BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Iowa regulators want owners of the Dakota Access Pipeline to provide expert analysis to back up the company’s claim that doubling the line’s capacity won't increase the likelihood of a spill, a requirement their counterparts in North Dakota haven't imposed. Texas-based Energy Transfer wants to double the capacity of the pipeline to as much as 1.1 million barrels daily to ... Read More

DULUTH – A massive, multiyear highway interchange project has been scaled back after going $100 million over budget even before construction starts this spring, but project backers are hopeful the money can be found. "I plan to drop a bill this session for that funding," state Rep. Liz Olson, DFL-Duluth, said last week. "We can't bond for it, but that doesn't mean I should dial back my ... Read More

Wisconsin regulators authorized construction of a $700 million natural gas generator in Superior Thursday in spite of concerns over the project's environmental impact. The Public Service Commission voted 2-1 to approve a permit for Dairyland Power Cooperative of La Crosse to build the 625-megawatt Nemadji Trail Energy Center, which is to be jointly owned by Duluth-based Minnesota Power. The ... Read More

A Crystal man will serve at least four months in jail along with probation for coercing undocumented laborers to work for his construction company under dangerous conditions that led to permanent injury. Ricardo E. Batres’ victims told the court that his threats and controlling behavior kept them from speaking up initially, and continues to haunt them today. “My family and I live in constant ... Read More

A developer wants to build a senior assisted living community on a portion of the Institute in Basic Life Principles' property on Ogden Avenue just east of Route 83 in Hinsdale. Estimated to cost $95 million, the proposed project from Ryan Companies features 245 units of senior living in a building that would range from two to four stories on the north side of Ogden. The 245 units would ... Read More

Jan. 15--CARBONDALE -- Williamson Energy last month was granted the first of two application approvals for its Pond Creek Mine pipeline, which, if also approved by the Illinois EPA, would dump millions of gallons of mine wastewater into the Big Muddy River. On Dec. 5, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources rendered its final verdict on Williamson Energy's application, approving the ... Read More

Construction is often noisy business, but building a light-rail tunnel in a dense urban neighborhood -- and near freight train operations -- can be downright challenging. The contractor hired to build the $2 billion Southwest light-rail project is using special equipment and methods to construct a half-mile tunnel for trains near the Kenilworth corridor in Minneapolis. The idea is to minimize ... Read More

After questioning the legality of a demolition moratorium to address gentrification around The 606 trail last week, Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Tuesday endorsed a similar plan by Northwest Side aldermen who have been trying to find ways to stop working class families from getting priced out of their homes. The new ordinance is smaller in scope than the one Lightfoot criticized last week, saying ... Read More

Jan. 14--New decade, new RoboCop statue update. The work of art that began as an offbeat idea back in 2011 is now almost finished, according to one of the men who launched its crowdfunding campaign. "The casting is completely done. All that is left is applying the patina and welding the large sections together," said Brandon Walley of the Imagination Station via email in a status update on the ... Read More

Chicago’s aviation commissioner is promising that the massive $8.5 billion rehabilitation of O’Hare International Airport will get done on time, and with minimal disruption for both travelers and airlines. “My No. 1 goal is to have someone come through Chicago and not even know we’re under construction," Commissioner Jamie Rhee said. “We want to bring this in on time and on budget, and we want ... Read More