Pam is ENR’s senior editor for government coverage, focusing on federal environmental and labor issues as they relate to the construction industry. She has a degree in journalism and an M.A. in writing fiction, and has worked previously as both an editor at ENR (2007-2016) and as a freelancer for a variety of publications and clients. One of her favorite gigs involved writing about stars, black holes and the mysteries of the universe for NASA.
The U.S. and Mexico have formally enacted an agreement to invest $474 million across several projects geared toward reducing the amount of untreated sewage discharged into the Pacific Ocean near the border between San Diego and Tijuana.
Federal efforts to counter climate change have received a major boost through a just-enacted $700-billion measure whose centerpiece is a variety of tax incentives and federal funds aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Final congressional approval of measure, which includes funding and tax-credit extensions aimed to reduce carbon emissions through projects in energy, transportation, water, buildings and manufacturing sectors, came in a 220-207 party line vote.
Further study must inform U.S. government actions to address effects of pervasive toxic chemicals on drinking water and the broader environment, says Government Accountability Office report.
Aug. 12 House vote is set for compromise measure that aims $369B in climate spending and could spur $3.5 trillion in new U.S. energy supply infrastructure capital investment in next decade, with project permit reform promised by Sept. 30.
Manchin-Schumer deal, with possible Senate vote by Aug. 5, could push $6B Mountain Valley gas pipeline to finish line but also steers hundreds of millions into low-carbon building material labeling and use on federal projects