Regulatory
FERC removes rule delaying pipeline construction during rehearing requests
The decision, supported by major midstream operators, is expected to streamline natural gas project timelines and remove up to 150 days of potential delay under prior procedures.
FERC finds MVP Southgate expansion may be redundant, no significant environmental impact
FERC’s environmental assessment of the Mountain Valley Pipeline Southgate Amendment Project finds no significant environmental harm but questions the need for the 31-mile Virginia-to-North Carolina expansion, citing overlap with Williams’ proposed Southeast Supply Enhancement Project.
Judge weighs permit challenge to Enbridge’s $450 million Line 5 reroute
An administrative law judge is reviewing challenges to state permits for Enbridge’s $450 million Line 5 pipeline reroute, a 41-mile project designed to move the line around the Bad River tribe’s reservation in northern Wisconsin.
Court backs FERC, denies challenge to Puerto Rico gas pipeline
The D.C. Circuit has denied environmental groups’ challenge to a Puerto Rico pipeline, ruling FERC’s decision not to block construction reflected unreviewable enforcement discretion.
U.S. DOJ defends Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline in Michigan dispute
The U.S. Justice Department has filed a statement of interest backing Enbridge in its fight with Michigan over the Line 5 pipeline, arguing the state overstepped federal pipeline safety authority and interfered with U.S.–Canada treaty obligations.
New York regulators revive controversial pipeline debate
New York regulators reignited debate over the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) pipeline, with the PSC backing National Grid’s long-term gas plan to improve downstate reliability. Environmental groups warn the project conflicts with state climate goals, while final approval now rests with the DEC.
Michigan House budget plan could stall permits, slash sewer and water projects
Michigan’s environmental agency warns the House GOP budget could slash water infrastructure funding, stall permits, and end Great Lakes protection programs.
Trump's tariffs drive $33 million cost increase for Cincinnati sewer project
The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSD) says federal trade tariffs and ongoing market uncertainty have added more than $33 million to the cost of a critical sewer infrastructure project at the Mill Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Transco, MVP clash over competing pipeline projects in North Carolina
Transco and Mountain Valley Pipeline are in a heated contest for North Carolina’s gas market, with FERC weighing overlapping projects.
Northern Michigan lawmakers back Enbridge Line 5 tunnel project
Northern Michigan lawmakers have renewed support for Enbridge’s Line 5 tunnel project, calling it vital to jobs, energy supply, and Great Lakes protection, while urging regulators to fast-track approval.
Trump PHMSA aims to ease pipeline safety rules
The Trump administration has started down a path, which could be a slow one given the agency’s past performance, to ease the burden of safety rules on the gas pipeline industry.
450-mile, 42-in. Permian-to-Gulf gas pipeline approved for 2028 service
Final investment decision clears a 450-mile, 42-in. Permian-to-Gulf gas line to the Katy area; WhiteWater will construct and operate, with service targeted for mid-2028.
State greenlights key step for North Dakota natural gas pipeline
The North Dakota Industrial Commission has directed the Pipeline Authority to begin contract talks with WBI Energy Transmission to secure capacity for a new natural gas pipeline.
California advances major sewer project to protect Yucca Valley’s groundwater
Yucca Valley, Calif., will move forward with a major groundwater protection project after the California Department of Fish and Wildlife approved a permit allowing septic tanks to be replaced with a new sewer system.
EPA orders Puerto Rico developers to halt water pollution at Rincón housing site
EPA has ordered two Puerto Rico construction companies to stop stormwater pollution at a Rincón housing development and comply with Clean Water Act permit requirements.
Louisiana contractor loses license over repeated water main failures, boil advisories
Louisiana regulators revoked the license of JLJ Construction, a longtime New Orleans contractor, after linking the firm to repeated water main failures and boil advisories costing the city hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Court upholds FERC approval of 1,000-foot border link in Texas-to-Mexico pipeline plan
A federal appeals court upheld FERC’s approval of a 1,000-foot border pipeline linking West Texas’s Permian Basin to Mexico, rejecting challenges from environmental groups over broader oversight and environmental review.
