Most of the news surrounding the electricity shutoffs in California —done to avert the ignition of additional wildfires by aging electrical infrastructure—has focused on two things: climate change and the greedy, incompetent management of Pacific Gas & Electric. Missing in this discussion is the broad neglect of the complex infrastructure of the United States and possibly other wealthy nations. The American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) most recent “Infrastructure Report Card” gave the United States an overall grade of D+. (Those readers unfamiliar with the American system for grading schoolwork should note that “E” is a failing grade.) While some will point out that the ASCE’s assessment is self-interested—civil engineers will, of course, benefit from an uptick in infrastructure spending—the organization hasn’t always been this negative about American infrastructure. The 1988 report card wasn’t flattering, but it wasn’t nearly as dire as the most recent one. The real question […]