California Transportation Investment at Stake in November
June 26, 2018
California legislators voted in the spring of 2017 to raise the state’s gas tax for the first time in 23 years. Gov. Jerry Brown praised the decision and signed the bill, SB1, into law, ushering in $5 billion worth of revenue to pay for roads, bridges, and transit projects that would increase safety, ease congestion,......
Senate Appropriators Fund High Hazard Dam Rehab Program
June 22, 2018
This week, the Senate Committee on Appropriations passed its Fiscal Year 2019 Homeland Security Appropriations bill. The $48.334 billion bill, which is an increase of $611 million compared to the FY18 enacted level, includes $250 million for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Flood Hazard Mapping and Risk Analysis, which is a $12.5 million decrease......
States Wrap Up Legislative Sessions For 2018
June 07, 2018
As state legislatures across the country are wrapping up their sessions for 2018, lawmakers in several states acted this year to make investments to address their states’ infrastructure needs. In Colorado, Governor John Hickenlooper (D) signed a major bill to fund transportation infrastructure projects. The legislation calls for periodic transfers from the state’s general fund......
California Infrastructure Propositions Win at Primaries
June 06, 2018
Yesterday, California voters were tasked with weighing in on Propositions 68 and Propositions 69 in addition to making their candidate selections for November’s general election. These measures needed only a simple majority to pass: Proposition 68, approved with 56% of the vote, will provide $4.1 billion in funding to various natural resources-related programs. California is......
National Dam Safety Awareness Day Across the Country
June 01, 2018
On May 31, individuals and organizations across the country recognized National Dam Safety Awareness Day. This event is held each year in memory of the May 31, 1889 South Fork Dam failure in Johnstown, PA – the nation’s worst dam failure. Today, many organizations used the day as an opportunity to look back on......
NEHRP Reauthorization: ASCE Members Testify in Huntington Beach
June 01, 2018
Nearly a decade after it’s authorization expired, Congress may finally be getting around to reauthorizing the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program (NEHRP). The Senate made the first move last fall with the introduction by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) of the S.1768 – NEHRP Reauthorization Act. The bill would reauthorize the program......
ASCE President, Kristina Swallow, Testifies Before Senate EPW Committee
May 10, 2018
On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) held a hearing entitled, “Legislative Hearing on America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018” about the importance of long-term, strategic investment in America’s water resources systems. Kristina Swallow, President of ASCE, testified before the Committee along with four other champions of water infrastructure: Pat......
ASCE Testifies Before House Small Business Committee
April 26, 2018
Yesterday, U.S. House of Representatives Small Business Committee held a hearing entitled, “American Infrastructure and the Small Business Perspective” to explore how infrastructure needs impact small business. Marsia Geldert-Murphey, member of the ASCE Board of Direction, testified before the committee along with members from the National Stone, Sand, and Gravel Association; NTCA – the Rural......
ASCE Gives Missouri Another C-
April 26, 2018
The 2018 Report Card for Missouri’s Infrastructure was released today and gave the state an overall grade of a “C-.” Eleven categories of infrastructure were assessed by ASCE’s Kansas City Section, with assistance from the St. Louis Section. Of the 11 categories, six were in mediocre condition and five were in poor condition. Aviation, bridges,......
Water Week & Earth Day: America’s Water Needs
April 20, 2018
This week, people around the world are advocating for access to clean water, cleaning up local rivers, and doing their part to conserve water in honor of Water Week, which was April 15-21 and Earth Day on April 22. In Washington, D.C. this week’s Water Week Fly-In event brought together a number of water advocacy......