Regulatory
U.S., Mexico Expand Pact on Managing Overused Colorado River
DENVER (AP) — The United States and Mexico have agreed to renew and expand a far-reaching conservation agreement that governs how they manage the overused Colorado River, which supplies water to millions of people and farms in both nations. The agreement to be signed Wednesday calls for the U.S. to..
Hearing Reveals Disastrous Potential for Nation's Water Infrastructure
In testimony before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment today, David St. Pierre, the Executive Director of the Chicago Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) and Vice President of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), urged lawmakers to facilita..
EPA Awards $14.7M for Vermont Water Infrastructure Projects
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — The state of Vermont is getting $14.7 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to help finance improvements to water infrastructure projects across the state. The EPA says the funds will primarily be used to upgrade sewage plants and drinking water systems. The m..
Water Sampling Begins at Stewart International Airport
NEWBURGH, N.Y. (AP) — The process of getting rid of the toxic chemical blamed for contaminating Newburgh’s water supply has taken a step forward as Department of Defense officials have begun taking water samples in and around Stewart Air National Guard Base. Testing last year by the New York Depart..
Nebraska Utility Exec Chosen to Lead National Trade Group
COLUMBUS, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska Public Power District executive will lead a national utility trade group for the next year. NPPD’s Chief Operating Officer Tom Kent was recently chosen at the president of RMEL. The group serves the utility industry with education and networking services. The util..
North Dakota’s Bill Rises for Oil Pipeline Protest Costs
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota’s bill for policing protests of the Dakota Access pipeline continues to rise. The North Dakota Emergency Commission is set to borrow an additional $5 million Monday to cover law enforcement costs. That will bring the total line of credit from the state-owned ..
Pacific Connector Pipeline Application Filed
Veresen Inc. has submitted applications with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the Jordan Cove Energy and Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline Projects, which include the construction and operation of the 7.8 million tonne per annum LNG export terminal in Coos Bay, Oregon and a related pipeline..
Ohio Sewer District Receives $150 Million to Reduce Overflows
The Ohio EPA has awarded more than $150 million in low-interest loans to the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) for two projects aimed at reducing combined sewer overflows (CSOs). NEORSD will use a loan of $142,320,000 to construct a four-mile-long storage tunnel on the east side of Cl..
Ohio Communities Get $19 Million for Sewer, Water Projects
The Ohio EPA has awarded more than $19 million in funding for sewer and water construction projects across the state. The projects receiving funding include: $721,026 to the city of Wellstone to update water lines and a water treatment plant and generator. The project includes the rehabilitatio..
FCC Head: Storms Teach Lessons on Emergency Communications
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Ajit Pai has been to Texas and Florida in recent weeks to learn what lessons hurricanes Harvey and Irma have to offer about how to improve the nation’s emergency communication systems during natural disasters. Pai, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, sa..
New Drinking Water Council to Set Standards in New York
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York’s new Drinking Water Council will hold its first meeting on Long Island to consider setting maximum levels of several contaminants not regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. Gov. Andrew Cuomo says one of the first tasks for the 12-member council will be to re..
Four Municipalities Participate in Pennsylvania Event on Stormwater Management
Stormwater management efforts by Lemoyne Borough, Lower Paxton Township, Susquehanna Township, Harrisburg’s Capital Region Water, and municipalities statewide were highlighted at a recent event in Lemoyne held by the Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Hundreds of municipal..
Vermont Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Pipeline Under Park
MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) – Vermont’s state supreme court has issued a decision that a Vermont Gas pipeline going under a public park will not impact its use. Activists who oppose the pipeline going under the Hinesburg park argued the 85-acre park was already designated for public use, so it couldn’t be..
Top Nevada Water Official Begins Key Vegas Pipeline Hearings
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada’s top state water official begins hearings Monday on a crucial issue in a plan for Las Vegas to drill drinking water wells beneath arid rangeland in rural valleys just west of the Nevada-Utah state line. State Engineer Jason King in Carson City has to decide, again, if pumpi..
Enbridge Line 3 Pipeline Public Hearings Set to Start
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota kicks off public hearings this week on whether regulators should allow Enbridge Energy to replace its aging Line 3 crude oil pipeline across northern Minnesota. The replacement would have higher capacity than the existing pipeline and run along a new route in some areas..
Illinois Association for Floodplain and Stormwater Management Names Ajay Jain to Board of Directors
The Illinois Association for Floodplain and Stormwater Management (IAFSM) recently appointed HR Green’s Ajay Jain, PE, CFM, to its Board of Directors. As a member of the Board, Jain will also be chairing the Inter-Organization Committee, charged with assuring regular communication between IAFSM and ..
