Regulatory
Lead in Portland Water Exceeded Federal Limits at Some Homes
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland Water Bureau has found that lead levels at high-risk homes in the city exceeded federal limits. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported Thursday the city tested water from a sampling of 134 homes deemed at high risk for lead exposure because they contain plumbing manufa..
Senate Confirms McIntyre, Glick to FERC
The U.S. Senate has confirmed the nominations of Kevin McIntyre and Richard Glick to join the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). McIntyre will serve as Chairman. McIntyre, co-leader of the global Energy Practice at the law firm Jones Day, will serve out the remainder of a term that ends J..
Texas Residents Sue over Water Release During Harvey
VIDOR, Texas — More than 120 Southeast Texas residents have signed on to a federal lawsuit alleging that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers illegally took their property when it released water from a reservoir and a dam during Hurricane Harvey flooding their homes. The residents of Orange County, abo..
Dakota Access Developer, Corps Object to Tribes’ Proposal
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The builder of the Dakota Access oil pipeline and the federal agency that permitted the project are objecting to an effort by American Indian tribes to bolster protections for their water supply. Lawyers for Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners and the Army Corps of Engineers ..
Clash Emerges over Puerto Rico Power Restoration Time
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Officials in the U.S. and Puerto Rico are clashing over when power will be fully restored to the U.S. territory after Hurricane Maria. Puerto Rico officials say Thursday that the state-owned utility is generating 37 percent of its regular output and aims for 95 percent ..
Enbridge Official Testifies Aging Pipeline Needs Replacing
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — An official with Enbridge Energy testified Wednesday that the company’s aging Line 3 crude oil pipeline across northern Minnesota is increasingly subject to corrosion and cracking, and that its maintenance needs are expected to grow rapidly unless the company is allowed to rep..
Dakota Access Developer Sued over Farmland Damage
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — A South Dakota farming family has sued the Dakota Access pipeline company, alleging it reneged on promises to restore farmland damaged during the oil pipeline’s construction. Slack Family Properties accuses Dakota Access LLC of fraud, deceit, breach of contract and taking p..
Rhode Island Town Seeks to Monetize City Water for Pension Solution
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The mayor of Providence says he will again ask state legislators to allow the city to monetize its water supply to fund the pension system. Democratic Mayor Jorge Elorza says he believes the sale or lease of the city water system could generate over $300 million for th..
Michigan Health Chief Back in Court over Flint Water Crisis
FLINT, Mich. (AP) — Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s urban affairs adviser contradicted the governor again Wednesday about when Snyder first learned about a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in the Flint area. Harvey Hollins told a judge last month that he told Snyder about the outbreak late in 201..
Audit Urges Changes to Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A state audit is urging changes to the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, saying years of mismanagement and lack of leadership have led to financial problems and deteriorating infrastructure. Auditor General Eugene DePasquale says the 82,000 city customers are “all too familiar..
West Virginia Approves Mountain Valley Pipeline Again
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia environmental regulators on Wednesday lifted their suspension of the permit for building the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which would carry natural gas down the center of the state. The pipeline would extend south for 195 miles (315 kilometers) in north-central W..
Wisconsin Senate Passes Lead Pipe Replacement Bill
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A proposal designed to make it easier to replace lead pipes has cleared a hurdle in the Wisconsin Legislature. The state Senate on Tuesday passed the bill on a unanimous vote. It would allow a public water utility and municipalities to finance property owners’ efforts to replac..
Pipeline Construction Project Hearing Kicks off in Minnesota
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A hearing opens in St. Paul on Wednesday on whether Enbridge Energy should be allowed to replace a stretch of its aging Line 3 crude oil pipeline that crosses northern Minnesota. The 12-day “evidentiary hearing” before an administrative law judge will be a trial-like proceedi..
$2.1 Million Awarded for Ohio Sewer, Water Projects
The Ohio EPA has awarded more than $2.1 million in low-interest loans from the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund to improve sewer and water systems across the state. The projects receiving funding include: $92,085 to the village of Mingo Junction to model the village’s sanitary sewer system to s..
Iroquois Pipeline President Jeff Bruner Elected Chairman of INGAA's Board of Directors
The board of directors of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America has elected Iroquois Pipeline Operating Company (IPOC) President Jeffrey Bruner as chairman of the INGAA board of directors for a one‐year term, effective immediately. “As the chairman of INGAA, Jeff will lead our industry’..
