Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Holds Hearing On Grid Resilience
February 17, 2022
On Tuesday, February 15 the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis held a hearing entitled “Keeping the Lights On: Strategies for Grid Resilience and Reliability”. The focus of this hearing was investments and policies in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to improve grid resilience, and to discuss future investments and policy needs. While......
ASCE Submits Public Comments on Agency Climate Action Plans
November 11, 2021
Last week, ASCE submitted public comments on three proposed climate action plans drafted by Federal agencies. Plans drafted by 26 agencies were submitted to the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) on October 6, 2021 in accordance with Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. This Executive Order set out to establish......
Nations Converge on Glasgow for U.N. Climate Summit
November 04, 2021
This week, world leaders met in Glasgow, Scotland for the start of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). This year’s conference, like those of years past, convenes with the ultimate goal of setting the world on a path to preventing global temperatures from rising by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-Industrial......
Regulating PFAS: EPA Announces “Roadmap” to Address Forever Chemicals
October 21, 2021
On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) put forward its plan to address the challenges posed by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The PFAS Strategic Roadmap outlines EPA’s plan of action to address the public health and environmental threats these substances pose. The plan was produced by the EPA PFAS Council, which was established by......
October 21, 2021
This year, as everyone comes together on October 21 to Imagine a Day Without Water, it is important to remember the vital importance of our nation’s infrastructure in providing us with clean and safe water. More than 2 million miles of underground pipes provide millions of people with safe drinking water. Wastewater infrastructure, including more......
Congressional Committees Meet to Discuss Hurricane Ida Response
October 07, 2021
As Congress continues to negotiate passage of President Biden’s agenda, multiple committees met this week to discuss the administration’s response to Hurricane Ida, which caused nearly 100 deaths and resulted in billions of dollars in damage from Louisiana up into the northeast. On September 30, Congress passed a continuing resolution to extend government funded, but......
A Once in a Lifetime Historic Investment Warrants Longer-Lasting Materials
July 26, 2021
Guest Blog by Michael McDonagh, Vice President, Engineering & Projects, Steelike A Once in a Lifetime Historic Investment Warrants Longer-Lasting Materials America’s infrastructure received an overall grade of C- in the 2021 American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. Some categories of infrastructure were graded as low as D-. ......
Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework Hits Speed Bump
July 22, 2021
On Wednesday, a Senate vote on the motion to proceed to the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure framework failed (49-51), as was expected. The procedural vote required 60 votes to open debate on the package, crafted by a group of 22 Senators for months. Luckily, the failed motion to proceed is more of speed bump than......
Senate Passes Massive Technology Bill
June 10, 2021
On June 8th, the Senate passed on a 68-32 vote, the United States Innovation and Competition Act, a comprehensive piece of legislation to expand funding for science and innovation and to combat China on economic, scientific, and diplomatic fronts. The bill, containing more than 1,400 pages, authorizes $250 billion for basic and advanced technology research, as well......
Biden Releases Full Budget Request
June 03, 2021
The full details of the Administration’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 budget were released on Friday, May 28 and include the full scope of the Biden Administration’s “American Jobs Plan.” The $6 trillion federal spending plan for FY22 seeks to invest heavily in several government agencies to boost infrastructure and education, expand affordable housing, bolster public......