Congress Takes First Step to Develop New Water Resources Bill
November 23, 2015
Several members of Congress from the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee gathered in New Orleans earlier this month to listen to stakeholders offer their wishes for a new water resources bill the Committee has pledged to introduce in 2016. Spearheaded by freshman Congressman Garrett Graves (R-LA), T&I Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) and Water Resources......
Infrastructure in the News: A Major Bill Goes to Conference
November 06, 2015
With the Surface Transportation Reauthorization & Reform Act of 2015 moving to conference committee and elections on Tuesday, news headlines have been buzzing with wishes and concerns for our nation’s infrastructure. The House has officially approved the Surface Transportation Reauthorization & Reform Act, a six-year bipartisan bill that will provide flat-level funding. The bill must......
New York Infrastructure Report Card
September 29, 2015
In the inaugural 2015 Report Card for New York’s Infrastructure released today, the state received an overall grade of “C-” from the New York Council of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Assessing nine categories, the report finds that the state’s roads and bridges are among the categories most in need of repair, receiving grades......
ASCE Provides Expertise at Rockefeller Foundation Resilience Academies
August 04, 2015
Each year the federal government spends billions of dollars rebuilding infrastructure following natural disasters. As we approach the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which cost the federal government $98 billion, and three-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy, which cost $41 billion, federal agencies are beginning to rethink the way government responds to disaster. Prompted in part......
June 18, 2015
Just over a year ago President Obama signed the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (WRRDA) into law. It was the first major water resources bill Congress passed in nearly seven years. Historically, major water resources bills were signed on a two year cycle, but partisanship and a ban on congressional earmarks made......
May 29, 2015
Extreme storms in Texas and Oklahoma are testing the strength of many dams this week. Our thoughts are with those affected, and it is hoped that there are no dam failures contributing to the challenges these communities face. Such failures have had dire effects; it was this same week back in 1889 when the worst......
What You Don’t Know About Vermont’s Dams
April 20, 2015
What you probably don’t know about Vermont’s dams is that no one knows exactly what the condition of these structures is. Just as much as poor condition, it’s the lack of information that poses a risk to Vermont. This is the lesson Jessica Louisos, a civil engineer with the Waterbury firm Milone & MacBroom and......
Virginia’s Infrastructure Struggle for Status Quo
January 23, 2015
With a state that’s growing as fast as Virginia, you’re bound to have growing pains, but none are as striking or obvious as the traffic gridlock across the state. So, would you be surprised that the Virginia Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers gave roads a D grade in their new 2015 Report......
Dams in 26 States Are Getting Some TLC
December 30, 2014
While the average person might think it’s just about farms, the Farm Bill funding for dams was perhaps one of the most unsung wins for infrastructure in 2014. The 2014 Farm Bill that Congress passed in the summer provided USDA with $262 million to distribute to states for rehabilitating dams. The funding provided rehabilitation assistance......
This Week in Infrastructure: The Cascading Effect of Aging Infrastructure
December 19, 2014
As the weather changes and our infrastructure continues to be neglected, issues and disruptions are increasing. Infrastructure collapses, like the water main break in DC, remind us that failing infrastructure is fragile and unpredictable—and should be continuously maintained to help prevent a crisis. On Tuesday in Washington, D.C., a 12-inch water main ruptured below......