Regulatory
Boil-water Advisory Lifted in New Jersey Capital
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Officials in New Jersey’s capital city have lifted a boil-water advisory. A problem with chlorine levels led officials to issue the advisory earlier Tuesday for parts of Trenton. City officials say a technical issue caused a drop in chlorine levels, and federal rules required t..
Officials: $70 Million Bond Sold to Help Fix Sewer Line
FRASER, Mich. (AP) — A $70 million bond has been sold to help pay for repairs to a sewer line that collapsed and caused a sinkhole north of Detroit. Macomb County officials say Wednesday that the bond will cover most of the $75 million cost. About $5 million from the state also will be used f..
Proposed Fine on Pipeline Builder Increased in Wetland Spill
CANTON, Ohio (AP) — Ohio’s environmental watchdog agency has raised the proposed penalty against a company building a high-pressure natural gas pipeline across the state after tests found diesel fuel in samples taken from the 2 million gallons of drilling mud that spilled into a wetland in April. T..
Judge Says Part of Flint Water Crisis Lawsuit Can Proceed
FLINT, Mich. (AP) — A judge has refused to dismiss portions of a sweeping lawsuit against state and local officials in the Flint water crisis. Residents who drank lead-tainted water can continue to press ahead with their claim that their right to “bodily integrity” was spoiled by the disastrous dec..
Mississippi Utility Fined for Water Pollution Violations
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – A Mississippi utility is being fined $55,000 for violating water pollution limits and failing to test air pollution. City-owned Greenwood Utilities agreed to pay the fine to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality. The regulator cited Greenwood Utilities for viola..
OSHA Announces Inaugural ‘Safe + Sound Week’
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has designated June 12-18, 2017, as “Safe + Sound Week,” a new nationwide effort that calls on organizations of all sizes in a wide range of industries to raise awareness of the value and importance of workplace safety and ..
E2 Technologies Awarded $2.4 Million Contract to Upgrade Air Force Infrastructure
E2 Technologies, LLC, a joint venture between the University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) and Concurrent Technologies Corporation (CTC), has been awarded a $2.4 million task order under an Air Force Research Laboratory contract designed to improve the U.S. Air Force’s energy efficiency and in..
Senators Criticize Trump's Proposed Cuts to Rural Infrastructure Programs
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic senators from rural states are criticizing President Donald Trump’s proposed budget, saying it would have “significant negative impacts” on rural America. Trump’s budget released last week would limit rural development programs, which are designed to improve the e..
FERC: Company Can't Resume HDD Activities for Gas Pipeline
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A federal agency has told a company building a high-pressure natural gas pipeline it cannot resume drilling beneath creeks in southeast Ohio and northern West Virginia. The Columbus Dispatch reports (http://bit.ly/2qu1x2r ) the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Thu..
Carbon Emissions Rule in Washington State Under Fire
SEATTLE (AP) — Even as the Trump administration seeks to roll back Obama-era rules to curb greenhouse gas emissions at coal-fired power plants, Washington state is forging ahead with its own rules to cap carbon pollution from big industrial facilities. But the state faces legal challenges as ..
Missouri Senate Committee Advances Utilities Rate Proposal
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ameren Missouri customers wouldn’t likely see a significant increase in their monthly electricity bills under a proposal allowing manufacturers that use a lot of electricity to negotiate lower rates, according to a Missouri Public Service Commission staff analysis presen..
Former Arizona Utility Regulator Indicted on Bribery Charges
PHOENIX (AP) — A former Arizona utility regulator has been indicted on bribery and fraud charges in what prosecutors said was a scheme to funnel $31,000 in payments to him and arrange his purchase of a $350,000 property in exchange for favorable votes for a utility. Former Corporation Commissioner ..
Advocates: Federal Funding of Clean Water Programs Crucial
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — The Trump administration makes a straightforward case for slashing $427 million in federal spending to heal ailing regional water bodies such as the Great Lakes, Chesapeake Bay and Puget Sound: State and local governments should do the work and foot the bill. Supporters ..
OSHA Probing Trench Collapse that Put Man in Hospital
EMERY, S.D. (AP) — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating a trench collapse in Emery that put a man in the hospital. Area Director Sheila Stanley tells the Daily Republic (http://bit.ly/2qjshb1) that an OSHA crew was on the scene Thursday. The inquiry comes after a Tues..
Trump Budget Slashes Money from Clean Water Programs
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump Administration budget released Tuesday slashes funding for the Environmental Protection Agency by nearly one-third, eliminating more than 3,800 jobs while imposing dramatic cuts to clean air and water programs. The White House’s proposed spending plan for the EPA amounts..
