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The article focuses on various approach of the U.S. government for to provide enough water supply in areas where the supply gets insufficient when population increases as a result of tourist seasons. Topics discussed include the PURE water program of San Diego municipality involving indirect potable reuse (IPR)treatment, public opposition to potable reuse projects, direct potable reuse (DPR) projects in Texas and views of Greg McIntyre, president at water consultant CH2M Water, on IPR use.

The article considers environmental engineering related to hydraulic fracturing in prospecting for shale gas and petroleum. The large amounts of water used in hydraulic fracturing is noted. Efforts by companies engaged in hydraulic fracturing to recycle and reuse the water employed in hydraulic fracturing, both to lower costs and reduce strain on water supply, are discussed. Alternative sources of water for hydraulic fracturing are considered, especially drainage water from abandoned mines.

The article reports on the three innovative green projects of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority for its wastewater treatment plant. The first project aims to reduce total nitrogen in the plant system by enhancing nitrification and expanding denitrification processes. The tunnel project intends to accommodate and store peak water flows, while the biosolids program consists of upgrade to thermal hydrolysis process and anaerobic digestion.

The article reports on the disputes regarding the discovery of a natural gas reserve in Marcellus Shale Formation in Pennsylvania. The primary concern has been on the method of gas extraction which uses the technique known as hydraulic fracturing. The author discusses the claims of concerned groups regarding the harmful effects of this method to the environment and to the residents. He describes the actions of the U.S. government in analyzing the safety of hydraulic fracturing and in finding alternative ways to extract the natural gas.

This article discusses the U.S. reaction to the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan in 2011. It highlights the emergence of the issue on the safety of nuclear power plants in the U.S. It notes the challenge facing the nuclear industry to assure the public about nuclear safety. In addition, the article states the effort of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to review lessons learned from the nuclear accident.

This article reports that industry veteran David Sherman has been brought in by Indianapolis, Indiana Mayor Greg Ballard to head the city's Public Works Department and help with the remediation of its wastewater systems. In 2008, Ballard inherited an old consent decree to bring the city in compliance with the Clean Water Act and a project to expand its wastewater treatment systems. The city adopted a mix of value engineering and innovative green approaches to absorbing water runoff prior to reaching the upgraded wastewater treatment plans.

The article reports that new regulatory requirements in the U.S. have been driving new projects and technological advancements to refit older municipal wastewater systems. Dave Clark of HDR's wastewater division cites the need for more capacity and regulatory pressures as the biggest drivers of new projects. According to sources, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) has helped municipalities accelerate their project schedules. There is pressure facing states to develop water-quality standards for nutrients.

The article examines the issues concerning employment opportunities offered by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for the construction industry. Like many others, Associated General Contractors Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Stephen Sandherr complained that ARRA consists of hyper-inflated bid lists, caused the delay of municipalities in funding larger and longer-term projects, and distracted lawmakers from work on job-growth schemes like banking reform. Criticisms on the government's program for clean-energy design and technology are discussed.

The article offers information on the publication's Top 200 Environmental Firms. The 2008 revenue for the Top 200 companies increased by over 52%, which is 13.6% higher compared with 2007. According to Bill Siegel, chief executive officer (CEO) of the Kleinfelder Group Inc., sellers recognize the value of established but employee-owned companies. Executives of ERM pointed out that corporate reputation could still motivate clients although required cleanups have been extended to comply with environmental-liability requirements.

The article focuses on the global environmental market. Industry insiders say that projects are plentiful as developing nations continue to seek to update and upgrade deteriorating or inadequate water infrastructure, while improvements in technology put systems that were once considered too costly within reach for many. According to Dick Fox, chairman and CEO of Camp Dresser & McKee Inc., drought and competition for water in many parts of the world are leading cities and nations to move toward a total water management approach.

The article focuses on the budget outline launched by U.S. President Barack Obama for fiscal year 2010. The response of Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and Jeff Shoaf of the Associated General Contractors to the proposal is described, as well as the possible impact of shifting trust-fund money from the current separate dedicated fund into general discretionary spending on long-range planning and investment. The allocation of the budget to construction and transportation groups is also cited.

