+Fire+Road...

[8] https://ladwp-jtti.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/upl...

[9] https://prp.ladwp.com/

[10] https://www.ladwp.com/sites/default/files/2025-09/Rates%20Me...