2013-2014
DISCUSSION OUTLINE
Building the Future:
U.S. Infrastructure Challenges
in the 21st Century
Rachel Schott, Chokio-Alberta/Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley H.S., Class A
Mike Worcester, Buffalo High School, Class AA
Minnesota State High School League
2100 Freeway Boulevard
Brooklyn Center, MN 55430-1735
www.mshsl.org
Overview of Discussion
“Problem-solving Discussion is an effort on the part of a small group to reach
a solution to a problem through informal interchange of facts, inferences, and
judgments. This method of discussion seeks consensus rather than majority
rule. The focus of this event should be the encouragement of cooperation and
critical thinking to arrive at the collective goal of better understanding and
problem solving.”
This statement from the Minnesota State High School League Speech Rules and
Policies Manual reflects the true spirit of this event. As discussion participants prepare
and research, the goal should be to collect information and develop collaborative skills
that will maximize their ability to make valuable contributions as members of a variety of
contest groups. In rounds, discussants should cooperate to achieve group consensus
through both substantive (adding valuable information, perspectives, and analysis) and
procedural (enhancing the group process, full participation, and positive exchange of
ideas) contributions.
Overview of This Year’s Topic
Take a drive down virtually any roadway in America, from a six-lane urban interstate to
a narrow gravel township road, and you will see U.S. infrastructure in action. From the
very road you are driving to the power poles alongside, what you see—and sometimes
even more importantly what you don’t see—are an integral part of American vitality.
The fact that so much of our infrastructure can be dated to pre-World War II, and in
many cases even earlier, potentially threatens that vitality. This year’s topic attempts
to examine how we as a nation can revitalize our infrastructure to keep our nation
socially, politically, and economically robust. The simple fact is this – if we continue to
neglect our infrastructure the way we have over the last three decades, we will only fall
further behind other industrialized nations, damaging our ability to compete on a global
scale, running the risk of more tragedies like the collapse of the I-35W bridge, and
relegating our citizens to second-class status.
A Note on Use of Topics at Invitational Tournaments
While the Minnesota State High School League does not limit the use of topic areas
used for Discussion in invitational speech tournaments, the Discussion Committee
recommends the following “schedule” to give students experience with all parts of the
outline:
 January - February 8: State Topics (I. Social Impacts)
 February 11 - March 2: Section Topics (II. Political Considerations)
 March 4 – March 31: Subsection Topics (III. Economic Concerns)
Tournament Managers Please Note: Whether or not you choose to follow the above
schedule, it is vital that you communicate to your participating schools which parts(s) of the
outline you will use and how you will be organizing your Discussion rounds.
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Building the Future: U.S. Infrastructure Challenges in the 21st Century
2013 - 2014 MSHSL Discussion Topic Outline
Infrastructure (noun): The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g.,
buildings, roads, and power supplies) needed for the operation of a society.
Discussion tasks this year will critically examine the current condition and future of our
infrastructure systems. All efforts should be made to ensure that the questions posed to the
students encourage critical thinking and positive group interaction. Part of critical thinking is to
recognize bias and avoid thinking in absolutes.
I.
Social Impacts – State Topic
A. Highway Construction and Maintenance (eminent domain, population displacement, toll
roads, HOV lanes, safety)
B. Technology Access (internet, cell phone)
C. Mass Transit Construction and Access (rail, air, road).
D. Movement of Commerce (Ex - “Chicago bottleneck”)
E. Municipal utilities, public works, and related (costs, assessments, environmental).
F. Transportation Logistics (location/placement of stations, lines, hubs, etc).
G. Rural Issues (transportation, utilities, technology, access).
I. What Can We Learn From Other Countries?
II.
Political Considerations – Section Topic
A. Rural vs. Urban vs. Suburban (competing interests, access, funding, equality).
B. Mass Transit Construction, Maintenance, and Access.
C. Power Generation, Distribution & Safety (what types of power, where located).
D. Water Management and Usage (competing interests, jurisdiction issues, environmental).
E. Funding (the what, where, when, and why of how do we pay for “it”).
F. Movement of Commerce (competing interests, lobbying efforts, divergent ideologies).
G. Lack of Vision (competing ideologies).
H. What Can We Learn from Other Countries?
I.
