Regulatory
New Hampshire Senate Passes House Bill on Water Contaminants
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – The New Hampshire state Senate has passed a House bill aimed at better protecting residents from chemicals in their water. The Portsmouth Herald reports a key amendment requires the state Department of Environmental Services to start a rulemaking process to set maximum contamin..
Flint City Council Blocks Use of Tax Liens for Unpaid Water Bills
FLINT, Mich. (AP) — The Flint City Council has blocked a plan that would have put about 8,000 property owners at risk of losing homes due to unpaid water and sewer bills. Plans for the tax liens on properties across Flint drew protests amid the city’s crisis with lead-tainted water. City Council on..
More Old Sewer Ponds in Texas Being Made Into Wetlands
SAN BENITO, Texas (AP) — More old sewer ponds in a South Texas city are being turned into wetlands to help clean the waters of the Arroyo Colorado. The Valley Morning Star reported Wednesday that the city plans to fill 10 new ponds in the area targeted for a nature park. Officials say Sa..
West Virginia Senators Urge Appalachian Natural Gas Hub
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia’s U.S. senators are urging federal officials to consider building a major natural gas storage and distribution hub in the Appalachian region. In a letter Thursday to National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn, the senators say the White House should examine ..
New York Launches $3 Million Pilot Program to Help Cities Improve Sewer Systems Operations
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos and Environmental Facilities Corporation President and CEO Sabrina M. Ty have selected 10 municipalities to participate in the Municipal Sewage System Asset Management Program, a new $3 million pilot program to help im..
Ohio EPA Releases Draft 2018 Drinking Water Assistance Program Management Plan
The Ohio EPA will hold two public hearings on Friday, June 16, 2017, to accept comments on the draft 2018 Program Management Plan for the agency’s Drinking Water Assistance Fund. The fund provides financial and technical assistance for a variety of projects that help improve or protect the quality o..
New York OKs $62M in Grants, Loans for Local Water Projects
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York state is making $62 million available to help local governments upgrade their sewer systems and drinking water infrastructure. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the investments on Thursday. The money will go to eight different municipal governments in the form of grants..
NTSB Joins Investigation into Fatal Gas Pipeline Explosion
FIRESTONE, Colo. (AP) — The National Transportation Safety Board has joined the investigation into a fatal Colorado house explosion blamed on unrefined natural gas flowing from a severed pipeline. The Longmont Times-Call reported Wednesday (http://bit.ly/2r2W8Rz) the agency got involved because pip..
Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association Supports New York Water Infrastructure Bill
The Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association recently praised New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for his commitment to restoring the quality of the state’s water infrastructure following the signing of the Clean Water Infrastructure Improvement Act. “We applaud Governor Cuomo and the New York State l..
Report: Puerto Rico Has Worst Drinking Water Violation Rate of Any U.S. Jurisdiction
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico has the worst rate of drinking water violations of any U.S. jurisdiction, with dangerous contaminants ranging from lead to disinfectants to coliform bacteria, an environmental group said Wednesday. Nearly the entire island was supplied ..
Judge Approves Partial Settlement in Water Lawsuit
DECATUR, Ala. (AP) — A federal judge has approved a partial settlement in a lawsuit over contaminated drinking water in north Alabama. The Decatur Daily (http://bit.ly/2q6ooEA ) reports that U.S. District Judge Abdul Kallon has approved a $5 million payment by Daikin America to end its part of the ..
$31 Million Awarded for Texas Water, Wastewater Projects
The Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) has awarded more than $31 million in financial assistance for water and wastewater system projects. The projects receiving funding include: $2,333,300 to Rolling Hills Water Service for the replacement of water lines. $15 million to the Crystal Clear Spe..
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..
- 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