Quick Hits

My blogging in IW has been pretty lazy lately. It’s going to be that way today, too. There is just too much interesting stuff going on in the world of infrastructure to wait until I have time to write about it, so here are some quick hits.

Oberstar Leaving House
Longtime Democratic Representative Jim Oberstar, of Minnesota, lost his bid for reelection last week. He chaired the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, so his departure could mean a change in the direction in federal infrastructure priorities, though the ranking Republican committeeman indicates that infrastructure is an investment he and his party can support.

8th District: Cravaack rode GOP wave past Oberstar
Mica Statement on Midterm Elections and the 112th Congress
Oberstar Says Goodbye, Mica Promises Rail and a Long-Term Bill
Oberstar says the people have spoken, bids goodbye
Transportation Lobbyists Vow They’ll Work with the Winners

Infrastructure Measures Did Well On Ballots
We previously mentioned that many infrastructure-related measures were on the ballot in various states and municipalities. It looks like most of them were successful.

2010 Ballot Measures
Big Construction Bonds at Stake this Election
Proposition 1, the Transportation Bond, Approved in Austin
The Silver Lining: 73 Percent of Transportation Ballot Measures Win

Water Groups: Include Water in Infrastructure Bank
Infrastructure bank proposals are still rolling around, but none are likely to pass in the last couple of months of the 111th Congress. Water groups want to make sure that water infrastructure isn’t overlooked in infrastructure bank proposals that might be taken up by the next Congress. There may even be public support for improving aging (and expensive) water infrastructure.

Aging water infrastructure wastes 1.7 trillion gallons a year
Bill Watch--111th Congress
Can We Save America’s Crumbling Water System?
The Corrosion of America
EPA to Survey Community Water Systems to Estimate Capital Investment Needs
Groups Urge Inclusion of Water in Proposed Infrastructure Bank
ITT's Value of Water Survey Reveals That Americans Are Ready to Fix Our Nation's Crumbling Water Infrastructure
The New Oil
Saving U.S. Water and Sewer Systems Would Be Costly
The Value of Water

Missouri: New Transportation Director, High-Speed Rail Funding
The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commissions has appointed Keith Kevin as Director of the Department of Transportation (MODOT). Kevin is a department veteran who served as chief engineer and has been the interim director for the last few months. MODOT also announced it received $4.1 million from the Federal Railroad Administration for high-speed rail projects.

Kevin Keith Named Director of MoDOT
Missouri Gets Another $4.1 Million for High Speed Rail Development
MoDOT Veteran Named New Director

P.S. IW previously mentioned that a St. Louis-area project was in the running for recognition from the American Society of State Highway and Transportation Officials. It won the grand prize.

A Winning Team
Missouri Transportation Infrastructure Draws Attention

Energy, Transportation & Water News

ENERGY

Bill Would Change Electric Ratemaking in Missouri

State Rep. Rocky Miller, who represents parts of Camden and Miller Counties near Osage Beach, introduced the 21^st Century Grid Modernization and Security Act (HB2816). The bill would substantially change the state’s method of regulating electric utility rates. The method is modeled on processes in Illinois and would allow annual adjustments to electric rates.

Another portion of the bill substantially changes provision related to special electric rates for aluminum smelters. This is largely driven by Noranda, which operates smelter in New Madrid. It seems unlikely that lower or more flexible electric rates will save the company from plummeting aluminum prices.

With the exception of Noranda, large electricity users in Missouri have generally come out against the proposal. Some companies that have expressed opposition to the bill are Purina, Bayer, Ford, General Motors and Procter & Gamble. You can read more about this topic here.

Poop to Power Project Coming to North Carolina

Duke Energy has contracted with Carbon Cycle Energy for the construction and operation of a facility to process animal waste to produce methane gas for fuel. Waste will come from area pig and chicken farms. The gas will be piped to Duke plants as fuel in electric power generation.

North Carolina is the second largest pork producing state in the U.S. Duke is a major electric power producer, particularly in the Carolinas. Carbon Cycle is based in Colorado.

TRANSPORTATION

Barrel Bob Found

Barrel Bob, a character that serves as spokesman for worksite safety for the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT), was found in Columbia on April 1 (no fooling) after he was stolen from his roadside station at highway construction site in Jefferson City on March 19.   The statue, constructed from used orange and reflective white barrels and cones, was previously set on fire by vandals at this location.

This statue was one of seven Barrel Bobs. Each of MoDOT’s districts has one. Bob was scheduled to make appearances at events to promote highway worksite safety beginning April 11, so the agency had resorted to building a new statue before Bob was found. You can find out more here, here and here.

