Guest Columns

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Senate confirms Wheeler as EPA chief

Washington Report, Water Finance March 4, 2019 at 10:45 am

The Senate voted 52-47 last week to confirm Andrew Wheeler as the next administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Wheeler was expected to be sworn in after holding the position of acting administrator since Scott Pruitt resigned from the post last July. FollowingRead More

Legal Corner: The Rules of the Game

Legal Corner: The Rules of the Game

Legal Corner, Water Finance February 28, 2019 at 9:02 am

By Ryan Callender & J. Wes Kerns On Dec. 22, 2017, H.R. 1 (the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act”) was signed into law. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, among other things, reduced corporate tax rates, modified individual tax rates, eliminated many deductions, repealed theRead More

The Value of Industry-University Collaborative Research

The Value of Industry-University Collaborative Research

Commentary, Guest Columns February 25, 2019 at 9:00 am

By John Matthews Traditionally, research conducted at many universities falls under the category of fundamental research, which is primarily conducted to enhance our basic knowledge in a certain area. In the trenchless technology industry, and regarding the university researchers active in the field, the focusRead More

Enhancing Your Utility’s Long-Term Financial Sustainability & Resilience through Cash Reserves

Enhancing Your Utility’s Long-Term Financial Sustainability & Resilience through Cash Reserves

By Andy McCartney Personal financial advisors often recommend that families should have enough money in an emergency fund to cover at least three to six months of living expenses. Corporations such as Microsoft, General Electric and Home Depot maintain excess operating funds for their ownRead More

Executive order aims to encourage use of American-made products

Executive order aims to encourage use of American-made products

Washington Report, Water Management February 11, 2019 at 12:56 pm

In January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that aims to increase the use of domestically-produced iron, steel, cement and manufactured goods on a broad range of water and other infrastructure projects that receive federal funding assistance. However, the order does not alter theRead More

Water sector urges Congress to prioritize water in coming year

Water sector urges Congress to prioritize water in coming year

In January, water sector organizations including the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) and National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) joined nearly 100 other national and regional organizations in sending a letter to U.S. House and Senate leadership. The groups urged lawmakers to incorporate drinking andRead More

Wheeler addresses water priorities at Senate confirmation hearing

Wheeler addresses water priorities at Senate confirmation hearing

Washington Report January 28, 2019 at 10:47 am

Andrew Wheeler appeared before the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee earlier this month for a confirmation hearing on his nomination to serve as EPA administrator. Wheeler, who President Trump formally nominated on Jan. 9 to lead the agency on a permanent basis, has servedRead More

Trump signs bipartisan Water Infrastructure Improvement Act

Trump signs bipartisan Water Infrastructure Improvement Act

Washington Report, Water Finance, Water Management January 15, 2019 at 3:42 pm

President Donald J. Trump on Monday signed the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act into law. This bill codifies the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Integrated Planning (IP) approach into law, providing local communities with critical new flexibilities in meeting their Clean Water Act (CWA) obligations. TheRead More

President formally nominates Wheeler as EPA chief

President formally nominates Wheeler as EPA chief

Washington Report January 9, 2019 at 3:00 pm

President Donald J. Trump has formally nominated Andrew Wheeler to be the next administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Wheeler has been serving as EPA’s acting administrator since last July, a role he assumed following the resignation of former administrator Scott Pruitt. TrumpRead More

COMMENTARY: Construct Water Infrastructure Projects Right the First Time

COMMENTARY: Construct Water Infrastructure Projects Right the First Time

Commentary, Water Finance, Water Management January 9, 2019 at 11:13 am

By Tony Hyde One unifying factor for both the general public, but also for many of us who vote for, manage and design infrastructure projects, is that water and wastewater projects can feel as though they are out of sight, out of mind. Buried pipeRead More