Economic Concerns – Subsection Topic
A. Mass transit planning and access.
B. Technology access (impact on individuals, businesses, communities).
C. Power Generation and Distribution (ex - fossil fuels vs. renewables).
D. Waterway Transportation (locks and dams, ports, inland waterways).
E. Movement of Commerce (rail vs. highway vs. air vs. water and other modes).
F. Beautification Efforts (burying power lines, billboard removal, livability, green space).
G. The Cost of Security (ports, railways, roadways, airports, technological vulnerabilities).
H. What Can We Learn From Other Countries?
For subsection, section, and state contests, different sets of task are used for Class A & Class AA.
There is no collaboration in their writing; any similarities are purely coincidental. The use of
MSHSL-provided tasks is required for subsection, section, and state contests.
NOTE: MSHSL Sections where there is no Subsection Contest may choose to (1) use Section tasks only, or (2)
use a combination of subsection and section tasks. We highly encourage that this decision be made well in
advance of the Section contest and be communicated to all member schools in the Section.
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Bibliography
(The bibliography is intended as a starting point for researching this topic. It is not meant to be
exhaustive and presents a fraction of the resources available to prepare for Discussion tasks.)
Books/Reports
The Future of Renewable Energy. A pro/con series of reference books covering such topics
as hydrogen power, solar, and wind. Useful for power generation and distribution
related tasks.
Compact Research: Energy & The Environment. A seventeen-title series that covers a variety
of topics relating to power generation. Has more of an environmental/energy policy
theme, but still useful.
LePartner, Barry B. Too Big to Fall: America's Failing Infrastructure and the Way Forward
(University Press of New England, 2010, ISBN: 978-0-9844978-0-5).
Satre, S. Bry. Sustainable Infrastructure: The Guide to Green Engineering and Design.
(Wiley, 2010, ISBN-13: 978-0470453612).
Vanderbilt, Tom. Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us). (Alfred
Knopf, 2008. ISBN-13: 978-0307277190).
Examining the Cyber Threat to Critical Infrastructure and the American Economy. 16 March
2011. Committee on Homeland Security House of Representatives (CreateSpace
independent Publishing Platform. ISBN: 978-1477410851)
Articles
Altschuler, Alan. “Equity as a Factor in Surface Transportation Politics”. Access: the Magazine
of the University of California Transportation Center, Spring 2013.
http://www.uctc.net/access/42/access42_equityinpolitics.shtml
Barry, Keith. “Ditch the Cord, Let the Road Charge Your EV.” Wired Magazine.
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/11/ditch-the-cord-let-the-road-charge-your-ev/
Bernard, Sarah. “Crossing the Digital Divide: Bridges and Barriers to Digital Inclusion”. The
George Lucas Educational Foundation, October 2011. http://www.edutopia.org/digitaldivide-technology-access-inclusion
Boone, Jeb. "How hackers could annihilate US utilities and unleash havoc on infrastructure"
Globalpost.com. May 22, 2013.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/business/technology/130514/cyber-warfarehackers-attack-utilities-infrastructure
Fischer, Douglas. “Renewable Energy Could Solve Economic, Environmental and Social
Problems”. Scientific American, 26 March 2009.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=renewable-energy-could-solve
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Frantz, Douglas. “Port security: U.S. fails to meet deadline for scanning of cargo containers”.
The Washington Post, 15 July 2012. http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2012-0715/world/35489894_1_port-security-port-vulnerability-cargo-containers
Grabar, Henry. “Electric roads to the Hyperloop: Our Jetsons future starts now.” Salon.com.
http://www.salon.com/2013/08/17/electric_roads_to_the_hyperloop_our_jetsons_future_
starts_now/
Johnston, David Cay. “Poorly maintained gas pipelines put increasing numbers at risk”.
