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| Infrastructure Watch | | |
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- $6.9B XpressWest HSR project awaits loan approval
The $6.9 billion XpressWest high-speed rail project between Victorville, Calif., and Las Vegas is awaiting approval of a $5.5 billion federal loan request before construction begins, according to XpressWest COO Andrew Mack. The group applied for a loan in December 2010 and there's an average 19-month completion time for Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing loan applications, added Mack. If approved, construction could start within a year. The project would take five years to finish. VegasInc.com (Las Vegas)
(2/12)     
- Girling: U.S. will OK Keystone XL pipeline by June's end
TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline is expected to secure U.S. approval by June's end, said Russ Girling, the company's president and CEO. The company also still expects "that the pipeline will become operational in late 2014 or early 2015," he added. Reuters
(2/12)
| Trends & Technology | | |
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- Researchers to test earthquake effects on old masonry buildings
A large-scale earthquake simulation will be conducted to evaluate how unreinforced masonry buildings in New York react to earthquake stress. Researchers at the University at Buffalo will use a shake table to mimic the 2011 Virginia quake that hit the East Coast. They will test a pair of 14-foot-high walls composed of materials such as 100-year-old brick to replicate construction of row houses common in the area. GoStructural.com
(2/12)
| Sustainable Development | | |
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- Scofield island restoration project: Creating land by long distance
Land is being created on an island in Plaquemines Parish, La., where there was none, thanks to a 22-mile pipeline. Great Lakes Dredge and Dock is the contractor on the $60 million project to build 2.5 miles of shoreline and marsh on Scofield Island by pumping Mississippi River sediment through the pipe to the new spot. "We're excited about the possibilities in the future," said Kyle Graham, deputy executive director of Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, who notes the project is the longest sediment delivery ever done in the state. WVUE-TV (New Orleans)
(2/8)
- 3 green-building standards assessed for GSA facilities
The General Services Administration is evaluating three green-building rating systems to see which one it will follow for construction and upgrades to federal facilities. The agency is looking for public input on the LEED 2009 rating system, the Green Globes system and the Living Building Challenge. The move has raised concerns that this could weaken the influence of LEED on the GSA and prompt it to shift to the Green Globes rating system, which some say is too favorable to certain industries. TriplePundit.com
(2/12)
| Advancing the Profession | | |
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- Why too much of a good thing is bad for leadership
Even positive traits such as confidence can become problematic if they become excessive, writes Samuel Bacharach, director of Cornell University's Institute of Workplace Studies. "[W]hen a leader has an excess of confidence, it generally means he or she also has a surfeit of ego," he writes. Similarly, a determined leader may run into trouble if he or she refuses to make adjustments. Inc. online (free registration)
(2/11)
- What executives can learn from Pope Benedict XVI quitting
Pope Benedict XVI's resignation is a reminder of just how tough leadership really is, says Nancy F. Koehn, a professor and historian. Neither CEOs nor spiritual leaders are supermen, and it's important that they admit that to themselves. "I don't think this is primarily about age. I think it's really about energy and enthusiasm and a kind of physical, moral, intellectual, and emotional verve -- an appetite," she says. "It's something that every leader is responsible for maintaining and feeding." Harvard Business Review online/HBR Blog Network/Our Editors
(2/11), Forbes
(2/11)
| News from ASCE | | |
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ASCE responds to Obama’s infrastructure appeal in State of the Union
In an official response to President Obama’s call for infrastructure investment in his State of the Union last night, ASCE said the address "offered a strong vision for investing in our economic foundation and jumpstarting our economy. We look forward to working with the Administration, Congress, and all those who are concerned with our country’s economic future on how we can reinvest in our communities and build the infrastructure America needs to prosper." Read the statement in full at ASCE’s Government Relations Facebook page.
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World Environmental & Water Resources Congress to offer a peek at the future
What are the new technologies for tackling environmental and water resource issues? ASCE's Environmental & Water Resources Institute will give you a look during EWRI Congress 2013, coming to Cincinnati May 19-23. Check out the preliminary program coming together under the theme Showcasing the Future. Join peers from around the world who will be taking advantage of the opportunities for professional growth. Register today and save as much as $100!
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