Washington (CNSNews.com) – As it is considering legislation that would cap carbon emissions and significantly increase energy prices of U.S. consumers in the name of controlling global warming, the U.S. House of Representatives is also considering spending $68 million to renovate two parking garages that are used exclusively by members of Congress and their staff.
Given that there are only 435 members of the House, the renovation of these exclusive garages would cost $156,322 per congressmen.
The garages are just south of the House office buildings that form part of the complex surrounding the U.S. Capitol. They are also adjacent to a station of the Washington Metro subway system that members of Congress and their staff could use to get to work if they did not want to drive a car and emit carbon into the atmosphere.
Terrell Dorn, the director of physical infrastructure issues for the Government Accountability Office (GAO), on May 6, testified before the House Committee on House Administration about plans by the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) to renovate the East and West garages, which serve several House buildings.
Approximately $38 million of the request is attached to a project to overhaul the Cannon House Office Building at an overall cost of $753 million.
“Renovations of the Cannon Building and East and West Garages are needed to maintain the integrity and safety of these facilities and reduce the likelihood of unplanned outages and associated cost,” Dorn’s written testimony stated.
Dorn told CNSNews.com that the funding request is still being considered by the House Appropriations Committee and has yet to be approved by House Leadership.
According to the Architect of the Capitol, problems with the structures will require action to be taken “within the next 2 to 4 years.”
The House Appropriations Committee’s press decretary, Kristin Brost, told CNSNews.com that, given the span of time given by the AOC to begin action, the request will not be considered this year.
One “green” feature: The garages would have energy-saving lighting after renovations.
Dorn pointed out that the AOC estimates that the construction project will take 2 years per garage. In addition to cosmetic restorations, funding for the garage renovation will also “provide drainage systems, energy-efficient lighting, ventilation and heating equipment, and fire protection systems.”
According to the AOC, the garages are limited solely to members of Congress and staff.
CNSNews.com previously reported that some lawmakers who support cap and trade, which is aimed at reducing carbon emissions, drive automobiles to work although the Washington metro system runs through Capitol Hill.
The GAO said that the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), who is responsible for building projects of the Capitol Hill buildings, “has requested $38 million for fiscal 2010 to fund construction of the East Garage renovation and plans to request $30 million for fiscal year 2012” to renew the West Garage.
Funding for the East Garage is expected to be distributed between “work elements” comprised of a “design allowance” ($400), “premium for extended or double shifts” ($2.7 million), alternative parking during construction ($6.1 million), and construction ($28.4 million).
The West Garage’s money will be allotted among the same “work elements,” except that its design allowance funding is included in the East Garage’s disbursement, other than that, $2.3 million will be available for premium for extended double shifts, $5.3 million for alternative parking, and $22.6 for the actual renovation construction.
Dorn says that, according to the AOC’s assessment, the deficiencies in both garages are “urgent structural problems.”
Acting Architect of the Capitol Stephen Ayers, who testified alongside Dorn, said in his written testimony, that the “deficiencies” included:
“Concrete floor slabs that contain high chloride levels which cause corrosion of embedded reinforcing steel; delamination of slave concrete; deteriorating expansion joints; and code deficiencies for mechanical, electrical, plumbing, hazardous materials, and fire prevention systems.”
The renovations will “prolong the life expectancy for the garages, provide safe structures, return their conditions to reliable levels of facility maintenance, and avoid the high cost of total replacement,” he added.
Delaminating refers to the cracks or openings on the concrete foundation of the garage.
Dorn indicated that the renovation designs were crafted in 2005 and it was in November 2008 that the AOC updated its cost estimate.
The estimate for the Cannon renovations, however, could be off by as much as “40 percent,” Dorn told CNSNews.com.
The East and West Garages were built in 1968.
Climate-change legislation known as the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 is currently being discussed in the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
The bill, which was introduced March 31, includes a cap-and-trade proposal, which is aimed at reducing greenhouse emission by placing a cap on carbon emissions--and selling permits to companies that emit greenhouse gases over their cap.