The article reports on the U.S. stimulus program on public works contracts. According to the article, the administration decided that states will receive about $40 billion of the stimulus measure's estimated $130 billion in construction-related funds. It also explains that state Department of Transportations and local transit agencies that receive stimulus funding will have to file periodic reports to the U.S. Congress about their planned projects. Beyond transportation, the stimulus also includes $3.9 billion for clean water State Revolving Funds.

The article focuses on the report from McGraw-Hill Analytics that drought, population growth and aging water infrastructure are driving states and municipalities in the U.S. to improve their wastewater and drinking water supply systems. It also revealed that in 2006 contracting for sewers, wastewater and hazardous waste projects grew 9%, to $14.5 billion, and it will continue in 2007 and 2008. Much of the work in sewer lines stems from more stringent federal and state standards for combined sewer overflows (CSO).

The article focuses on the impact of worldwide concerns over greenhouse-gas emissions and global warming on the powerplant design and construction market in the U.S. TXU Corp. cancelled eight of the 11 planned coal-fired plants due to environmental concerns. Entergy is planning to add a unit at its Grand Gulf site in Missouri. Sargent & Lundy will provide engineering services for the interconnection of Phase 2 of Horizon Wind Energy's Twin Groves Wind Farm to the electrical grid in Illinois.

The article reports on impact of rising diesel prices on the operating costs of aggregate-mining companies. According to a report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the escalation of fuel costs was affected when global demand for oil increased and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita debilitated Gulf Coast refining infrastructures. Moreover, equipment for quarry operations will undergo changes as new emission regulations, called Tier 4, for off-road equipment are adopted.

The article focuses on the U.S. State Department's rejection of a permit request to build Keystone Pipeline Project that would link Canadian crude oil market with that of the U.S. Topics discussed include project becoming a symbol of the U.S. stance for greenhouse gas mitigation, the views of Stephen Sandherr, chief executive officer (CEO) of Contractors of America, on the same, and appreciation from environmental fundamentalists of U.S. President Barack Obama for the decision of rejection.

The article reports that the time line for coastal restoration projects will be accelerated, as BP Exploration and Production Inc. has seen an agreement with the U.S. Dept. of Justice over the damages caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to the Gulf of Mexico. It presents the views of Loretta Lynch, Attorney General of the U.S., on the settlement. It highlights that under the settlement, the Gulf states will be receiving Clean Water Act penalties for coastal restoration.

The article reports on the bankruptcy of the solar panel manufacturer Solyndra LLC in Silicon Valley, California, which was announced on August 31, 2011. It says that the bankruptcy led congressional Republicans to question the viability of the loan guarantee program of the U.S. federal government for renewable projects. According to the author, the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama is showing no signs of faltering in its commitment to solar power so far.

The article reports on the passage of a stopgap Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) extension bill through September 16, 2011, which temporarily ended a congressional stalemate that had force the FAA to issue stop-work orders on over 200 airport modernization contracts in the U.S. It says that U.S. senators approved the extension unanimously during a pro forma session. The author adds that the bill trims the Essential Air Service (EAS) program that subsidizes flights to rural airports.

The article reports that the construction industry and regulators in the U.S. are divided regarding implemented and proposed greenhouse gas regulations by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). One of the regulations is the Clean Air Act which requires states to have plans in place to begin issuing preconstruction permits for the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions building new facilities or existing facilities making major modifications. Texas filed a lawsuit against EPA to prevent it from controlling its permitting program.

The article focuses on the proposal of U.S. President Barack Obama anticipated in the 2011 budget plan that will freeze non-defense discretionary spending at the level of 2010 for the next three years. It notes that this spending mostly consists of construction programs. To further complicate matters, Democrats are said to be facing a filibuster as they went down to 59 votes from a 60-vote majority with Republican Scott Brown's victory in the Massachusetts Senate race on January 19, 2010.

The article reports that a provision in the U.S. landmark health care bill that would require small businesses in the construction industry to provide health insurance to employees divides the industry. According to employer groups like the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA), the bill would make it more difficult for small companies to survive, specifically during the economic crisis. Labor unions note that the provision fixes a loophole that would have exempted most firms in the industry from providing insurance coverage.