Missourians Could Vote on Fuel Tax Increase

A bill (SB623) is making its way through the Missouri Senate that could increase the state fuel tax from 17 cents per gallon to 22.9 cents per gallon. The tax, if implemented, is expected to bring in $240 million annually. The bill would place a referendum on the November ballot, meaning it would have to be approved directly by voters. Before getting that far, it must complete its path through the General Assembly. The Senate is expected to pass the bill in its final vote in the first full week of April. Afterward it will be considered by the state House of Representatives, where it is not expected to be warmly received. You can read more about this here, here and here.

Significant funding for Missouri roads comes from the federal government (which has its own funding issues). MoDOT is preparing to use cash reserves to match federal grants for transportation projects (more here).

Name a Missouri Highway

An alternative to increased fuel taxes could be the auctioning of naming rights for highways. There is no estimate of how much revenue it could raise, but I’ll go out on a limb to say not enough to persuade the General Assembly to this bill. You can read the bill here. I have the impression the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter who covered this story must have chuckled as he typed.

WATER

Antibiotic Resistance Found in Bacteria Downstream of Wastewater Discharge

Researchers studying the biofilm in a Spanish river found antibiotic resistance genes. These genes occurred as far as 1 km (0.6 mile) downstream from the of a wastewater treatment plant. The genes provide resistance to some antibiotics commonly used in hospitals. You can find more here. In response to the issue of pharmaceutical pollution, some chemists are considering biodegradable drugs.

Infrastructure News (Mostly Missouri)

ENERGY

Safety Valves Required on Gas Connections

The U.S. Department of Transportation, which governs gas pipeline safety through its Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, issue rules that require safety valves to be installed on all new or replacement gas service lines for apartments and small businesses. Excess flow valves automatically shut off the flow of gas when a line is ruptured, limiting the amount of gas that can escape, which will prevent or reduce the severity of fires.

Such valves have been required for new and replacement connections for single-family residences since 2009. The rule does not require existing connections to be retrofitted with the valve.

Tennessee Valley Authority Puts Unfinished Nuclear Plant on the Market

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is offering for sale its Bellefonte Nuclear Plant. TVA began construction of the plant, located near the northeast Alabama town of Hollywood, in the 1970s, but never completed it because regional power demand did not grow as anticipated.

TVA has set a minimum bid of $36.4 million for the plant and 1,600 acres of land along the Tennessee River. This is fraction of the $5 billion the authority has spent on the project. In addition to the unfinished nuclear reactors, the property includes power transmission lines, roads, and several buildings.

TVA cites economic development as a reason for the sale. It hopes industry will be attracted to the developed site and provide employment in the region.

Wind Farm to Start Operation in Missouri

Next Era Energy Resources is anticipating completing construction of a wind farm in rural DeKalb County, MO, in November. The facility will have 97 turbines and be capable of generating 200 MW. Kansas City Power and Light will purchase the energy. Find out more in this article from the St. Joseph News-Press.

ENGINEERING

Engineering Educators Elect First Black Woman President

The American Society for Engineering Education elected Bevlee Watfort as its president. She is the first black woman to hold the office. Her term will begin in June 2017. Watford is Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering.

TRANSPORTATION

Missouri Testing Solar Sidewalk at Rest Stop

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) announced it will install sidewalk made of solar panels at its Route 66 Welcome Center. The sidewalk will cover a 12-foot by 20-foot area at the rest stop on Interstate 44 near Conway, MO.

The panels will be supplied by Solar Roadways of Sandpoint, ID. The solar panels and electronics are sandwiched between to ½-inch thick layers of tempered glass. MoDOT will test the materials for durability under various weather conditions. It will also test the suitability of the panel’s built-in LEDs as substitutes for road striping.

MoDOT does not expect to sell power from solar projects. It envisions that solar roadways may generate enough power to supply rest areas. The power generated by this project will be directed to the welcome center building.

WATER

Bill to Change Missouri Water Commission Overcomes Veto

The Missouri General Assembly overturned a veto by Governor Jay Nixon of a bill that could change the composition of the Missouri Clean Water Commission. The bill would change the composition of the commission, allowing agriculture and mining interests to have a larger representation. The commission has authority over rulemaking under the state clean water law. You can read more about this here.

Oklahoma Shuts Down Waste Wells in Light of Earthquake Threat

The September 3rd earthquake on a newly discovered fault near Pawnee, Oklahoma, has prompted state and federal officials to halt injection of oil and gas wastewater into 67 wells in the area. There is a growing scientific consensus that wastewater injection has contributed to recent earthquakes in the Oklahoma.

