Regulatory
North Carolina Regulators Want More Information on Pipeline
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Another state permit needed for a proposed natural gas pipeline in eastern North Carolina is being slowed. The state Department of Environmental Quality asked Atlantic Coast Pipeline developers this week for more information for an air quality permit for a compressor station to..
West Virginia Weighs Permit for Atlantic Coast Pipeline
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia environmental regulators Wednesday announced two public hearings on issuing a construction stormwater permit for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, which would carry natural gas southeast from the center of the state. The 600-mile (965-kilometer) pipeline would exte..
FERC Officially Has New Chairman
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) today swore in Kevin J. McIntyre as chairman. McIntyre was nominated to the commission by President Donald J. Trump in August 2017 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Nov. 2, 2017. Previously, McIntyre was the co-leader of the global Energy Practice a..
Idaho County Issues Disaster Declaration for Town Without Water
GRANGEVILLE, Idaho (AP) — County officials approved a disaster declaration for a western Idaho town so it can apply for emergency state funding after losing its water wells. The Lewiston Tribune reports the water wells in the town of White Bird stopped working late last month, causing Idaho C..
Minnesota Lacks Funding to Update Aging Infrastructure
LITTLE FALLS, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota doesn’t have enough funding to update all of its aging underground infrastructure. Minnesota Public Radio reports that water and sewer pipes are reaching the end of their expected life spans in many areas across the state. Jeff Freeman is the executiv..
Toxic Chemicals Found in Water of Some New Hampshire Fire Departments
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A majority of drinking water wells at fire departments in New Hampshire have some level of toxic chemicals in the first batch of 10 tests by the state. The chemicals – perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate – were used in industrial coatings, such as Teflon. They ..
Milwaukee Alderman: Armed Sewer Subcontractors Won't be Tolerated
MILWAUKEE (AP) — A Milwaukee alderman says a sewer subcontracting company doing business with the city has been asked to explain why three of its workers were apparently armed with handguns while working on the north side. A photo of the three American Sewer Services employees got some traction on ..
Mountain Valley Pipeline Receives Forest Service Approval
ROANOKE, Va. (AP) — The U.S. Forest Service has given the Mountain Valley Pipeline its approval to cross federal forestland in Virginia and West Virginia. The authorization marks another milestone for the proposed 303-mile underground natural gas pipeline, which was approved by the Federal Energy R..
ACWA Elects New President
Members of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) today announced the election of Brent Hastey, chairman of the Yuba County Water District, to a two-year term as president of the statewide association. Steven LaMar, a director for Irvine Ranch Water District, was elected vice president...
Commission Seeks Fracking Ban in Watershed Supplying New York City
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A commission that oversees water quality for the watershed that supplies Philadelphia and half of New York City with drinking water is taking another step toward permanently banning natural gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing. The Delaware River Basin Commission on Thursday..
ACWA Honors Rowland Water District
The Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) has awarded its Huell Howser Best in Blue Award to the Rowland Water District for its innovative OPARC Fire Hydrant Maintenance Program that provides meaningful employment opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities. The maintenance p..
Utility Fined for Gas Pipeline Safety Violations
MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Northern Indiana Public Service Co. is paying a $900,000 fine after state regulators found that the utility failed to keep accurate maps and records of its underground natural gas lines. The settlement approved Wednesday by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission instruc..
New Commissioner Sworn in at FERC
On Nov. 29, 2017, The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) swore in Richard Glick as Commissioner. Glick was nominated by President Donald J. Trump in August 2017 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Nov. 2, 2017. Before to joining the commission, Glick was general counsel for the Democrats o..
Lawsuit Alleges Michigan City Forced Labor on Residents
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — A federal lawsuit alleges that Ann Arbor imposed forced labor on 3,000 residents by requiring home owners to maintain mandatory sump pumps in the southeast Michigan city. Attorney Irvin Mermelstein filed the lawsuit against Ann Arbor on behalf of four residents in late Octob..
Michigan Wants All Lead Pipes Replaced Within 20 Years
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration is planning to require the replacement of every underground lead service pipe in Michigan within 20 years while delaying by four years a deadline to implement the nation’s toughest lead limit for drinking water, in the wake of the Flint lead cr..
Agency: US and Canada Need to Do More to Improve Great Lakes Water Quality
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Despite recent improvements, the U.S. and Canada have a long way to go toward ridding the Great Lakes of pollution that endangers human health and the environment, an advisory agency said Tuesday. Inadequately treated sewage, industrial chemicals and farm runoff are stil..