This article reveals that the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama has been considering increased public-works funds as part of a recovery plan. According to figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the jobless rate in the country reached 10.2% in October 2009, while the construction sector shed 62,000 jobs. The Worker, Homeownership and Business Assistance Act, approved by Congress in November 2009, extends and improves American Recovery and Reinvestment Act housing and business tax breaks and unemployment benefits.

The article reports on the increase in the construction projects of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The agency has awarded contracts totaling about 1.1 billion U.S. dollars for projects involving about 120 buildings. According to Anthony Costa, acting commissioner of Public Buildings Service of the GSA, at least 20 of the 120 projects are already under construction.

The article reports on the approval of the landmark global-warming bill in the U.S. House of Representatives on June 26, 2009 by a 219-212 vote. Although the bill is deemed to be supported by various groups and is prioritized by the administration of President Barack Obama, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 is expected to face challenges in the Senate due to the presence of Republicans and moderate Democrats, who may prevent its passage. The legislation is aimed at decreasing greenhouse-gas emissions by over 80% by 2050.

The article reports on a global-warming bill approved by the Energy and Commerce Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives on May 21, 2009. The legislative bill is reportedly advocated by a number of environmental groups, corporations, electric utilities and energy companies. The bill aims to lessen greenhouse-gas emissions by 83 percent by 2050 through a cap-and-trade system and a number of other renewable-energy and energy-efficiency requirements.

The article reports on an increase in demand for contracted project-management (PM) and construction-management (CM) services in the U.S. According to Todd Wager, executive vice president of business development at Parsons Corp., the steady loss of contracting officers and other administrative positions in federal agencies has created a demand for contracted PM and CM services, which is likely to increase in response to the economic stimulus. It talks about the efforts of several federal agencies to seek help from the private sector.

The article reports on the implementation and distribution of funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to local communities and utilities by several U.S. states. Agency and industry sources that the arrival of funds will help cash-strapped communities, create jobs and advance projects that were previously stalled. The first of the ARRA funds of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) were awarded for drinking water and wastewater projects in April 2009.

The article deals with the funding for drinking-water and wastewater infrastructure included in the final economic stimulus package in the U.S. Funding for drinking-water and wastewater infrastructure both received big boosts, with $2 billion allocated for the drinking-water state revolving fund and $4 billion for the clean-water State Revolving Fund (SRF). One provision drops the 20% matching requirement for states drawing on the SRF to expedite use of the funds.

The article reports that utilities around the U.S. are keeping an eye on a new waste-to-energy plant being built in Rialto, California. The plant will convert biosolids from nearby wastewater treatment plants into a renewable fuel that will be used as an alternative to coal to partially power local cement kilns. The facility is expected to use less energy to treat and recycle biosolids than traditional methods and will be the first commercial application of its kind.

The article looks at the implications of the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia concerning the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR). In a case filed by North Carolina and several utility companies, the federal appeals court said in a unanimous opinion that CAIR had fundamental flaws and no amount of tinkering will transform it into an acceptable rule. Such decision is said to limit the air pollution enforcement power of the administration of President George W. Bush.

The article reports that green building experts are calling for more standard measures of greenhouse-gas emissions that can be used in the development of carbon calculators that quantify the impact of development on the environment. The tool is expected to become a mainstay in green-building design thanks to likely future legislation that will require developers to take carbon footprints into account. A major limitation of some calculators has been the lack of consistency in quantifying greenhouse-gas emissions.

This article states that several major oil companies, including ConocoPhillips, BP Amoco and Chevron, have agreed to pay $422 million for the cleanup of wells and their surrounding areas owned by more than 153 water providers in 17 U.S. states and contaminated by the gasoline additive known as MTBE. Under the terms of a settlement, pending approval by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the oil companies will not only help pay for current remediation costs but will also pay 70% of future costs over the next 30 years.

This article reports on a statement issued by Mark V. Rosenker, chairman of the U.S. National Transportation Board (NTSB), regarding the ongoing investigation for the August 1, 2007 Interstate-35W bridge collapse in Minnesota. According to Rosenker, investigators have found a design miscalculation that may have been central to the bridge's collapse. As a result of those findings, NTSB recommended the U.S. Dept. of Transportation direct states to include effects on gusset plates as they do their bridge load calculations.

