The Obama administration has announced a slew of initiatives to drive innovation, investment and development of renewable and energy-efficiency projects.
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has formally launched its Utility Engineering and Surveying Institute (UESI), the first national organization designed to provide a broad-based forum for the exchange of ideas and best practices among utility- and pipeline-infrastructure engineers and surveyors.
After a sharp drop in 2013, U.S. installed windpower capacity rose 8% last year, a new Dept. of Energy report says, but it adds that further increases are uncertain, partly because key federal tax credits for wind expired last year and it’s unclear whether Congress will renew them.
New U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed rules would cut methane emissions sharply but oil and gas industry groups contend they would put new requirements on oil and gas companies.
Related Links: EPA"s final rule White House Fact Sheet on the Clean Power Plan The Obama administration’s final Clean Power Plan—the centerpiece of the president’s strategy to address climate change—includes several changes from a 2014 draft, to make it easier for states to comply and still reduce carbon emissions, supporters say.But many construction companies and groups associated with the industry, from cement and steel producers to construction unions, worry that the regulation will cost jobs and boost the cost of electricity.Several states vehemently opposed to what they call the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's "war on coal" say they will file
Related Links: Senate Transport Bill Clears One Hurdle, But More Lie Ahead Racing against a July 31 deadline, congressional lawmakers have wrapped up yet another short-term measure to keep federal highway and transit funds flowing, this time just until late October. With only a day to spare, the Senate, by a 91-4 vote, passed a three-month $8-billion surface transportation extension on July 30. President Obama signed the measure the following day. The House had approved the stopgap on July 29.If the extension hadn't been enacted by July 31, the Dept. of Transportation would have furloughed workers and been unable to obligate
Related Links: EPA's final rule Some statistics on coal ash use from the American Coal Ash Association Construction groups cheered the House’s passage of a bill that would codify the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recent designation of coal ash as a non-hazardous material. The House approved a measure on July 22 that would ensure that EPA maintains its designation of coal ash as a “solid waste” under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).EPA in December 2014 released a final rule that set minimum standards for disposing of coal ash, a by-product of coal combustion. But the agency stopped short
Related Links: Page with link to bill summary American Council on Renewable Energy's media release and link to two policy reports highlighting policy recommendations related to renewable energy. Construction and energy groups are hopeful that, this fall, Congress will pass a bill to extend popular tax credits through the end of 2016. The Senate Finance Committee on July 21 easily approved a $95-billion package of “extenders.” But further action is unlikely before lawmakers begin their August recess. Over the past several years, Congress has dealt with tax-break extensions in the final weeks, or even days, of the year. The Finance
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