Regulatory
Contractor Charged With Felony for Death in Trench Collapse
SEATTLE (AP) — A Seattle contractor has been charged with second-degree manslaughter in the death of an employee who was killed when a sewer trench collapsed in 2016. The Seattle Times reports Philip Numrich allegedly violated and ignored safety regulations, leading to the collapse of the trench at..
Michigan Sets Standard for Chemical Contaminant in Water
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan regulators on Tuesday set a state threshold for chemicals that were once widely used and are being found in drinking water, a move they said will let them issue violation notices and take legal action if needed. The announcement is the latest as Republican Gov. Rick S..
President Trump Signs Orders to Improve Rural Broadband
President Donald J. Trump has signed an executive order and presidential memorandum designed to enhance internet speeds in rural communities across America. According to the executive order, agencies must remove barriers to capital investment and providing broadband services to those in rural commu..
Ex-Senator to Try to Broker Deals in Flint Water Crisis Lawsuits
FLINT, Mich. (AP) — A judge says she plans to appoint former U.S. Sen. Carl Levin as a mediator in lawsuits related to the Flint water crisis. Federal Judge Judith Levy says Levin would work with former Wayne County Judge Pamela Harwood. Levin represented Michigan in the U.S. Senate for more than 3..
More New York Utility Workers Sent to Help Restore Power in Puerto Rico
On Jan. 8, 2018, New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced the deployment of 46 National Grid workers to help restore power to Puerto Rico’s severely damaged power grid from Hurricane Maria in September. “New Yorkers help their neighbors in their time of need and I could not be prouder of the way thi..
Hawaii Water Service Files General Rate Case for Waikoloa Service Areas
Hawaii Water Service (Hawaii Water), a subsidiary of California Water Service Group has filed a General Rate Case with the Hawaii Public Utilities Commission (HPUC) seeking recovery of capital investments in its Waikoloa Village and Waikoloa Resort systems. If approved as filed, total annual revenue..
Louisiana Utility Regulators Looking for New Agency Chief
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana’s state utility regulatory agency is searching for a new top administrator. The Louisiana Public Service Commission is seeking candidates to be its next executive secretary, after Eve Kahao Gonzalez retired from the position, which oversees the day-to-day operation..
Officials: Water Pipe Break at JFK Airport Weather-Related
NEW YORK (AP) — A water pipe break in one of the terminals at New York’s Kennedy Airport on Sunday added to the delays at the beleaguered airport trying to recover from the aftermath of a snowstorm that has stranded thousands of passengers. In a statement, the Port Authority of New York and New Jer..
Kentucky City Declares Water Emergency Amid Cold Conditions
HAZARD, Ky. (AP) — Citing “extraordinary” cold weather conditions, a Kentucky city has declared a water emergency and implemented mandatory conservation measures. The City of Hazard’s Sunday declaration followed its difficulty with supplying all of its utility customers with water because of cold t..
Supreme Court Hears Florida-Georgia Water Dispute
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court appears to be looking for a way to side with Florida in its complaint that Georgia uses too much water and leaves too little for its southern neighbor. The justices heard argument Monday in the long-running dispute between the two states. The fight is over Georgi..
Colorado Considers New Pipeline Regulations after Fatal Explosion
DENVER (AP) — Colorado regulators are considering proposed new rules for thousands of oil and gas pipelines after a fatal explosion last year blamed on leaking gas. The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission opened two days of hearings Monday on regulations for installing, testing and shuttin..
Florida and Georgia Taking Water Fight to Supreme Court
APALACHICOLA, Fla. (AP) — Reminders of the oyster’s pre-eminence in this slice of northwestern Florida are everywhere, from the shells that line the edges of downtown buildings to the paintings of oysters that dot the walls of Apalachicola’s art and history museum. It’s the oysters themselves that ..
Utah Wants Clarity on Regulatory Say over Water Pipeline Project
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Utah officials are seeking clarity on regulatory oversight of a pipeline to deliver Colorado River water from Lake Powell to communities in southwestern Utah. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that state officials are asking the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to hold off on ..
Missouri Senator Confirmed to State Utility Board
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri senators have confirmed appointments of two of their Republican colleagues to serve on tax and utility commissions. Both Silvey and Kraus resigned from the Senate to take the jobs. ..
New York Apartment Complex Fined $400,000 for Illegal Sewer Discharges
As part of ongoing efforts to improve water quality in Coney Island Creek, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has fined Beach Haven Apartments Associates, LLC for illicit sewage discharges. The $400,000 fine is DEC’s single largest penalty issued to a residential build..
Sewer Contractor Punished After Employees Showed Guns and KKK Sticker
MILWAUKEE (AP) — A Wisconsin construction company where employees displayed a Ku Klux Klan sticker and openly brandished firearms at work last month could lose some pending contracts with Milwaukee worth nearly $1 million. A panel of the Milwaukee Common Council on Thursday also considered permanen..