Public comment period closing for proposed 208-mile Miss. gas pipeline
According to Mississippi Today, residents have until Tuesday, August 5 to intervene in Kinder Morgan's proposed 208-mile-long gas pipeline that would span most of the state. An application for FERC approval was previously submitted in June.
Tennessee OKs land lease for Elon Musk’s Nashville tunnel project amid public pushback
Tennessee’s State Building Commission approved a free lease of state land for Elon Musk’s The Boring Company to begin work on the 10-mile Music City Loop tunnel—a critical step in infrastructure staging and project mobilization.
Federal court greenlights Crow Creek Gas pipeline construction in Idaho-Wyoming
A federal court cleared construction of the 48-mile Crow Creek natural gas pipeline between Idaho and Wyoming, rejecting environmental groups’ request to halt the project after the Forest Service’s supplemental review.
BLM reviewing application for 122-mile Ridgeline gas pipeline in Tennessee
The BLM is reviewing an application for the 122-mile Ridgeline Expansion Pipeline in Tennessee, proposed to supply gas to TVA’s Kingston Fossil Plant as it shifts from coal to LNG.
Plan for single Americas energy network gains momentum amid political push
Plans are taking shape to link power grids across the Americas — a project that could span from Alaska to Patagonia and reshape the continent’s energy future. Political leaders are reviving interconnection efforts as renewable power surpluses in Latin America grow.
Editor’s Log: EPA funding cuts put sewer, water infrastructure at risk
Editor-in-Chief Robert Carpenter examines how proposed EPA budget cuts could jeopardize key sewer and water funding programs, leaving cities scrambling as federal support dwindles.
U.S., Mexico sign deal to end decades-long Tijuana River sewage crisis
The U.S. and Mexico signed an agreement to accelerate sewage infrastructure projects and permanently resolve the decades-long Tijuana River pollution crisis affecting Southern California.
EGLE opens public comment phase for Line 5 tunnel project
Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has opened a public comment period for the Enbridge Line 5 tunnel project in the Straits of Mackinac. According to WLNS 6 News, members of the public can submit comments until Aug 29, with the EGLE launching a full review of the project this week.
PPI voices support for FLOW Act to accelerate lead line replacement
The Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc. (PPI) today announced its strong support of the Financing Lead Out of Water (FLOW) Act, H.R. 3892. This bipartisan legislation will help communities across the country accelerate the removal of hazardous lead service lines.
New Mexico cities push to fast-track stalled water, sewer funding approvals
New Mexico cities are calling for reforms to speed up water and sewer infrastructure funding approvals, citing costly delays and project backlogs affecting communities statewide.
Ohio Supreme Court rules sewer line location isn’t a ‘defect’ in property dispute
For underground infrastructure professionals, the case highlights the legal boundaries of disclosure related to buried utilities.
Pipeline safety enforcement sees steep drop in Trump’s second term
According to regulatory filings, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has shown a steep drop in enforcement cases since Trump took office in January. Bloomberg Law reported that President Trump’s efforts to drive efficiencies in government branches have resulted in the record low for pipeline safety regulations.
Williams’ Northeast gas pipeline revived as New York reopens review process
New York regulators are reexamining the Northeast Supply Enhancement pipeline after previously denying permits. Williams' gas project could reshape the state’s energy infrastructure as federal and state policies collide.
- Three Houston workers killed by hydrogen sulfide leak during sewer repair
- Trump's tariffs drive $33 million cost increase for Cincinnati sewer project
- TxDOT advances massive drainage tunnel beneath I-35 in Austin
- Funding approved for $1.3 billion, 60-mile water reuse system in southern Utah
- Is the Boring Company tunneling blind in Nashville? Experts warn rock tests fall short