A U.S. District Court judge in Washington, D.C. has dismissed a lawsuit filed last October by three environmental groups last year to stop construction of the Susquehanna-Roseland high-voltage transmission line between Pennsylvania and New Jersey that crosses three national parks. Judge Richard Roberts said Aug. 30 that the decision by the U.S. National Park Service to allow construction of the 500-kV line through the parks was rationally based and that the plaintiffs have not shown it was arbitrary and capricious. The 145-mile line will run from Berwick, Pa., near the PPL Electric Utilities’ Susquehanna nuclear plant, to Roseland, N.J. PPL

Laura M. Coletti and Michael E. Kralick have established Impact Architecture, an architecture and planning firm with headquarters in Farmingdale, N.Y. The partners are veterans of New York state's architectural and sustainable design industry. Coletti Related Links: ENR New York ENR New York Featured People Bryan Savage of Passaro Associates, Rochester, N.Y., has passed his professional engineer exam to become a licensed professional engineer in New York. Savage works in the firm's aviation services group on commercial and general airport improvement projects. He has five years of experience and holds a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the

New Jersey Related Links: ENR New York Post Sandy, Group Eyes MEP System 'Rethinking' Efforts to boost resiliency of the power grid in the region's post-Superstorm Sandy environment should be a boon for the mechanical and electrical engineering and construction sectors. A panel of regional government officials at a recent post-Sandy resiliency summit in Hoboken, N.J., focused on failures in the grid and called for a rethinking of the locations of power facilities and improved emergency service.Noting the extensive flood damage to several of the state's water and wastewater treatment facilities that shut down some or all functionality, Bob Martin,

A new study on New York City's institutional construction starts proves what most industry firms already knew: The "meds and eds" sector helped keep many firms afloat during the recession. Related Links: Higher-Ed Pipeline Sprouting Leaks? Groups Sue City for Approving NYU Expansion Plan Urban Upgrades: NYC's Universities Embark on Robust Capital Programs Progress Report: Renzo Piano's New Whitney Museum Weill Cornell Medical Research Building Jacob K. Javits Convention Center Renovation and Expansion The city's public and private institutions initiated $14.8 billion in construction work from June 2008 through May 2013, with the educational and health care sectors accounting for

Four teams have been selected to compete for a $2.4-billion project to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the LaGuardia Airport Central Terminal Building (CBT), says a Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) spokesman. PANYNJ will conduct $1.2 billion in infrastructure upgrades in addition to the project, he says. The four finalists have until April 15, 2014 to submit their request for proposals (RFPs). The four teams—which include contractors, equity members and other key firms—were selected out of 16 that responded to the authority's RFQs last October. The authority lists the shortlisted teams and their lead contractors

The Associated General Contractors of New Jersey (AGCNJ) plans to merge soon with its sister group, the Building Contractors Association of New Jersey (BCANJ), says Thomas J. DiGangi Jr., AGCNJ executive director. Both groups, part of the AGC of America, are based in Edison. AGCNJ focuses on the marine, roads and bridges, utility and other heavy industry sectors. BCANJ serves the non-residential and residential building side and says it is the largest general building contractor and construction management organization in New Jersey.Jack Kocsis Jr., CEO of both groups, will take the helm of the merged group, which will be called

Connecticut plans to launch the nation's first statewide microgrid pilot program, an initiative aimed at keeping electricity supplied to critical government services and businesses even through large-scale power outages. The program is pending Conn.'s State Bond Commission authorization, which is expected this fall. Photo Courtesy of the Governor's Office First Launch: Gov. Dannel Malloy recommends that the state add to the program's current funding. Part of the state's plan to harden infrastructure against future storms, the program involves establishing small energy centers independently powered by natural gas-powered turbines, fuel cells, solar power and other energy sources. The microgrids can be

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has completed 1,500 ft of track reconstruction in the Bronx fifteen days after 10 cars of a 24-car CSX freight train carrying the city's trash derailed. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the cause of the accident, which occurred on Metro-North Railroad’s (MNR) Hudson Line near Spuyten Duyvil Station. Recovery work began immediately following the accident and is estimated to cost $1 million to $2 million, says Marjorie Anders, an MTA spokeswoman. MNR, which cleared the wreckage with assistance from New York City Transit and CSX, is performing the work, which includes maintenance

A federal judge yesterday rejected the Manufacturing Woodworkers Association of Greater New York's (MWA) request for a preliminary injunction to halt the New York City District Council of Carpenters ongoing strike. The July 18 decision by U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman came as the strike by 350 members of the council enters its 18th day. A council spokesman says that his group and MWA are still in non-binding negotiations but are "far apart."MWA is seeking a 10-year agreement, an across-the-board wage freeze and a second-tier employee system with lower wages and benefits. "Throughout a heat wave and weeks of

Two New York City trade groups sued the city's Dept. of Buildings (DOB) last week over the agency's approval of work on prefabricated building units for Atlantic Yards' B2, a $117-million modular residential tower in Brooklyn. Rendering Courtesy of SHoP Architects Legal Grounds?: The groups charge that DOB's approval for the work violates the core Construction Code requirement. The groups—Mechanical Contractors Association of New York and the Plumbing Foundation City of New York (PFCNY)—charge that the work was conducted off-site and without supervision of DOB-licensed master plumbers and fire suppression contractors, which the groups say violates core Construction Code requirements."Plumbing