This is pretty damned cool.
A planned $5.5 million expansion of Boise's geothermal system will loop through Boise State University's campus, cycling the naturally heated water back into the existing system....
Phase two of the expansion, planned for completion within the next five years, will bring geothermal energy to at least two more BSU buildings, Park said. And advocates hope that phase will heat residences and businesses in the future, said Lindsay Nothern, spokesman for U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo....
Crapo . . . got federal money for the project with U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson.
A good chunk of downtown Boise is currently on a geothermal system. Looping in the university is expected to save it as much as $80,000 a year in heating costs. Which Republicans Crapo and Simpson will no doubt be taking credit for in years to come. That's great for Boise, but will either of them break ranks with their party to champion that kind of infrastructure spending on alternative energy sources for the rest of the country? Not likely.