Regulatory
California Senators Say Utility Regulators Must Restore Trust
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A California Senate panel gave narrow approval Wednesday to Gov. Jerry Brown’s two recent appointees to a powerful utilities commission after imploring them to restore public trust in an agency that’s been damaged by scandals and environmental disasters, including the large..
Landmark Court Ruling Could Jeopardize this Major Pipeline
U.S. natural gas enjoyed an “eclipse rally” this week. With NYMEX prices jumping nearly 7 cents per MMBtu after the blackout impacted an estimated 12 GW of solar power across America. But elsewhere the news for natgas developers was less rosy. With U.S. courts handing down a critical decision yeste..
NTSB: Worker Urged Evacuation Before Minnesota School Blast
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A maintenance worker at a Minneapolis school that partially collapsed after an explosion earlier this month had smelled natural gas and used a radio to tell others to evacuate less than a minute before the blast, according to preliminary report released Monday by the National Tran..
Appointees to Powerful Utility Regulator Set to Testify
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Gov. Jerry Brown’s two most recent nominees to a powerful commission that regulates natural gas and other utilities are before lawmakers Wednesday for confirmation hearings. Commissioners Clifford Rechtschaffen and Martha Guzman Aceves began six-year terms in January on th..
Company Behind Dakota Access Oil Pipeline Sues Greenpeace
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The company that built the disputed Dakota Access oil pipeline is suing Greenpeace and other groups, alleging they disseminated false information about the project and interfered with construction. Texas-based Energy Transfer Partners alleges the groups’ actions interfered wit..
Appeals Court: FERC Missed in Pipeline Review
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Washington appeals court says federal energy regulators fell short in evaluating the environmental impact of a natural gas pipeline that’s carrying gas through Alabama, Georgia and Florida. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Tuesday agreed with the..
Colorado Won't Put Oil-Gas Pipeline Map Online
DENVER (AP) — Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper says the state won’t offer an online map of oil and gas pipelines after a fatal house explosion that was blamed on a leaking pipe, citing security concerns. Hickenlooper said Tuesday Colorado will instead expand an existing service that allows people to..
Colorado to Tighten Pipeline Rules After Fatal Gas Explosion
DENVER (AP) — Colorado officials say they will strengthen regulations for oil and gas pipelines to reduce the chances of another home explosion like one that killed two people in April. Gov. John Hickenlooper announced the rule-tightening on Tuesday. It’s one of seven steps recommended by state reg..
Early Termination of Hart-Scott-Rodino Act Waiting Period Awarded for Oncor, Sharyland Deal
InfraREIT, Inc. today announced the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission have granted early termination of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act waiting period for the proposed exchange transaction between InfraREIT’s regulated subsidiary, Sharyland Distribution & Transmissio..
Iowa Town Agrees to $195k Sinkhole Suit Settlement
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP) — The City Council has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by a woman over sinkholes that formed on her Sioux City property. The Sioux City Journal reports the council voted unanimously Monday for a $195,000 settlement of Joyce Downing’s lawsuit. Downing sued the city in 20..
New Chief of Staff Named at FERC
Anthony Pugliese has been named Chief of Staff at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Since January 2017, Pugliese has served as Senior White House Advisor at the U.S. Department of Transportation, where he helped oversee all aspects of the department, including pipeline safety and regulatory..
Southern Nevada Water Authority to Fund Conservation Efforts in Mexico
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Southern Nevada Water Authority is making deals with Arizona and Mexico to ensure enough H20 in the years to come for the Las Vegas area. The authority plans to spend up to $7.5 million in Mexico over the next 10 years in exchange for more Colorado River water. Authority board..
Tennessee County's Water Doesn't Taste Right
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (AP) – Officials in one central Tennessee county working to treat an algae bloom affecting the area’s water supply say it will take at least two weeks before the taste returns to normal. The Daily News Journal reports the Consolidated Utilities District in Rutherford County bega..
Vermont Governor Launches Clean Water Week
BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Vermont Gov. Phil Scott and other state officials have launched Vermont Clean Water Week to highlight efforts to clean up water in the state such as Lake Champlain and to celebrate the state’s waterways. Vermont Public Radio reports (http://bit.ly/2vSngaw ) that communities a..
Report: New Mexico Has Yet to Spend All Water Project Money
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico authorized over $83 million in capital outlay funding for dozens of water infrastructure projects across the state in 2014, and more than one third has yet to be spent. A review by analysts with the Legislative Finance Committee shows 119 projects are classified as ..
Kansas City Selects Electro Scan Technology to Assess Sewer Mains
The City of Kansas City, Missouri has selected Electro Scan’s Next Generation leak detection technology for condition assessment of 15-inch and smaller diameter sewer mains as part of a pilot project. The partnership with Electro Scan will include the assessment of 100 pipe segments with an approxim..
