Environment

Queensland Utility Awards $165M Stage 1 Contract for Toowoomba-Warwick Pipeline

gottliebb@enr.com (Bryan Gottlieb) — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:05:46 -0400

A first contract award moves northeast Australian water pipeline closer to construction, with challenging geology and trenchless crossings still ahead.

A Newer Sewer Threads Past Hills, Highways and Houses in Portland, Ore.

choa@enr.com (Aileen Cho) — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:00:00 -0400

Steep slopes, narrow streets, a busy interstate highway—and two abandoned trestles—are some of the challenges faced by the Carolina Trunk Rehabilitation project team.

Another Contract for Carp Deterrent Effort

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded an $85-million contract to a Black & Veatch-Stantec joint venture to advance the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, a key effort to keep the invasive fish species out of the Great Lakes. Work will support design of a layered system of engineered barriers and deterrent technologies at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam.

Dubai Selects Teams for Key Contracts of $22B Sewer Tunnel Megaproject

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 16:23:41 -0400

The emirate's government picked two consortia for packages in the Dubai Strategic Sewerage Tunnels project, a public-private venture to modernize Dubai's wastewater handling and treatment infrastructure.

Mass. Beaches Reopen for Swimming After Massive Sewer Main Break North of Boston

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 11:14:11 -0400

A massive water main break spewed sewage into a Massachusetts river, temporarily closing local beaches.

PFAS, Project Funding Are Key Woes as Drinking Water Providers Convene

mcfarlandp@enr.com (Pam McFarland) — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 19:05:04 -0400

Utilities and industry grappled with multiple demands, from 'forever chemical' remediation to funding shortfalls, at American Water Works Association annual meetingheld June 22-24

EPA Proposes Revamp of NEPA Reviews

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 14:19:39 -0400

EPA has proposed revisions to its National Environmental Policy Act process that officials say will speed up reviews and make them clearer and more predictable.

Holtec's Indian Point Nuclear Plant Cleanup Awaits Crucial Water Release Verdict

kormanr@enr.com (Richard Korman) — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 12:19:00 -0400

A planned low-level radioactive water release into the Hudson River tests state versus federal authority over nuclear safety.

Project Cost, Risk Responsibility Debated at Resilience Conference

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 11:54:52 -0400

Speakers at New York City event last month discussed need for communities to be better prepared for drastic changes in water levels.

NJ Punts on Enacting Tougher Coastal Development Rules

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 17:59:00 -0400

Under new Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D), the Resilient Environments and Landscapes rule (REAL) now has one-year reprieve from July 20 before it mandates higher shorebuilding elevations and other requirements for high-risk area—giving pro and con forces more time to battle over likely amendments.

EPA Approves 13-Acre PCB Landfill in Western Massachusetts

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 14:54:57 -0400

General Electric is building a 13-acre landfill in Lee, Mass.

GE Gets Underway on 13-Acre PCB Landfill in Western Massachusetts

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:00:00 -0400

The planned landfill will contain 3 million cu yd of polychlorinated biphenyl-containing sediment from the Housatonic River contaminated from last-century transformer manufacturing

Virginia Beach Begins Initial Phase of $518M Flood Protection Program

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 16:41:45 -0400

The Windsor Woods program totals $518 million for flood control efforts in Virginia Beach, Va.

California Water Agency Ramps Up Novel Deep-Sea Desalination Plan

rubind@enr.com (Debra K. Rubin) — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 15:43:00 -0400

Las Virgenes Municipal Water District this fall will suspend ''pod' at depth in Santa Monica Bay to produce desalinated water using developer OceanWell's innovative technology, with less energy needed and less brine created.

US Commission Asks Mexico to Prioritize Pipes Leaking Raw Sewage in Tijuana River Valley

yodersj@enr.com (Jeff Yoders) — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:54:41 -0400

The parallel gravity line pipe system in the Tijuna River Valley ruptured twice in a period of less than two weeks.

Denver Looks to Sewers, Geothermal Wells for Downtown Energy Network

gottliebb@enr.com (Bryan Gottlieb) — Wed, 27 May 2026 13:23:58 -0400

Denver is testing whether sewer heat, geothermal wells and district thermal infrastructure can retrofit dense downtowns without requiring major electrical-system expansion.