Remapping Debate, 14 December 2010.
http://www.remappingdebate.org/article/corroding-pipelines
Reardon, Margaureite. “Is cable holding back superfast broadband adoption on purpose?”
Cnet.com. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57589353-93/is-cable-holding-backsuperfast-broadband-adoption-on-purpose/
Schwartz, John. “Freight Train Late? Blame Chicago”. New York Times, 7 May 2012.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/08/us/chicago-train-congestion-slows-wholecountry.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Wyatt, Edward. “Most of U.S. Is Wired, but Millions Aren’t Plugged In”. New York Times, 19
August 2013. (Url: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/19/technology/a-push-to-connectmillions-who-live-offline-to-the-internet.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0.)
2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure – Inland Waterways. American Society of Civil
Engineers. http://www.infrastructurereportcard.org/a/#p/inland-waterways/overview.
An Initial Assessment of Freight Bottlenecks on Highways. Federal Highway Administration.
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/policy/otps/bottlenecks/.
Moving Off The Road: A State by State Analysis of the National Decline in Driving. U.S. Public
Interest Research Group.
http://uspirg.org/sites/pirg/files/reports/Moving_Off_the_Road_USPIRG.pdf
“Pando Networks Releases Global Internet Speed Study”. Pando Networks, 22 September
2012. http://www.pandonetworks.com//company/news/pando-networks-releasesglobal-internet-speed-study.
“Small turbines could get big lift in Central Minnesota: Xcel proposes $1.1 million grant for
renewable energy project.” St. Cloud Times, 5 August 2013.
Water Infrastructure: Approaches and Issues for Financing Drinking Water and Wastewater
Infrastructure, 13 March 2013. U.S. Government Accountability Office.
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-451T.
“Why Broadband Service in the U.S. Is So Awful”. Scientific American, 4 October 2010.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=competition-and-the-internet
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Magazines/Journals
Both Popular Mechanics and The Economist have regular articles about the topics listed in the
outline, samples of which are listed below. Other magazines to keep in mind are ones
that deal with scientific topics (ex – Scientific American, which as an entire section
devoted to Energy & Sustainability), which will be especially helpful in the energy areas.
Bennett, David.. "Aging inland waterways infrastructure to be rehabbed?." Southwest Farm
Press. 04 April 2013.
Hutchins, Aaron & Sorensen, Chris. "Unsafe at any speed?." Maclean's. 17 July 2013.
Kilcarr, Sean. "States urged to craft new transportation strategies." Fleet Owner. 13 Sep. 2010.
Reynolds, Glenn Harlan. "U.S. Woefully Unprepared For A Blackout Like India's: Analysis".
Popular Mechanics. 6 August 2012. http://www.popularmechanics.com/
technology/engineering/infrastructure/us-woefully-unprepared-for-a-blackout-like-indiasanalysis-11413652
Swan, Peter F. “Empirical Evidence of Toll Road Traffic Diversion and Implications for
Highway Infrastructure Privatization”. Public Works Management & Policy, April 2010.
http://pwm.sagepub.com/content/14/4/351.abstract (This journal contains much objective
information about policy issues regarding this topic and is fully available online).
"Life in the Slow Lane". The Economist. 30 April 2011.
"Simmons Calls for Massive Overhaul of Aging Energy Infrastructure." Oil Daily. 06 May 2008.
Websites
American Society of Civil Engineers: www.asce.org
National Alliance of Public Transportation Advocates: www.publictransportation.org
Texas A&M Transportation Institute: tti.tamu.edu
Transportation Research Board of the National Academies: http://www.trb.org/. (From their home
page – “Transportation practitioners, researchers, public officials, and other professionals need credible, highquality information and research results to address the transportation challenges of the 21st century”.)
U.S. Department of Energy: www.doe.gov (Contains sections on energy sources, usage,
distribution, efficiency, etc.)
U.S. Department of Transportation: www.dot.gov (Has sections on the various types of transportation
modes, featuring statistics, reports, and analysis of the condition and how we travel. Also has subsidiary sites
such as the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, Surface Transportation Board).
University of California Transportation Center: www.uctc.net
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