Rhode Island Checking Water for Chemical Contamination
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Rhode Island has begun checking water systems for chemicals that have contaminated water at sites nationwide. Perfluorinated chemicals have been linked to cancer and other illnesses but currently aren’t federally regulated in drinking water. Water has been contaminated near ..
Pressure Mounts on Officials Weighing Pipeline Projects
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – Pressure is mounting on Virginia officials to slow or reconsider the water quality certifications they intend to issue for a pair of natural gas pipeline projects. The Richmond Times Dispatch reports (http://bit.ly/2weTFJn) that hundreds attended public hearings this month to e..
Police Investigating Natural Gas Explosion in Nebraska
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska authorities have launched an investigation into a natural gas explosion that seriously injured two people, leveled a house and significantly damaged nearly 20 other homes in Lincoln. Police are focusing on the home where authorities believe the explosion occurred Monda..
Officials in California's North Sue over Giant Water Project
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Northern California cities and counties on Friday were leading a surge of lawsuits to try to block Gov. Jerry Brown’s plans to build giant tunnels that would carry water from the north of the state far to the west and south. Sacramento County and other local governments, includ..
Court Rules New York Had Power to Deny Key Pipeline Permit
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — In a decision held up as an affirmation of the right of states to reject major oil and gas infrastructure, a federal court ruled Friday that New York acted properly when it blocked plans for a 124-mile natural gas pipeline from Pennsylvania’s shale fields. The U.S. Court o..
Minnesota Releases Review on Enbridge Oil Pipeline
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota regulators have released the final environmental review of Enbridge Energy’s proposal to replace its aging Line 3 oil pipeline, which carries Canadian crude across northern Minnesota to Wisconsin. The document has been updated since the draft was released for public com..
Ohio Utilities Board Signs off on FirstEnergy Rate Hike
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio regulators have rejected appeals of an earlier decision that allows FirstEnergy Corp. to impose electricity rate increases for three years. The move will give FirstEnergy an additional $204 million each year. Homeowners using an average of 750 kilowatt-hours of electricit..
Nebraska Town Warns Residents of High Nitrate Levels in Water
STEELE CITY, Neb. (AP) — Officials are warning Steele City residents about high nitrate levels in their water. The Beatrice Daily Sun reports that a sample collected from the Nebraska Public Water Supply System on Aug. 10 measured 14 milligrams per liter, above the legal limit of 10 milligrams per ..
Texas Utility May Lose Permit After Wastewater Violations
TROPHY CLUB, Texas (AP) — A north Texas utility district may lose its operating permit after receiving over 30 citations for state wastewater law violations over the last six years. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that an administrative hearing next month will determine if the Trophy Club Muni..
Lead Detected in Water at Several Utah Schools
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Authorities say they’ve found lead in drinking water at several Utah schools, showing the need for more schools to be tested. Utah Division of Drinking Water director Marie Owens tells the Salt Lake Tribune (http://bit.ly/2wSNN63) that voluntary tests of water at 10 out ..
2nd Discharge at Niagara Falls Believed to be Rain-Related
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (AP) — New York state officials say the latest discharge near Niagara Falls is believed to be a rain-related sewer overflow and unrelated to a release last month that turned the water below the world-famous attraction black and smelly. Department of Environmental Conservation De..
Trump Speeds Up Oil, Gas Pipeline Approval Process
With an executive order signed yesterday, President Donald Trump has set out to speed up the approval process for major infrastructure projects, including oil and gas pipelines. The central tenet of the order is the One Federal Decision policy, to replace previous legislation requiring a string of ..
Possible 2nd Niagara Falls Water Discharge Being Probed
NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (AP) — New York state officials say they’re investigating a possible wastewater discharge near Niagara Falls similar to one last month that turned the water below the world-famous attraction black and smelly. The Department of Environmental Conservation announced Tuesday evening..
Arizona Regulators OK Utility Rate Hike
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona utility regulators elected with confirmed or suspected financial backing from the state’s largest electric utility on Tuesday approved a rate increase for the company and cuts to how much its new rooftop solar customers will be paid for excess power. The 4-1 vote by the Arizo..
- 2 workers killed, 1 injured while working on sewer line in Mobile, Ala.
- $5.3 billion, 516-mile pipeline to connect Texas to Arizona through New Mexico
- Tunnel boring continues under Chesapeake Bay for $3.9 billion HRBT Expansion project
- Judge approves construction for key portion of $485 million pipeline in Larimer County, Colo.
- 31 workers rescued after LA tunnel partially collapses
- New products: Latest industry developments
- 31 workers rescued after LA tunnel partially collapses
- Ohio Supreme Court rules sewer line location isn’t a ‘defect’ in property dispute
- Faulconer Construction begins rock blasting for water pipeline project in Charlottesville, Va.
- $5.3 billion, 516-mile pipeline to connect Texas to Arizona through New Mexico