Infrastructure Upgrades Help Virginia American Water Receive Rate Increase
Following a 19-month review, the Virginia State Corporation Commission has issued an order that approves new rates for Virginia American Water. The new rates are for the company’s 60,000 drinking water and 20,000 wastewater customers in the City of Alexandria, the City of Hopewell, a portion of Prin..
Missouri House Passes Proposal for Lower Electric Rates
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri House on Wednesday advanced a bill that would allow manufacturing companies to negotiate lower electricity rates than currently allowed, a measure supporters say could bring hundreds of jobs to the southeastern corner of the state but critics argue would raise..
PSE&G CEO Calls for Regulatory Changes in New Jersey
Ralph Izzo, president, chairman and chief executive officer of Public Service Enterprise Group, today called for a set of regulatory reforms in New Jersey that would establish financial incentives for utilities to help their customers reduce at-home energy use, as well as expand access to renewable ..
APWA Honors Top 10 Public Works Professionals
The American Public Works Association earlier this month announced the 2017 Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year. APWA’s Top Ten Public Works Leaders are recognized for the career service achievements of public works professionals. This year marks the 57th anniversary of the Top Ten Leader..
Texas Oil and Gas Regulator Can Operate for 12 More Years
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signed House Bill 1818, which reauthorizes the Railroad Commission of Texas, the state’s oil and gas regulator, to operate for another 12 years. A committee of lawmakers, known as the Sunset Commission, is in charge of reviewing the agency. In 2016, the Railroad Commissio..
Corporation Commission Rejects Utilities' Plea for More Time
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Corporation Commission won’t allow Westar Energy and Great Plains Energy extra time to renegotiate a new merger. After the commission in April rejected the proposed merger, the two companies filed a petition asking for extra time to revise the deal to meet commi..
Minnesota Officials Lower Chemical Limits in Drinking Water
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota health officials have lowered exposure limits for some chemicals that have been in drinking water in the east metro area and Bemidji. The chemicals are known as PFOA and PFOS and were used at a 3M manufacturing site and dumped at sites in Washington County. ..
Missouri Lawmakers to Discuss Utilities Bills
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri House committee on Tuesday will begin considering legislation that Gov. Eric Greitens and supporters have called a job creator, but that critics call a veiled attempt to make it easier for investor-owned utilities companies to raise rates. The proposal allows s..
Few Pipeline Inspection Results After Fatal Colorado Gas Blast
DENVER (AP) — Colorado regulators say few energy companies have reported the results of state-ordered inspections of oil and gas pipelines after a natural gas explosion killed two people. Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Director Matt Lepore warned Tuesday the state could order operator..
New York Providing $10M for Lake Ontario Flooding Recovery
GREECE, N.Y. (AP) — The state is making $10 million in funding available to New York municipalities dealing with flooding along the Lake Ontario shoreline. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday that the funds will support flood recovery efforts such as repairing break walls, roads, culverts and public..
Pennsylvania American Water Files Request to Replace Lead Service Lines
Pennsylvania American Water has filed a request with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission seeking permission to replace customer-owned lead service lines when removing company-owned lead service lines – and to bear the full cost of replacement. Pennsylvania American Water’s proposal allots $6 ..
New York American Water Rate Increase Approved
The New York State Public Service Commission has approved new rates for New York American Water, effective June 1, 2017. The PSC’s rate order reflects an annual revenue increase of $3.6 million for New York American Water’s service areas in Long Island and the Hudson Valley after a 13-month review o..
Illinois Owes $3.5 Million in Utility Bills
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The state is again racking up unpaid utility bills for its Springfield offices as Illinois nears two years without a full budget. Illinois owes about $3.5 million in past-due payments to City Water, Light and Power, City Water, Light and Power spokeswoman Amber Sabin ..
AWWA Testifies on Potential Safe Drinking Water Act Improvements
In a U.S. House subcommittee hearing today, the American Water Works Association testified that updates to the Safe Drinking Water Act are overdue and necessary to assist communities with water infrastructure and compliance challenges. Speaking before the U.S. House Subcommittee on the Environment ..
Senators Introduce Legislation to Address America's Aging Infrastructure
U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and John Boozman (R-Ark.), senior members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, have introduced bipartisan legislation to bring affordable relief to America’s crumbling water infrastructure systems. The bill, S. 1137 – Clean, Safe, Reliable Water Infr..
- 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