Regulatory
President Trump to Nominate Two New FERC Members
President Trump has announced he intends to nominate Neil Chatterjee and Robert Powelson to fill existing FERC vacancies, for terms expiring June 30, 2021, and June 30, 2020, respectively. Chatterjee currently serves as energy policy advisor to United States Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell o..
Mississippi Regulator Links to Utility Employment Pages
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The agency that regulates Mississippi utilities says people looking for work can now go to its website for links to dozens of utilities’ employment pages. Public Service Commissioner Cecil Brown says every community in the state needs well-qualified utility workers, and ..
Senate Upholds Methane Emissions Rule
WASHINGTON (AP) — Environmentalists notched a rare win in the Republican-led Senate on Wednesday as a GOP effort to reverse an Obama-era rule restricting harmful methane emissions unexpectedly failed. The 51-49 vote against the repeal measure was a blow to the fossil-fuel industry and groups linked..
Massachusetts Honors Public Water Systems
As part of “National Drinking Water Week,” the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection yesterday announced 55 recipients of its annual Public Water Systems Awards. The awards, presented since 1991, acknowledge the many dedicated drinking water professionals whose accomplishments in main..
Ohio EPA Fines Pipeline Builder
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio’s environmental regulators have issued a $430,000 fine against a company building a natural gas pipeline from West Virginia to Michigan. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency says the fines stem from water and air pollution violations at a number of locations. State o..
Oklahoma Passes Law Against Pipeline Trespassing, Vandalism
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Oklahoma has adopted a law that imposes steep fines or prison time against people convicted of trespassing at a critical infrastructure facility to impede operations. The Oklahoman reports that the measure went into effect Wednesday after being signed by Gov. Mary Fallin. Anyo..
New Mexico Electric Utility Agrees to Settle Rate Dispute
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico’s largest electric provider has reached a settlement with regulators, the state attorney general and others over a rate increase scheduled to take effect next year. The parties said the proposed settlement was filed Friday with the state Public Regulation Commiss..
Arkansas Capitol to Close for Sewer Line Repairs
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – Sewer line repairs at the Arkansas state Capitol will require the building to be closed for at least a weekend, and perhaps for several weeks. Officials in Secretary of State Mark Martin’s office told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (http://bit.ly/2pVGmrm ) that the sewer lin..
Colorado Needs More People Monitoring Pipeline Safety
DENVER (AP) — State records show Colorado has only three people assigned to check on the safety of pipelines running from about 54,000 active oil and gas wells, a task that came under scrutiny after a leaking pipeline was blamed for a fatal house explosion. The Denver Post reported Sunday (http://d..
Colorado Pipeline Explosion Brings Calls for Safety but no Quick Fix
DENVER (AP) — Colorado regulators have ordered a snap review of oil and gas pipelines after a fatal house explosion near a well, but they haven’t said how they plan to fix a fundamental flaw in the system: They don’t know where all those pipelines are. Matt Lepore, the state’s top oil and gas..
API: Oil and Gas Infrastructure Could Create 1 Million Jobs
API has released a new study that shows private investment in U.S. natural gas and oil infrastructure could create more than 1 million U.S. jobs. API contracted with ICF to analyze the scope of the economic opportunity and the amount of oil and natural gas infrastructure development likely in the U..
Regulators Seek More Utility Work for Mississippi Companies
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi regulators want utilities to do more to hire companies based in the state, proposing an administrative rule that would require regulated private utilities to keep lists of interested companies and notify them of contracting opportunities. The Public Service Commiss..
DOE Awards 21 Energy and Water Infrastructure Contracts
The Department of Energy has awarded 21 new energy and water saving contracts to private-sector companies that will help improve the efficiency of federal facilities. These indefinite delivery indefinite quantity energy savings performance contracts are awarded to energy service companies that provi..
West Virginia Targets Broadband Growth, Flood Protection
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Two newly signed laws in West Virginia are intended to extend broadband internet service to unreached parts of the state and help it better prepare for major flooding. The broadband measure acknowledges the Legislature and governor have set a primary goal of making ev..
Colorado Bill Would Help Utilities Produce and Store More Gas
DENVER (AP) — A Colorado Senate committee on Wednesday passed a bill to save a state energy agency from extinction — but with caveats that would drastically reduce the agency’s renewable energy portfolio and make it easier for some utilities to produce and stockpile natural gas. The latter provisio..
Report: Nearly One in Four Americans’ Drinking Water Comes from Untested or Contaminated Systems
77 million Americans, roughly a quarter of the U.S. population, were served by water systems reporting violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act in 2015, according to a report issued today by the Natural Resources Defense Council. The offenses ranged from arsenic to nitrate contamination, and includ..
