The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "infrastructure" ...
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CIF's Grab for Oil and Minerals
This story examines how a well-connected Chinese conglomerate eased out its Western rivals and wrangled lucrative resource deals in Africa. Its competitive edge? Promises of billions of dollars worth of infrastructure projects, most of which never materialized.
Tags: Oil; China; Conglomerate
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"Easy Money, BTO Business: The Truth of 'Tax Shield of Macquarie'"
In an attempt to develop the country of Korea during an economic crisis, the government established the Build-Transfer-Operate (BTO) system, which allowed a toll fee to be applied to many roads. However, in order for the system to work, an additional system, the Minimum Revenue Guarantee, had to be introduced. The MRG guaranteed companies receive a "minimal income level from the government" when the toll fee fell "short of projections." This angered many people who did not use the roads due to the high toll fee.
Tags: MKIF; Macquarie Korea Infrastructure Fund; Build-Transfer-Operate; BFO; Woomyunsan Tunnel; Seoul; National Pension Service
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China's Cyber Militia: Congress in the Cyber-Crosshairs
"This series focused on the threat of 'cyber' espionage against the U.S. government and U.S. corporations, as well as electronic interference with U.S. infrastructure, all by Chinese authorities or groups believed to be working under their auspices."
Tags: hack; cybercrime; hacking; China; online security; cyber-security;
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American's Neglected Levees
Scripps reviewed the federal and state level system of levee oversight and found that no one at any level of government knows where all levees are, what they protect or what shape they are in. Thousands of communities are being forced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to get levees certified under a national upgrade of flood hazard maps, but even FEMA admits the standards are outdated and don't accurately reflect the risks to people behind them.
Tags: FEMA; levee; flood; Army Corps of Engineers; infrastructure; National Levee Safety Committee; insurance
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You Can Fight City Hall
The City of Tamarac passed a resolution assessing 14 property owners a total of $9 million dollars, due a month from the first notice. This assessment money would fund the infrastructure on the city's Main Street project, something the whole community would use. Many of the property owners could not pay the money and suspected it was a way for the city to seize their properties. This story details an investigation of the assessment and profiles of the property owners.
Tags: property owners; special assessments; infrastructure; lawsuits; bill
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Minnesota Department of Transportation
In response to the collapse of Interstate 35W Bridge in Minneapolis, the Star-Tribune investigated whether it could have been prevented. The series examined what caused the collapsed, "and raised serious questions about oversight of the state's transportation infrastructure."
Tags: transportation; bridge; Minneapolis; department of transportation; traffic; construction;
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57 Bridges in area rate 'deficient'
"An examination of roadway bridge ratings revealed 'Nearly 60 heavily traveled bridges in the Philadelphia region are in disrepair and rated as bad as, or worse than, the condition of the Minnesota bridge that collapsed Aug. 1, according to state and federal data.'"
Tags: bridges; Minnesota; Philadelphia; transportation; infrastructure; roads
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7.0 - Utah's Big One
The state of Utah has 700 earthquakes a year, and "scientists say Utah has a one-in-five chance of suffering such a large quake within the next 50 years." This story examines the possible effects on Salt Lake City and the surrounding area if an earthquake "measuring 7.0 on the richter scale" were to hit. The death toll is estimated at 6,500, with 90,000 more injured, while damage to buildings and infrastructure would be so severe that "it would overwhelm emergency responders."
Tags: Disasters; earthquake; speculation; projected deaths, damage from disasters
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Power Brokers
A transition to a competitive energy market was supposed to lower energy prices for residents of the Balkan nations. Instead, "many people across the Balkans are facing energy shortages AND higher energy bills." Much of the infrastructure remains outdated, "and some state-run energy companies have been plagued by waste and corruption." Meanwhile, private energy companies are benefiting greatly from deals with government energy companies.
Tags: Energy; Bosnia-Herzegovina; energy prices
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Truth Be Tolled
An analysis of 23 modern toll road projects in Colorado, Texas and South Carolina "found that most badly missed revenue projections in their opening years, leading one to fail and others to either flee default or refinance at less favorable terms." The expected amount of traffic never materialized, causing the shortfall. Further, some of those responsible for the optimistic projections had a financial interest in seeing the roads completed.
Tags: Toll roads; infrastructure; Denver's Northwest Parkway; revenue shortfall