Florida politicians at the state and national level are trying to prohibit, defund or at least slow down implementation of a new water-quality standard for phosphorous and nitrogen. The new rule, recently issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, addresses the problem of algae blooms and establishes numeric criteria for nutrient pollution, mostly related to nitrogen and phosphorous, in the state’s lakes and flowing waters. Florida’s current standards are narrative-based, or verbal descriptions of clean- water conditions. EPA developed the rule as part of a 2008 lawsuit settlement with the Florida Wildlife Federation and finalized it in November 2010, according
Research is getting under way to develop prescriptive code language and performance-based design guidelines for a “rocking frame” structural system that relies on vertically post-tensioned shear walls for seismic resistance. The system promises to improve seismic performance, reduce rebar congestion and enhance constructibility, says the engineer developing it. Photo: Courtesy of Tipping Mar Placing vertical post-tensioning tendons in ducts in concrete shear walls is known to reduce rebar congestion and simplify construction. Drawing: Courtesy of Tipping Mar “We believe these advantages could significantly impact seismic design and construction of mid-rise and high-rise concrete buildings,” says Steven Tipping, president of structural
Photo: Courtesy of Lester Ali Earlier this month, tenants began occupying architect Frank Gehry’s first residential supertower, which is New York City’s eighth-tallest high-rise structure and the tallest residential tower in the Western Hemisphere. The 76-story building, with its spectacular folded facade, is the first icon to appear on the lower Manhattan skyline since terrorists destroyed the 110-story towers of the World Trade Center. The $875-million building, although not completed, is on time and on budget, says the owner, Forest City Ratner Cos. The rental building’s signature is the undulating waves of stainless steel that reflect the changing light. The
With a winning bid more than 10% below the lowest official estimate, a consortium including American Bridge Co., Coraopolis, Pa., has been named preferred bidder for a $1.3-billion contract to design and build Scotland’s new Forth highway bridge.
Citing the recent Japanese earthquake, Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn (D) called for elected officials to reevaluate their decision to leave the seismically vulnerable Alaskan Way Viaduct (State Route 99) intact until 2016 as part of the deep-bore tunnel program schedule. + Image Map: WashDOT Photo: WashDOT State will spend $20 million to stabilize downtown Related Links: WashDOT interactive simulation of constructon schedule Ron Paananen, Wash. Dept. of Transportation viaduct program administer, couldn’t disagree more. Echoing sentiments of the majority of the Seattle City Council and Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire (D), Paananen says, “To simply close the viaduct without a reasonable
Two members of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee have asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to conduct a “comprehensive investigation” of all nuclear facilities in the United States to assess their capacity to withstand catastrophic natural or man-made disasters. Related Links: Fallout From Nuclear Disaaster: China Puts Brakes on Nuke Power Nuclear Nightmare Updates on Japan: Eyewitness Report From Sendai In a March 17 letter, Committee Chairman Barber Boxer (D-Calif.), and Tom Carper (D-Del.), chairman of the Clean Air and Nuclear Safety Subcommittee, asked the NRC to provide the committee with a full evaluation of the nation’s domestic nuclear
The California High-Speed Rail Authority is expected to meet an Oct. 2 deadline to apply for a portion of the $8 billion set aside for high-speed train development under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The authority’s board approved an application for more than $4.5 billion in federal stimulus funding for engineering, design and construction of the state’s high-speed train system—generating an investment of $9.1 billion when state matching funds are added. Included in the authority’s so-called Track 1 projects list is a request for $400 million in ARRA funds for construction of a Transbay Terminal in San Francisco, the
The new $21.5-million Norridgewock Bridge—one of only two modern tied-arch concrete bridges to be built in the U.S.—is taking shape over the Kennebec River in northern Maine. Photo:Courtesy Of Kleinfelder New Maine crossing replicates concrete tied-arch design, only one of two in the U.S., according to the owner. The new bridge includes a 300-ft center span and two 150-ft approach spans. Four of six transverse braces are now in place, along with 19 intermediate floor beams and three end beams. When opened this fall, it will replace a four-span concrete tied-arch bridge built in 1928, which was one of the
Calgary, Alberta-based TransAlta will shut down its 1,340-MW coal plant in Centralia, Wash., and build a $1-billion combined-cycle natural-gas replacement plant as the result of an agreement with the state that is pending in the Legislature. Photo: Courtesy of Transalta The last remaining coal-burning powerplant in Washington state is scheduled to be replaced by a natural-gas plant by 2025. The agreement, in the works for almost two years, will result in one of the two Centralia units being shut down by Dec. 31, 2020, and the second unit to follow by Dec. 31, 2025. TransAlta will install additional selective non-catalytic-reduction
The U.S. solar energy industry more than doubled its installations in 2010, according to a report released on March 10 by the Solar Energy Industries Association. In total, 878 MW of photovoltaic capacity and 78 MW of concentrating solar power were installed across the country in 2010. The group says the growth was driven by federal programs and the expansion of state incentives as well as by cost declines of about 8% for photovoltaic systems. U.S. solar market installations grew from $3.6 billion in 2009 to $6 billion in 2010, the group says.
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