Indiana Cities Rush to Control Wireless Equipment Installation
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Two Indiana cities are rushing to maintain control of where wireless equipment can be placed. The South Bend Tribune (http://bit.ly/2oENTxF ) reports that a plan approved by the Legislature will allow telecommunications companies to place equipment without a permit from loca..
PHMSA Raises Fines for Violations of Pipeline Safety Regulations
PHMSA has issued a Final Rule to alter its regulations and raise the maximum civil penalty amount for violations of federal pipeline safety law. According to the Final Rule, the maximum civil penalty for a single violation is now $209,002 for each day the violation persists, or $2,090,022 for a rel..
Lawmakers Don't Want Illinois' Water to Hit Rock Bottom
SPRINGFIELD (AP) – Lawmakers and environmentalists from parts of Illinois that rely on groundwater want tougher monitoring of porous rock quarries that are being “reclaimed” by filling them with construction waste, saying they want to regulate them to make sure drinking water doesn’t become contamin..
Plastics Firm to Pay for Water Design Work in Vermont Town
BENNINGTON, Vt. (AP) — A plastics company that once used a chemical that has been found in local private water systems is going to repay the state of Vermont about $760,000 for engineering studies of extending municipal waterlines to affected homes in Bennington and North Bennington. The chemical P..
FERC Member Won't Pursue Another Term
WASHINGTON (AP) — One of the two remaining members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission says she will not seek a second term, a move that could leave the five-member panel with a single commissioner and further hobble its ability to make decisions. Democrat Colette Honorable said Friday ..
$80 Million Infrastructure Bill Fails in Montana
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana lawmakers adjourned the 2017 legislative session Friday just like they did two years ago — failing to authorize bonds to pay for state infrastructure projects after negotiations collapsed and threats failed to sway intransigent legislators. The Montana House tried twice..
West Virginia American Water to Pay $126 Million Over Chemical Spill
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — Residential customers and small businesses could receive thousands of dollars under a proposed settlement with the companies sued for a chemical spill and resulting water crisis in West Virginia’s capital area three years ago. If the federal court approves, the settlement f..
Michigan Legislature Sends Federal Funding to Flint
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan Legislature is sending Flint $100 million in federal funding to address the water crisis. Then-President Barack Obama and Congress approved the aid in December. State lawmakers voted Thursday to officially pass the money along to Flint. The federal fund..
Montana House Again Rejects Infrastructure Bonding Bill
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The Montana House has voted down an $80 million infrastructure bonding bill after rejecting similar bills three times this session. However, representatives then voted Thursday to try another vote on the issue later. The House needed a supermajority of 67 votes to ap..
Last Chance for Infrastructure Bill in Montana
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The Montana House will get one last shot at passing an $80 million infrastructure package Friday, with the Senate promising to adjourn the legislative session that afternoon with or without a bill. Gov. Steve Bullock, lawmakers and lobbyists have been scrambling to secure..
Michigan County to Get $3 Million to Fix Sinkhole
LANSING, Mich. (AP) – The state of Michigan will give Macomb County $3 million to deal with a sinkhole in suburban Detroit. The agreement struck Tuesday among legislative leaders and Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration resolves a fight between the House and Senate over whether the aid should be a loa..
Texas County Receives Funding for Water Pipeline
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has approved $900,000 in financial assistance, consisting of a $70,000 note and $830,000 in loan forgiveness from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, to Nueces County on behalf of the Cyndie Park 2 Water Supply Corporation. The financial assistance will..
Washington Governor Signs Safe Digging Bill
OLYMPIA, Wash (AP) – Governor Inslee signed a bill designed to save lives, or at least prevent headaches. We’ve all seen the signs: Call before you dig. The worst case scenario for ignoring the warning is tragic: An exploding gas line or thousands of volts of electricity shooting up through a shov..
Maine Town to Get $5M from USDA to Make Wastewater Upgrades
NORRIDGEWOCK, Maine (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is giving the town of Norridgewock $5 million in grants and loans to make improvements to wastewater infrastructure. The money will come in the form of a loan of $2.8 million and a grant of $2.2 million. The USDA says the sewer system se..
- Intrepid Fiber breaks ground on fiber optic network in Superior, Colo.
- Excavator collides with I-95 overpass in Henrico, Va., causing multi-vehicle crash
- Shrewsbury, Mass., expands sewer inspections and cleaning efforts
- Two workers rescued after hours trapped in Mich. trench collapse
- Trump calls for Keystone XL pipeline revival, but developer has moved on
- Illinois overhauls Peoples Gas pipeline program, mandates focus on high-risk pipes
- Ameren Illinois to invest $140 million in natural gas pipeline replacement program
- Charlottesville, Va., to begin work on 24-inch water line for Rivanna River crossing
- Mass. governor slams Trump for ‘dangerous delay’ of $50 million in lead pipe replacement funds