Wastewater produced from oil and gas extraction is disposed of by injecting it deep into the ground. Reducing the amount of wastewater that can be injects also reduces the amount of oil or gas that can be collected. The wastewater cannot readily be disposed of by other means.

The magnitude 5.8 quake was felt in neighboring states (Facebook friends of this contributor reported feeling it in St. Louis and the Missouri Bootheel). The U.S. Geologic Survey reports that it was felt as far away as Nevada and Florida.

Missouri Selects Transportation Projects for Economic Stimulus Funding

The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission approved the list of transportation projects to be funded by economic recovery funds. The project package totals $577 million, slightly more than the $525 million the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has left to spend. That's because the department built in additional money to ensure it will qualify for redistribution of funds from other states if they become available.

The list of projects and a map showing their locations can be found at http://www.modot.org/. You can read the original MoDOT news release here.

Hunt Sworn In as Missouri Highway Commissioner

Joseph Hunt of St. Louis was sworn in as a member of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission. Hunt is the general president emeritus of the Ironworkers International and has served as an official in the building and construction trades for more than 40 years. He has served as a board member of the Lambert St. Louis International Airport Commission, as a member of the National Heavy and Highway Alliance, and on the regional committee of the National Infrastructure Alliance. Hunt's term ends March 1, 2017.

The commission is a six-member citizens' panel that governs Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT). Members are appointed to staggered six-year terms by the governor and must be confirmed by the senate.

You can read the original post on the MoDOT blog here.

Missouri Transportation Infrastructure Draws Attention

The state capital isn’t the only Missouri location getting attention. The I-64 corridor project in St. Louis is a finalist for the America’s Transportation Award from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. In addition to being a finalist for the grand prize, the project is eligible for the “People’s Choice Award.” If you’d like to be a people who makes this choice for the I-64 project, vote here. (Find more at the Missouri Department of Transportation [MODOT] news release here.)

Missouri made other improvements in transportation infrastructure. In the latest highway report from the Reason Foundation, Missouri leapt to 8th place from its previous ranking at 24th place. (See more from the MODOT news release here.)

Blizzard Costs Missouri $7.7 Million in Highway Clearing

As the wintery mix falls outside the “offices” of Infrastructure Watch, the Missouri Department of Transportation has updated its estimate of the cost to clear road during the recent blizzard to $7.7 million. The cost includes 90,000 man-hours and 1.1 million miles logged on snowplows. This does not include local government costs for clearing snow from the roads they maintain.

Related posts and articles
MoDOT: Blizzard Cost Millions
Record Snow Cost MoDOT $7.7 Million

Transportation & Water Update

TRANSPORTATION

New Transportation Director for Missouri

The Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission has selected Patrick McKenna to serve as director of the state Department of Transportation (MoDOT). Presently, McKenna is deputy commissioner of the New Hampshire DOT. He will start his new job on December 7.

He will start his new job at an agency facing many challenges, particularly low revenues.  MoDOT has not significant improvement or expansion projects slated for the next five years because of lack of funding. The agency anticipates it will not even have enough money to fully maintain roads and bridges in the state within a couple of years.

McKenna will be coming from a different environment. New Hampshire raised its fuel tax in 2014. It also has toll roads; Missouri has none, though McKenna has suggested it should be on the table as a way to pay for roads.

You can find out more about McKenna and his appointment in the Kansas City Star, Jefferson City News-Tribune, or St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

WATER

California Communities Consider Direct Potable Reuse

The drought in California has led to a discussion of direct potable reuse of wastewater. This “toilet-to-tap” practice involves sending treated wastewater directly to treatment for drinking water. Some Texas communities have already adopted this practice as a response to drought. You can find out more here.

Missouri Dept. of Transportation Director Resigns, Interim Director Announced

Pete Rahn has announced his resignation as director of the Missouri Depatment of Transportation (MoDOT) effective April 23, 2010. He will be taking a position at the Kansas City-based engineering firm HNTB where he will lead the company’s national transportation practice.

The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission appointed Chief Engineer Kevin Keith as interim director. He will serve while the commission searches for a new director, which is expected to take several months.

You can read the related MoDOT news releases here and here.

Missouri Transportation Commission Elects New Chair

The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission recently elected Grace Nichols to serve a one-year term as chair. Nichols has been a member of the commission since March 2008. Prior to her appointment to the board, Nichols served as mayor of St. Charles and as a judge in St. Charles County.

Related posts and articles
Changing of the Chair
Ex-St. Charles Mayor Chairs MoDOT Governing Board