The U.S. Department of the Interior has published its complete project list which represents $750 million in Stimulus funds.  Projects include but are not limited to new buildings, to  HVAC upgrades, energy efficiency projects, wastewater systems, hiking trails, fencing, photovoltaic systems, pipeline replacement, paving  and roadwork.

On April 16, 2009 the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced the recipients of its 2009 State Damage Prevention Grant Awards. The purpose of these grants is to establish comprehensive State programs designed to prevent damage to underground pipelines in States that do not have such programs and to improve damage prevention programs in States. AGC of America participated in the grant review process with the National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives (NAPSR), the National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA), representatives of State One Call centers, the American Gas Association (AGA), the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA), the Association of Oil Pipe Lines (AOPL) and PHMSA.The review team evaluated applications based on the five (5) criteria listed below. The criteria were weighted in the following order: criterion 1 was most heavily weighted, criterion 2 was second most heavily weighted, criteria 3 and 4 were weighted equally and were third most heavily weighted, and criterion 5 was fourth most heavily weighted.(1) Quality of the Damage Prevention Program. The team evaluated the quality of State damage prevention programs against the 9 elements as listed above and in Section 2 of the PIPES Act of 2006.(2) Jurisdiction of Civil Penalty. The team evaluated whether State damage prevention programs have the authority under State law to assess civil penalties for violations of the State’s One Call laws and a demonstrated ability to exercise such authority; or alternatively, a commitment to seek action from the State legislature to obtain civil enforcement authority.(3) Outreach and Participation. The team evaluated whether State damage prevention programs demonstrate a commitment to being inclusive of all stakeholders.(4) Education. The team evaluated whether State damage prevention programs have programs to educate the public and other parties who can benefit from, or who are essential to, the success of the Statewide damage prevention program, including use of the 811 system.(5) Program Performance. The team evaluated whether State damage prevention programs have a means to measure the effectiveness of their programs and disseminate this information to the appropriate stakeholders.Recipients of the 2009 grants include the Arizona Corporation Commission, Utility Notification Center of Colorado, Georgia Public Service Commission, Indiana 811, Kansas Corporation Commission, Minnesota Department of Public Safety, New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission, New Mexico Pipeline Safety Bureau, Dig Safely New York, Inc., Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, Tennessee Regulatory Authority, Railroad Commission of Texas.For more information on PHMSA and what the 2009 recipients plan to do with their grant awards please click here.For additional information contact Perry L. Fowler at fowlerp@agc.org

National Safe Digging Month is here and there is still time to maximize exposure and generate awareness of the 811 message. With spring projects underway, it’s more important than ever to get the safe digging message out!

In a move that stands to create and sustain thousands of jobs while improving aging water infrastructure, protecting the environment and promoting public health, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded the first round of its $6 billion in Stimulus funds for water infrastructure which were included in the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009.

 AGC of America has expressed substantial concerns with EPA about the impact of the Recovery Act's Buy American requirements on “shovel ready” water infrastructure projects eligible for EPA funding through the Clean Water and Drinking Water SRF programs.  After numerous discussions with AGC the EPA has announced that it will grant a waiver from the “Buy American” provision attached to economic stimulus funds to avoid blocking another part of the stimulus legislation that provides for refinancing of debt for water projects.

Contractors Association of West Virginia Hosts Governor"We've got a lot of work to do and we're getting ready to do it," Governor Joe Manchin told CAWV members and legislators.  The governor was the keynote speaker at a March 12 legislative reception sponsored by the Contractors Association of West Virginia and WV American Water Company.  Nearly 100 legislators, government officials and CAWV members attended the function, which was covered by the local media.Following the Governor's remarks, attendees viewed an overview of the 90-minute documentary, Liquid Assets: The Story of Our Water Infrastructure, and joined local water officials for a lively discussion. Panelists explored the value and cost of water and wastewater services, the unique requirements presented by West Virginia's terrain and the amount of unserved state residents.For more information on how your company or AGC Chapter can use Liquid Assets to raise awareness about water infrastructure, visit www.agc.org/liquidassets or contact Perry Fowler at (703) 837-1983 or fowlerp@agc.org.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publicly released its fourth Drinking Water needs assessment on March 26.The survey identified $334.8 billion in needs for the 20-year period from January 2007 through December 2026.  With $200.8 billion in need over the next 20 years, transmission and distribution projects represent the largest category of need. The other categories, in descending order of need are: treatment, storage, source and "other." To obtain a full copy of the report please visit http://www.epa.gov/safewater/needssurvey/index.htmlFor more information, contact Perry Fowler at (703)837-5321 or fowlerp@agc.org.

Many American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funded construction projects including water treatment facilities, paving , water main and valve replacement are already being advertised on FedBizOpps.Gov the federal government's portal for contracting business opportunities.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publicly released its fourth Drinking Water needs assessment today. The purpose of the Assessment is to document the 20-year capital investment needs of public water systems that are eligible to receive Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) funding.

Texas Comptroller Susan Combs recently issued a report entitled Liquid Assets: The State of Texas' Water Resources. This comprehensive report evaluates the progress Texas is making in securing water resources for the future and information on the current status of water management strategies. According to the Texas Water Development Board demand for water will increase 27 percent by 2060 and if demand is not met it could cost businesses and workers in the state approximately $9.1 billion per year by 2010 and $98.4 billion per year by 2060.To view a copy of the report visit http://www.window.state.tx.us/specialrpt/water