Riverkeeper, Ossining, N.Y., is crying foul over the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council's last-minute notice for a "crucial" vote today, Aug. 20, pertaining to the planned Tappan Zee Bridge project. The agency's rules require two weeks' notice for such meetings, and the NYMTC gave only three days, Riverkeeper says. The council is in session this morning to decide whether to adopt resolutions that reportedly would pave the way for the state to apply for federal loans to help fund the project. Cost estimates for the project range from $4.6 billion to $5.6 billion.NYMTC officials could not be reached for comment.A
JetBlue Airways, New York, says it will reschedule the groundbreaking ceremony for its new international arrivals building at John F. Kennedy International Airport's Terminal 5. The airline did not provide a new date or say why it would not keep to the originally scheduled Aug. 20th date. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey officials approved the expansion project last June. Completion is set for early 2015.The new facility, dubbed T5i, will add 145,000 sq. ft. of space on three levels of the 635,000-sq.-ft. Terminal 5 site. The project includes dedicated gates for its international arrivals and a new
This has been a strong year for wind-power capacity increases, but some experts are worried about the industry's future. They point to increased industry layoffs and plant shutdowns as well as the impending expiration of the renewable energy production tax credit (PTC) as evidence that as early as next year the market may weaken. Photo Courtesy of Dennis Schroeder/NREL New Turn: Wind power capacity is up in the U.S. but some industry firms face layoffs. Even so, the U.S. ranked as one of the world's largest and fastest-growing wind markets last year, with wind power representing 32% of all new
The 315-mile-long Hudson River, which flows in the eastern part of New York state from high in the Adirondack Mountains down to the Battery in New York Harbor, has always been a pivotal waterway in the U.S.—for business and pleasure.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a group of 209 chemicals that have very good thermal and electrical insulating properties, were widely used in industrial applications for decades beginning in 1929, when they were first commercially produced under the Aroclor trade name.
City and other officials are investigating why a crane's steel load hit and shattered windows on the 45th and 46th floors of 4 World Trade Center on June 27th. There were no injuries, said a spokesman at the FDNY, which received the call about the incident at 11:30 a.m. Tishman Construction, the CM on the 72-story tower, says it has suspended steel lifts pending the investigation, is inspecting the entire facade of the building and reviewing protocols for evaluating weather conditions. Photo by Joe Woolhead The tower recently held a topping out ceremony to mark completion of steel erection. "A
Mergers and acquisitions have heated up recently in the engineering sector. Recent deals include the merger of Clough, Harbour & Associates (CHA), Albany, N.Y., with RW Armstrong. Indianapolis, earlier this month. The combined $210-million firm has 1,250 employees, which CHA intends to expand to 2,000 by 2016. Terms of the merger were not disclosed.Under the deal, RW Armstrong has become a wholly owned subsidiary of CHA.RW Armstrong, which will retain its name, has 500 employees in 11 offices in the U.S. as well as offices in Azerbaijan, the Middle East, North Africa and the Pacific Rim.CHA, which has 30 offices
Many contractors in the tristate region say that two factors will largely determine the industry's robustness in the year to come—the economy and the upcoming general election. They reason that until the economy gains momentum, owners and developers will not shake their wait-and-see attitudes; and, until the next Congress is elected, federal funding levels for agencies and programs will remain a mystery with many projects left in limbo. Even so, contractors in the tristate region say they expect next year to be similar to 2011 and 2012 in that work will be available, but the volume of projects will not
Starting up an energy-focused contracting firm in the early days of energy-sector deregulation in New Jersey seemed like a good idea at the time to Frank DiCola, Michael Jingoli and Joseph R. Jingoli Jr.
The New York State Thruway Authority and 14 labor groups have given the nod to a project labor agreement (PLA) for the Tappan Zee bridge replacement project, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office announced on June 18. The PLA, which is expected to save taxpayers about $452 million and provide thousands of construction jobs, will be a required provision of the RFP for the new bridge project. The agreement is subject to final approval from the Federal Highway Administration and the Thruway Authority board of directors. Photo Courtesy of New York State Thruway Authority The plan includes employment opportunities for union members