Hundreds of Water Fixtures in Ohio Schools Found With Lead
TOLEDO (AP) — Ohio school districts in the past year and a half have tested drinking fountains and faucets inside hundreds of older buildings, finding that about 10 percent of the fixtures had elevated levels of lead in the water, state records show. About half of the kitchen and classroom faucets ..
4 Flint Schools Found With Elevated Lead Levels in Water
FLINT, Mich. (AP) — Only four schools and care facilities in Flint had elevated levels of lead in their water during recent tests, though one school district refused to allow the testing as the Michigan city recovers from a lead-tainted water crisis. State agencies tested water at 63 of 78 schools,..
Wisconsin Utility to Receive Lead Line Replacement Funding
To help “Get the Lead Out” on both the private-side and public side service lines, the Green Bay Water Utility today announced it will receive $300,000 in funding from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Safe Drinking Water Loan Program. With the funding, the utility hopes to r..
House Panel in North Carolina Backs More Legislation on Unregulated Chemicals
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Some North Carolina legislators want a law passed soon addressing ways to know more about what unregulated chemicals are in drinking water supplies and to better calculate concentrations in the water that appear safe. A House committee voted unanimously Thursday to recommend to..
Agency to Monitor W.Va. Utility Tax Changes in New Law
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The Public Service Commission of West Virginia wants to know how privately owned utilities in the state will be impacted by the new federal tax law. In a release, the commission says it has directed all privately owned electric, gas, water, sewer and solid waste facilitie..
GOP Senator Appointed to Missouri Utility Regulation Board
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Gov. Eric Greitens has appointed fellow Republican Sen. Ryan Silvey to the state’s utility regulation board. Greitens announced Silvey’s appointment to the Public Service Commission Tuesday, the day before the start of the 2018 legislative session. The commission regulat..
Flint Schools' Chief Wants State Plan on Water Testing
FLINT, Mich. (AP) — The head of Flint schools wants a comprehensive plan from the state that includes multiple rounds of testing of faucet and drinking fountain water for lead. Flint Community Schools Superintendent Bilal Tawwab says Wednesday during a news conference that students will not b..
Appalachia Underground Natural Gas Storage Project Clears 1st Hurdle
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Plans for an underground natural gas liquids storage hub pegged as a major job creator for the chemical industry in struggling Appalachia have cleared their first big hurdle. The Appalachia Storage & Trading Hub initiative got approval Wednesday for the first of two applicat..
Pennsylvania Halts Construction on Sunoco Gas Pipeline
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania environmental officials have ordered Sunoco to halt construction of a natural gas pipeline across the southern part of the state, citing a series of spills and other “egregious and willful violations” of state law. The Department of Environmental Protection annou..
Michigan Scrambles to Address Chemical Contaminants in Water
LANSING, Mich. (AP) – While Flint still recovers from a lead-tainted water crisis, Michigan is scrambling to combat potential health risks in tap water that stem from chemicals long used in firefighting, waterproofing, carpeting and other products. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, have..
Greenville Takes Out Short-Term Loan for Sewer Project
GREENVILLE, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi city is borrowing money to help pay for improvements to its sewer system. The Delta Democrat-Times reports that Greenville City Council members voted for the $2 million short-term loan during their final meeting of 2017. The loan is a tax anticipati..
Mayor Says Flint Focused on Replacing Lead Pipes
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Flint’s mayor says city employees are focused first and foremost on replacing lead water pipes but are also working to provide status reports required under a legal settlement. Karen Weaver issued a statement Thursday in response to plaintiffs asking a federal judge to interve..
Michigan: Flint School District not Allowing Water Testing
FLINT, Mich. (AP) – Michigan environmental officials say a Flint school district hasn’t allowed the state to flush lines or test water inside its buildings. The Flint Journal reports that Flint Community Schools officials have declined to comment to the newspaper about the issue. Schools and child ..
Nevada Town Faces $3.6 Million Suit over February Flooding
ELKO, Nev. (AP) — Dozens of northern Nevada residents are suing the city of Elko for more than $3.6 million over damage caused by extensive flooding last February. State Assemblyman John Ellison is among the 60 plaintiffs listed in the negligence suit filed earlier this month in Elko District Court..
- Intrepid Fiber breaks ground on fiber optic network in Superior, Colo.
- Excavator collides with I-95 overpass in Henrico, Va., causing multi-vehicle crash
- Shrewsbury, Mass., expands sewer inspections and cleaning efforts
- Construction worker killed in trench collapse near Prosperity, S.C.
- Two workers rescued after hours trapped in Mich. trench collapse
- Texas contractor penalized by OSHA for repeated trench safety violations
- Final construction phase kicks off for Indianapolis deep rock tunnel
- WES tunnel boring machine retrieved from Oregon river after seven-month project
- Illinois overhauls Peoples Gas pipeline program, mandates focus on high-risk pipes
- Ameren Illinois to invest $140 million in natural gas pipeline replacement program