CEA Expands Pipeline Campaign to Focus on Minnesotans’ Access to Affordable Energy
The Consumer Energy Alliance (CEA) has released a pair of television ads in Minnesota as part of its on-going Pipelines for America campaign. The ads, which aired during Sunday night’s broadcast of the Emmy Awards, highlighted the consumer group’s expanded Minnesota effort, “Modernizing Minnesota,” ..
Ex-Water Corporation Boss Gets 8 Years for $1 Million Fraud
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The former head of a not-for-profit corporation formed to oversee the water services for the city was sentenced on Friday to more than eight years in prison for accepting nearly $1 million in kickbacks. Linda Watkins Brashear pleaded guilty in 2015 to fraud for participating in ..
Ohio Regulators Issue Water Permit for the NEXUS Pipeline
The Ohio EPA has issued a Water Quality Certification for Enbridge’s Nexus Transmission Pipeline Project to be built in Columbiana, Stark, Summit, Wayne, Medina, Lorain, Huron, Erie, Sandusky, Wood, Lucas, Henry and Fulton counties. The 255-mile NEXUS Transmission Pipeline Project will deliver 1.5 ..
Leaders: $271B Needed for Creaky Great Lakes Water Systems
DULUTH, Minn. (AP) — State leaders say the Great Lakes region needs to drastically improve public water systems. The Great Lakes Commission this week called for upgrading wastewater treatment plants, storm water pipes and drinking water filtration systems. The commission, which represents the reg..
President Trump Nominates 4 to Serve on the Board of the Nation's Largest Public Utility
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — The White House says President Donald Trump is nominating people from four states to serve on the Tennessee Valley Authority board of directors. Trump will name Kenneth E. Allen of Kentucky and James R. Thompson III of Alabama for terms that expire in 2021. Allen is retired ..
Indiana Regulators OK Vectren's Grid Upgrade, Rate Increases
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Indiana utility regulators have approved Vectren Corp.’s seven-year plan to upgrade its electrical grid and pass those costs onto its customers through rate increases. The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approved the Evansville-based utility’s plan Wednesday. The grid ..
Official Charged in Flint Water Crisis Related Death Faces Hearing
FLINT, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan official blamed in the death of a Flint-area man who had Legionnaires’ disease faces a key hearing to determine whether he will stand trial for involuntary manslaughter. Nick Lyon is head of the Department of Health and Human Services. He’s accused of failing to alert..
New Fight in California Water Wars: How to Update Old System
FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — In California’s long-raging water wars, pitting north against south and farmer against city dweller, the one thing everybody agreed on Wednesday was that the outdated method of shipping water throughout the most populous state needs a serious upgrade. A group of influential Ca..
Colorado Revising Pipeline Regulations After Fatal Gas Explosion
DENVER (AP) — Colorado regulators are starting work on new rules for thousands of pipelines that crisscross oil and gas fields in the aftermath of a fatal home explosion blamed on a gas leak. The state Oil and Gas Conservation Commission will hold the first of two meetings with industry repre..
Ohio Increases Fines to $2.3 Million Against Pipeline Developer
TOLEDO (AP) – Ohio’s environmental agency has more than doubled the fines against a company building a natural gas pipeline from West Virginia to Michigan. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency says the fines against Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners stemming from water and air pollution vio..
Tennessee Accepting Proposals for Water Quality Grants
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee officials are accepting grant proposals for projects that will improve water quality and reduce or eliminate certain types of pollution. A state Department of Agriculture news release Tuesday says the grants target pollution from soil, urban runoff, fertilizers, ch..
North Dakota Settles with Dakota Access Pipeline Builder
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota regulators have approved an agreement settling allegations that the Texas-based builder of the Dakota Access pipeline violated state rules during construction.North Dakota’s Public Service Commission last year accused Energy Transfer Partners of improperly reportin..
New York Invests $69M in Upgrades for Local Water Systems
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York state is making a $69 million investment in local water and sewer projects. The state announced the funding on Tuesday. It will support projects in 12 towns, cities and towns as part of a state program that aims to help local governments complete water projects they cou..
New York City DEP, Water Research Foundation Release New Stormwater Report
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), in partnership with the Water Research Foundation, today released Innovative and Integrated Stormwater Management, a new report highlighting challenges faced by stormwater programs worldwide, including flood mitigation programs, integra..
- 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