Magazine

TC Energy Funding ‘Pipeline Academy’ at Louisiana Technical College

A Louisiana technical college has received a $1 million donation from TC Energy to enable students to gain hands-on pipeline experience at its new “pipeline academy.”

The Toro Company to Reorganize Underground Construction Business

The Toro Company announced it is realigning the organizational structure for its underground construction businesses after the recent acquisition of Charles Machine Works.

US Hammer Gas-Powered Jackhammer

US Hammer has developed a line of gas-powered jackhammers, including the Gas Breaker GB-70 and GB-90 for small, medium and large jobs.

Toro Adds Two Models to TRX Walk-Behind Trencher Lineup

Toro enhanced its TRX walk-behind trencher line with two new models that are designed for exceptional performance, serviceability, ease of use and operator comfort.

John Deere Offers High-Lift Option on 344L Compact Wheel Loader

The 344L High-Lift option offers John Deere compact wheel loader operators increased height and further reach for dumping or stacking, general construction or landscaping and snow removal tasks.

Pipeline Cybersecurity Protection Legislation Moves Forward

House Democrats and Republicans have had trouble agreeing on a pipeline safety bill so far this year, but a second bill faces no such problem. The House Energy & Commerce Committee passed the Pipeline and LNG Facility Cybersecurity Preparedness Act by a voice vote in mid-July, a few weeks before the House left for its August/September work period.

Water Infrastructure Bill Introduced

The Senate is looking to pass bi-partisan water infrastructure bills aimed mostly at providing funding for dams, irrigation and water conservation, and rejuvenation projects in the Western U.S. under the auspices of the Bureau of Reclamation, an Interior Department agency. Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) introduced the most prominent of three separate bills called the Drought Resiliency and Water Supply Infrastructure Act (S. 1932).

PHMSA Likely to Accelerate LNG Rail Shipments

Environmentalists are broadening their opposition to natural gas transportation beyond pipelines by opposing the shipment of liquid natural gas (LNG) on rail cars. Energy Transport Solutions, a Florida company, has applied to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) for a special permit to send 100-plus large tank cars of LNG through Florida on their way to ports for delivery overseas.

RehabZone Generations

Eighteen years ago, a small group of members who had been active participants in the annual Underground Construction Technology International Conference & Exhibition (UCT) were looking for a way to emphasize the importance of the emerging rehabilitation industry.

Avanti Adds Epoxy Product Line to its Injection Solutions

Avanti International introduced the AV-500 epoxy line to its portfolio of injection solutions used to stabilize soils and rock, restore structural integrity, stop leaks and control groundwater. The product offering consists of..

Zealots Seek Change Through Propaganda

Say what you will about the Sierra Club, but its membership includes some dedicated and hard-core people. Historically, they are regularly willing to risk life and limb, endure hardships and suffer all kinds of abuse to achieve their goals. Of course, most rational people question those goals, let alone their tactics. Also, are the often, physical risks and hardships the best way to influence the public? I think not.

Canopy Pilot-Tubes Provides Unique Project Solution

LRL Construction recently completed a project to replace a failing 6-foot-diameter corrugated steel drainage pipe under a busy two-lane U.S. Highway 101 in Manzanita, OR, a scenic, seaside village on the Pacific Ocean in the northwest part of the state.

Michigan Offers Grants for Rural Industry, Infrastructure

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is offering grants supporting land-based industries and infrastructure that benefit rural communities.

Judge Blocks Obama-Era Water Initiative Pending Revision

A federal judge in Georgia has blocked enactment of the 2015 Waters of the United States rule in Georgia and nine other states that filed suit against the measure while it's under review by the Trump administration.

Gas Explosion Hits Office, Shopping Complex

A powerful natural gas explosion badly damaged a Maryland office complex and shopping center Sunday morning, ripping away part of the facade and exposing twisted metal, authorities said.

Saudi Arabia Spending Nearly $830 Million in Water Upgrades Ahead of Heavy Tourist Season

In anticipation of a large tourist season this year, Saudi Arabia is spending $825 million to upgrade its water infrastructure in the city of Mecca along with other holy sites.

John Deere 850L Dozer Pushes Productivity to the Next Level

John Deere’s new 850L dozer is designed to meet the demanding needs of today’s earth movers.

Efficiency Production Unveils Octagon-Configured Build-A-Box Trench Shield

Efficiency Production unveiled the newest innovation in its industry-leading Build-A-Box Modular Aluminum Trench Shielding System.

ClockSpring|NRI Adds Milliken Infrastructure Solutions to its Portfolio

ClockSpring|NRI, a Houston-based manufacturer of critical infrastructure, construction and repair products, and provider of associated engineering support and training services, acquired Milliken Infrastructure Solutions LLC, formerly a subsidiary of Spartanburg, S.C.-based Milliken & Company.

Flyability Launches New Generation of Confined-Space Inspection UAVs

Flyability, a Swiss company that has pioneered indoor inspection and exploration drones, launched a new generation of confined-space, inspection units: Elios 2.

Heather Myers Named Program Manager at NASSCO

The National Association of Sewer Service Companies (NASSCO) named Heather Myers to the newly created position of program manager.

Interplastic Corporation Partners with Univar Solutions

Interplastic Corporation, a subsidiary of St. Paul, Minn., IP Corporation, a specialty chemical company, named Univar Solutions as a new distribution partner in Eastern Canada.

HDD Reunion To Unite Past, Present and Future

When horizontal directional drilling began to spread like wildfire in the late 1980s and 1990s, it was obvious that this disruptive technology was forever changing the face of utility and pipeline construction.

CUIRE Laboratory Receives a 330-kip Actuator

In February, CUIRE purchased a 330-kip actuator from MTS Company for its soil box testing of underground pipes. This actuator will be used for the NCHRP SAPL Project to develop structural design methodology for Spray Applied Pipe Liners (SAPLs) in gravity stormwater conveyance conduits through actual size soil box testing.

Gold Shovel Reorganizes to Better Serve Industry

The Gold Shovel Standard program was established in 2016 to assist in efforts to protect the country’s buried utility infrastructure from accidental damage that can cut off vital services, is costly and poses serious safety risks to construction workers and the general public.

Vermeer Commemorates Year-One Tornado Recovery Efforts, Growth Plans

On July 16, Vermeer Corporation held groundbreaking for a monument commemorating the buildings destroyed by a tornado last July, while celebrating the strength of the Vermeer team, along with the growth and progress currently underway on the company’s expansive campus, commonly called the Vermeer Mile.

New Publication Promotes SUE Understanding, Up-to-Date Practices

Subsurface utility engineering (SUE) is ideally knowing as much as possible about a subsurface project prior to starting the design process. SUE incorporates existing and emerging technology to identify, characterize, and map underground utility facilities.

EPA Finalizes Affordable Clean Energy Rule

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the final Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule, replacing the prior administration’s Clean Power Plan (CPP) with a new rule that empowers states to reduce emissions, while providing affordable and reliable energy for all Americans.

An Apparent Absence Of Common Sense

Berkeley, Calif., gained its whacky reputation back in the psychedelic 60s and 70s. The last few years have seen a resurgence of that nonsensical behavior. The most recent example is an “all-electric” move by the city.

Gas Leak Prompts Evacuations in Downtown Kalamazoo

Authorities evacuated buildings along a two-block stretch of downtown Kalamazoo after construction workers damaged a natural gas line.