EPA May Allow Some Large Facility Pre-Construction Without a Full Clean Air Permit

Tue, 26 May 2026 17:10:22 -0400

The agency has proposed allowing construction to begin on non-emitting components or structures for power generation, data centers and manufacturing under the federal new source review program.

Sustainability Consultant ERM Teams With AI Firm to Speed Complex Project Permitting

choa@enr.com (Aileen Cho) — Tue, 26 May 2026 14:52:01 -0400

London-based ERM's partnership with Blumen Systems aims to untangle the web of permitting processes, especially for data center projects.

DC Agency Chief Defends Pre-Sewage Spill Maintenance, But System Repair Is Far from Over

Fri, 22 May 2026 15:50:00 -0400

DC Water CEO David Gadis cited long-term access easements, standardized permitting timelines and better regulator field coordination "to prevent a recurrence of the failure," but one stakeholder lamented there was no conclusive spill cause or 'clear plan' to avoid future ones.

EPA Scales Back Limits on PFAS Chemicals in Drinking Water

mcfarlandp@enr.com (Pam McFarland) — Fri, 22 May 2026 12:46:51 -0400

US Environmental Protection Agency wants to maintain legally enforceable limits on the most-studied types of "forever" chemicals known as PFAS but would roll back standards established for four other types, including GenX.

Federal Agency Spending Review Ramps Up in Congress

mcfarlandp@enr.com (Pam McFarland) — Wed, 20 May 2026 14:43:28 -0400

The appropriations process directing use of federal funds in fiscal year 2027 has begun in earnest, with hearings and markups scheduled in both chambers over the next several weeks.

EPA Moves to Ease Coal Plant Wastewater Rules, Raising Questions for Compliance Work

gottliebb@enr.com (Bryan Gottlieb) — Fri, 15 May 2026 12:45:42 -0400

EPA’s proposed coal wastewater rule overhaul could reshape compliance work and environmental infrastructure planning as utilities reassess projects amid regulatory uncertainty and shifting grid demands.

EPA 'Forever Chemicals' Guidance Highlights Areas Where More Research Is Needed

mcfarlandp@enr.com (Pam McFarland) — Wed, 13 May 2026 07:40:00 -0400

EPA's interim guidance on best practices to dispose of and destroy “forever” chemicals highlights widely used technologies, but others need further study.

Utah Nears Completion of 17-Year, 49-Mile Spanish Fork–Santaquin Pipeline

Mon, 11 May 2026 13:56:27 -0400

Crews in southern Utah County are nearing completion on one of the most consequential water infrastructure projects in the Western U.S.

Research Illuminates Pollution Problem in Tijuana River Valley

yodersj@enr.com (Jeff Yoders) — Thu, 07 May 2026 12:10:00 -0400

Trans-border sewage crisis brings new research on how pollution becomes airborne, while Stantec/PCL team delivers rapid expansion of wastewater treatment plant.

Fed Science Board Firings Will Weaken Research that Supports Engineering, Critics Say

mcfarlandp@enr.com (Pam McFarland) — Fri, 01 May 2026 08:24:00 -0400

Terminations of the National Science Foundation's 22-member board, including noted USC engineering school AI researcher Yolanda Gil, could have a chilling effect on scientific and engineering research.

Boston Considers Tapping Waterways for Clean Thermal Energy

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

City hopes thermal energy networks can reduce pollution, mitigate peaks on gas and electric systems and deliver long-term cost savings.

High Court Rules War Zones Do Not Shield Contractors from Liability for Employee Misconduct

mcfarlandp@enr.com (Pam McFarland) — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:43:10 -0400

Fluor is "disappointed" by high court decision on workforce practices for former federal contract in Afghanistan, with several justices also supporting the firm's position,

Appeals Court Overturns Order to Dismantle Florida's Alligator Alcatraz

yodersj@enr.com (Jeff Yoders) — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:56:35 -0400

Federal appeals court rules Alligator Alcatraz can remain open while environmental groups and a Native American tribe challenge it in court.

EPA Acknowledges Superfund Sites at Risk From Extreme Weather

mcfarlandp@enr.com (Pam McFarland) — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 17:14:25 -0400

Studies sound the alarm over the risks Superfund sites face due to a variety of factors related to climate change, such as inland flooding and wildfires.