Lawsuit Seeks to Block California Desert Water Project
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Environmental activists sued Tuesday to halt a plan to pump water from under the Mojave Desert and sell it to Southern California cities and counties. The lawsuit takes aim at the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for allowing Cadiz Inc. to build a 43-mile pipeline to transfer the w..
Northern Pass Transmission Line Receives Presidential Permit
The U.S. Department of Energy has approved the Presidential permit for the proposed Northern Pass Transmission Line project. The 192-mile above and below ground, alternating and direct current transmission system will deliver up to 1090 megawatts of low-emission, reliable hydropower from Quebec, Can..
New York Sends 72 More Utility Workers to Assist with Power Restoration Efforts in Puerto Rico
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the deployment of 72 additional electric utility experts to Puerto Rico arriving today and tomorrow to assist with the ongoing recovery of the country’s power grid. The deployment coincides with the arrival of a barge loaded with an additional 55 uti..
Flint Utilities Official Pleads No Contest in Water Probe
FLINT, Mich. (AP) – The former utilities director in Flint, Michigan, has pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor in an investigation of the city’s lead-tainted water. Daugherty Johnson’s deal Tuesday means two felonies will be dropped. Defense attorney Edwar Zeineh (ZANY) says the misdemeanor also wil..
Nearly $83 Million Awarded for Water Quality Projects in Iowa
The Iowa Finance Authority and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources have awarded low-interest water quality loans totaling more than $82.8 million to 26 communities through the State Revolving Fund. State Revolving Fund Construction Loans are a low-cost construction financing option avail..
$20 Million Awarded to Replace Lead Service Lines Across New York
New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that $20 million dollars will be awarded to replace residential drinking water lead service lines across the state’s Regional Economic Development Councils (REDC) as part of New York’s Clean Water Infrastructure Act of 2017. The funding is provided ..
Rover Pipeline HDD Activities Halted by Ohio Regulators
CANTON, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has told the company building the massive Rover natural gas pipeline project to stop horizontal drilling after another spill of clay-based slurry. The Repository reports EPA Director Craig Butler on Wednesday asked Energy Transfer Partn..
Court Stops NEXUS Pipeline Construction in Ohio
CLEVELAND (AP) — A city facing long odds of stopping section of a $2 billion natural gas pipeline from being built there was handed a victory this week when a federal appellate court issued an emergency order that temporarily halts the start of construction. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in..
Water, Wastewater Apprenticeship Program Receives $250K in Funding
CoBank today announced a partnership with the National Rural Water Association (NRWA) to underwrite a program that will target and train the next generation of technical workers needed to ensure the future operation of critical water and wastewater systems in rural communities. The $250..
Council Narrowly Approves Long-Term Flint Water Deal
FLINT, Mich. (AP) — The Flint City Council has narrowly approved a 30-year agreement to get drinking water from a regional agency, bringing to end one battle among many in the Michigan city still recovering from a lead-tainted water crisis. The deal was approved Tuesday night by a 5-4 vote after ho..
Baltimore Begs People Not to Dump Grease Down Drain
BALTIMORE (AP) — Are you the sort of person who dumps greasy globs of congealed fat and oil down the drain when washing up? If so, Baltimore’s public works department wants you to knock it off this Thanksgiving. The agency is asking residents to refrain from pouring cooking fats, oils and grease “..
Year-Long Boil Water Advisory Ends in New Mexico County
FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) — A boil-water advisory that marked the start of a water crisis in San Juan County more than a year ago is ending. The New Mexico Environment Department confirmed Tuesday it is lifting a water advisory for residents of the Harvest Gold subdivision. State regulators say the dr..
Pennsylvania Regulators Cite Sunoco for Pipeline Construction Leaks
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Pennsylvania regulators are citing Sunoco for a three recent leaks during its construction of the Mariner East 2 pipeline project.The Department of Environmental Protection last week issued violation notices for two leaks of drilling fluid on Nov. 11, in Chester and Berks countie..
Ohio Village Receives Nearly $2 Million for Water Project
The village of New Waterford has received a $1.78 million interest-free loan from the Ohio EPA to improve the village’s drinking water treatment and distribution system. The project consists of the following: Upgrading the village’s water treatment plant by replacing chemical feed equipment, pre..
- OSHA cites Florida contractors for trench safety violations at sewer and excavation sites
- Biden-Harris administration invests $849 million in aging water infrastructure, drought resilience
- Cadiz to reuse steel from terminated Keystone XL pipeline for California groundwater project
- Texas contractor penalized by OSHA for repeated trench safety violations
- West Virginia approves $67 million for water, sewer projects