Alexandra Berzon

Stories

The cost of building a solar powered economy: Sunday, Aug. 16, 2009; Solar developers looking to build here and across Southern Nevada have run into logistical problems, including a lack of suitable transmission lines, and opposition from local conservationists who don’t want to see the desert torn up for solar plants — not to mention a credit market that still has not shaken loose. Plus, there’s the issue of water.
Democrats: Green U.S. at grass roots: Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009; At the National Clean Energy Summit on Monday afternoon, former Vice President Al Gore made a promise to the people of Las Vegas.
If the Senate passes an energy bill to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency, Gore will return less than two weeks later to train a group of people in how to conduct his famously wonky but demonstrably effective slide show presentations that vividly depict the perils of global warming.
Clinton: Efficiency efforts would bring jobs boost: Monday, Aug. 10, 2009; Former President Bill Clinton today urged America to take control of its energy future. In a nearly hour-long speech at the National Clean Energy Summit at UNLV, Clinton urged Americans to support energy efficiency measures, including green building practices and weatherization retrofits on all buildings.
Natural gas gets attention where renewables ruled: Monday, Aug. 10, 2009; In remarks to media setting the stage for today’s National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas, Sen. Harry Reid spent a good deal of time voicing support for tax incentives to convert natural gas to fuel.
Rare study by feds may prompt OSHA changes: Friday, July 31, 2009; The U.S. Labor Department has formed a task force to look into problems at Nevada’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The task force will issue a report detailing any problems it discovers and recommending policy changes.
Professor nominated to position overseeing FedOSHA: Tuesday, July 28, 2009; George Washington University professor David Michaels will be nominated as the assistant secretary of labor to run the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the White House said Tuesday.
Scott Nowicki, who bikes from Boulder City to UNLV: Tuesday, July 28, 2009; For three hours a day, four days a week, Scott Nowicki gets a view of Las Vegas few ever see: from a bicycle. That’s his method of commuting from his home in Boulder City to his classroom at the Department of Geosciences at UNLV, where he teaches geographic mapping and modeling and studies transportation systems.
Why your electric bill, all of a sudden, went up by $10.25: Sunday, July 26, 2009; Planning for future energy needs has sparked a battle between NV Energy and the state’s consumer protectors, who contend the utility has inflated growth numbers to make a case for building and buying unneeded power plants that ratepayers will pay for.
Official: Inspection reports falsified: Saturday, July 25, 2009; This week, an administrative hearing officer said the county-approved private inspectors hired by MGM Mirage to inspect the Harmon didn’t simply err accidentally, but rather must not have been conducting thorough inspections despite signing documents saying they were.
Company that missed CityCenter flaws might face suspension: Friday, July 24, 2009; The discovery of 15 floors of major construction flaws at CityCenter’s Harmon Hotel last year shut down the project for a time, forced MGM Mirage to redesign the building and left numerous questions in its wake. Among them: Why had the county-approved private inspectors hired by MGM Mirage to inspect the Harmon issued numerous false reports stating that the reinforcing steel was according to plans? Were they knowingly not doing their jobs, or merely incompetent? Responding to a county request for judgment, an administrative hearing officer this week became the first to officially weigh in on that subject. He said the inspectors hired by Converse Consultants didn’t simply err accidentally, but rather must not have been conducting thorough inspections even though signing documents saying they were. Converse Consultants could be punished with a suspension of up to six months from taking on new projects in Clark County, according to the county building department’s interpretation of the hearing officer’s order, released Friday afternoon.

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Blog Entries

Two workers injured in CityCenter fall: Tuesday, July 15, 2008; Two workers were injured after falling 22 feet at the CityCenter construction site this afternoon.
Nevada OSHA responds to criticism that it missed Saturday's safety workshop: Tuesday, July 1, 2008; Nevada's Occupational Safety and Health Administration was a no-show to Saturday's meeting at County chambers to discuss construction safety on Strip projects.
Locals leaders urge fix of "broken" construction safety system: Saturday, June 28, 2008
Low expectations for construction safety meeting: Thursday, June 26, 2008
Chairman takes aim at Nevada OSHA: Tuesday, June 24, 2008; WASHINGTON-- Construction safety on the Las Vegas Strip became a national issue this morning as the chairman of the House labor committee took aim at Nevada OSHA for the way it has handled cases involving fatal accidents.
Construction worker dies at Strip project: Monday, June 16, 2008; A veteran carpenter died Monday morning at the Echelon construction site on the Las Vegas Strip.
Construction Worker Dies at Echelon (UPDATED): Monday, June 16, 2008; A veteran carpenter died Monday morning at the Echelon construction site on the Las Vegas Strip.
FedOSHA director, in Las Vegas, mum on Strip safety: Tuesday, June 10, 2008; The timing couldn't have been more perfect. One week after the entire workforce of CityCenter walked out to protest unsafe working conditions, and just days after the state announced it was bringing in federal workplace safety inspectors to help them inspect CityCenter, the head of the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Ed Foulke popped into town on a pre-scheduled visit to speak at a conference for safety professionals.
Nevada asks for federal help to review CityCenter safety: Thursday, June 5, 2008; Nevada workplace safety regulators have asked for federal help in reviewing safety procedures at CityCenter.
CityCenter workers still off the job; more talks this afternoon: Tuesday, June 3, 2008; Thousands of construction workers who walked off the CityCenter construction site at midnight to demonstrate their concerns over safety issues remain off the job.