The article reports on the decline in workers' compensation insurance rates. The U.S. National Council on Compensation Insurance Council has filed for rate increases in two states but for decreases in nine states. Several states have enacted reforms that typically capped benefits while implementing better medical claims management and anti-fraud measures, resulting to lower compensating base rates. Legislative initiatives to expand benefits and put a cap on compensation are cited.

The article focuses on a hearing about construction problems at a temporary guard camp in Baghdad, Iraq, near the new U.S. Embassy compound. In addition, the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction has given a mixed review of 24 projects in Iraq carried out under a $1.3-billion contract with Bechtel Corp. At the hearing, members of the House Oversight and Government Operations Committee expressed concern that the problems at the Baghdad guard camp might signal larger difficulties at the $592-million embassy compound.

The article reports that rising medical and indemnity costs continue to drive up workers' compensation insurance rates in the U.S. The state struggling with the highest rates for construction workers this year is Montana. Employers in California and Florida have seen workers' compensation rates decline since reforms were adopted in 2003 and 2004. The California Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau, which submits rate filings to the California Department of Insurance, has proposed a 15.9% decrease in premiums to be effective from January 1, 2006.

The article offers information on the lawsuit filed against Michigan Governor Rick Snyder over lead-tainted water in Flint, Michigan and declaration of emergency by Flint Mayor Karen Weaver to address the situation. Topics discussed include drinking-water-supply crisis, door-to-door handling of bottled water to local residents by police, and blaming the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) for the crisis.

The article informs that White House official has defended the decision of U.S. President Barack Obama to reject the Keystone XL pipeline of energy firm TransCanada Corp., and mentions the views of White House spokesman Josh Earnest, on the same.

The article discusses the failure of the U.S. Environmental Protection agency in following the process of reviewing a permit application for a proposed Alaska gold and copper mine.

The article discusses the efforts of U.S. Senate Republications and Democrats to pass a bill for the withdrawal and rewriting of water rule proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers so as to address the problems of construction industries.

The article reports that the U.S. construction companies are preparing for choosing candidates whom they will support in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. It states that several construction unions like the Pipe Fitting Industry of the U.S. have endorsed politician Hillary Clinton for the democratic nomination. It mentions that the Associated General Contractors of America has held the planned series of conference calls with candidates for discussing issues faced by construction industry.

The article reports that the publication of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from new and existing powerplants on October 23, 2015 has opened the floodgates to a barrage of lawsuits.

The article reports that energy company TransCanada Corp. has asked the U.S. State Department to delay making a decision on its Keystone XL pipeline project until the Nebraska Public Service Commission rules on the portion of the proposed route that runs through the state as of 2015.

The article focuses on a report by Bureau of Reclamation related to wastewater spill caused by the Gold King Mine in Colorado, on August 5, 2015. It states that according to the report the wastewater spill in which three million gallons of water was reportedly released into Animas River could have been prevented had the a team from the U.S. Environmental protection agency drilled into the mine to measure the level of water, and presents views of Jim Lyon, of National Wildlife Federation.

The article offers information on the new report card released on October14, 2015 evaluating the low health of the Mississippi River basin, led by the America's Watershed Initiative and presents the views of Harry "Jordy" Jordahl, director of the initiative, on the issue.

The article reports on the plans of the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) for issuing a new proposal in 2016 revising its regulation setting certification requirements for operators of cranes at construction sites and presents the views of Jim Maddux, its director, on the same.

The article discusses possible delay in the implementation of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal in the U.S., highlighting statements of Nick Yaksich, vice president at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, on how it will remove trade barriers for construction equipment manufacturers.

The article discusses the Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference which was held from September 28, 2015 to October 1, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. It states that in the conference a report was released which discussed how water sector and local governments can prevent water pollution and control climatic changes by improving stormwater controls. It states that the ZeeLung membrane-aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) system from GE Power & Water was unveiled in the conference.

The article discusses WaterReuse Symposium held in Seattle, Washington on September 14, 2015 and framework providing guidance for regulatory agencies and utilities to implement projects that convert wastewater into municipal drinking water through direct potable reuse (DPR), released at the symposium. It mentions collaboration of WaterReuse Association, American Water Works Association and Water Environment Federation for framework and include comments from Melissa Meekerof WaterReuse, on same.