Ohio Sewer Projects Receive $3.2 Million
The Ohio EPA has awarded more than $3.2 million in low-interest loans from the Water Pollution Control Loan Fund to improve sewer systems across the state. The projects receiving funding include: $300,000 to the Village of Paulding for a combined sewer separation project, which includes the inst..
Pennsylvania DEP Signs Agreement to Regulate, Monitor Water Releases to Delaware River
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has signed a revised multi-state agreement that will continue water releases into the Delaware River from three New York City reservoirs. These releases support a variety of water uses in the portion of the river that forms the eastern bo..
Pennsylvania DEP Orders Water Utility to Make Infrastructure Upgrades
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today issued an Administrative Order requiring the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA) to make critical infrastructure upgrades and repairs to its public drinking water system specifically to ensure adequate pressure and volume wi..
Ex-Energy Regulators Denounce Trump Bid to Boost Coal
WASHINGTON (AP) — Eight former federal energy regulators — including five former commission chairs — oppose a Trump administration plan to bolster nuclear and coal-fired power plants, arguing it would raise prices and disrupt electricity markets. The former officials, who served under presidents fr..
Energy Associations File Comments Opposing Proposed Electric Grid Resiliency Pricing Rule
12 associations representing oil, natural gas, wind, solar, efficiency, and other energy technologies today submitted comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in response to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) proposed rulemaking on grid resiliency pricing. In joint comments, the ass..
Hawaii Public Utilities Commission Approves Settlement in Rate Case
Hawaii Water Service, a subsidiary of California Water Service Group has received approval from the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission to increase annual revenues by approximately $771,000 in its Pukalani wastewater system for improvements made over recent years. The increase will become effective a..
Houston Receives $47 Million to Address Brays Bayou Flooding
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has approved more than $47 million in financial assistance from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to the city of Houston. The city will use the assistance to finance design and construction costs associated with a stormwater management project to address f..
Texas Water Development Board Makes $90 Million Available for Hurricane Harvey Recovery
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has approved amendments to the State Fiscal Year 2018 State Revolving Funds Intended Use Plans making $90 million in financial assistance available for disaster recovery. The approval will enable the TWDB to provide immediate funding options to communities im..
Frontier Communications to Help Bridge California's Digital Divide
Representative Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-36) and Frontier Communications have joined together to expand broadband Internet services to digitally unserved and underserved areas in California. Representative Ruiz serves on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology, and has ..
Lawsuit Filed over North Carolina Water Contamination
The national law firm of Baron & Budd has filed a lawsuit on behalf of Brunswick County in the United States Eastern District of North Carolina against Chemours and DuPont for their role in contaminating the Cape Fear River. The firm is pursuing legal action on the county’s behalf to recover costs r..
Nevada County Combating Flushable Wipes in Sewer Campaign
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Clark County Water Reclamation District is working to educate the public to keep flushable wipes out of toilets in effort to curb the buildup the product can create. The Las Vegas Sun reports the district spends tens of thousands of dollars annually to clear out buildup of it..
Milwaukee Wins Waukesha Water Contract
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee, not Oak Creek, will sell Lake Michigan water to the City of Waukesha under a new deal. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Waukesha Mayor Shawn Reilly announced the 40-year water supply agreement on Monday. Waukesha Water Utility General Manager Dan Duchniak says for Waukes..
Kansas Gas Companies Told to Expedite Pipeline Replacement
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Corporation Commission has rejected a request from three gas companies, sticking to its original ruling that they need to speed up the replacement of obsolete pipeline deemed a safety risk. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the commission ruled in September for ..
Sewer and Septic Repair Loan Program Expanded in Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST) and the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) are expanding a program intended to help homeowners with repairs and connections to septic and sewer systems. The goals are to help homeowners deal with the unexpected expenses rela..
Puerto Rico Utility to Scrap $300M Power Contract
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The head of Puerto Rico’s power company said Sunday the agency is cancelling its $300 million contract with Whitefish Energy Holdings amid scrutiny of the tiny Montana company’s role in restoring the island’s power system. The announcement by Ricardo Ramos came hours af..
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