The Housing and Urban Development Dept. on Nov. 26 parceled out $2.1 billion in Community Development Block Grants to help 13 states and Puerto Rico rebuild from 2008 storms and other natural disasters. Texas gets $1.3 billion, Louisiana $438 million and Iowa $125 million. Some funds can go for infrastructure repairs. The allotment is part of $6.5 billion in CDBG disaster aid contained in a spending bill enacted on Oct. 1.
For some, it is millions of dollars’ worth of deferred paving work. For others, it is billion-dollar highway expansions. Nationwide, state transportation departments are putting projects on hold due to shrinking budgets. Dwindling tax revenue from gas and other sources, a bleak economic environment and continued high materials costs are all taking their toll. An anticipated infrastucture-heavy stimulus package from the new Obama administration cannot come soon enough for industry officials. Photo: Brad Fullmer In Suspension. Planned major Utah highway projects are stalled for the time being. “In my 30 years in the industry, I’ve never seen anything like this,”
Environmental groups are cheering the election of Barack Obama and an end to an era they view as less than friendly to the environment. “The Bush administration has done a lot of damage to our nation’s environmental protections over the past eight years,” says Mike Daulton, National Audubon Society’s legislative director. Looking ahead, environmentalists’ priorities include securing passage of global warming legislation, limiting offshore oil drilling and reversing changes to the Endangered Species Act. Other environmental goals dovetail with those that construction groups support, such as reauthorizing Clean Water State Revolving Funds and boosting spending on water infrastructure. The National
On the road to transportation funding, state departments of transportation are gripping the wheel and holding on for a bumpy ride. Decreasing revenue, a hazy future for the federal highway trust fund and a shaky lending market have led many state authorities to delay projects, rework deals and make deep cuts. Slide Show Photo: ICC Maryland is reducing its construction program but its $2.4-billion Intercounty Connector projects escaped the budget axe. Related Links: The Complete Top Owners Sourcebook with Market Data and Analysis The sluggish economy has hit many states, including Virginia, hard. Reduced revenue from fuel taxes and vehicle
Water and wastewater markets have grown nicely over the past decade but funding issues may create a clog in the works in coming years. Declining revenue at state and local levels as well as the tight credit market are almost certain to curtail gains built up over the past 10 years, say industry analysts. Slide Show DCWASA District of Columbia moves into design stage of program to meet stricter Chesapeake Bay discharge requirements. Related Links: The Complete Top Owners Sourcebook with Market Data and Analysis Between 1997 and 2007, water and wastewater agencies around the country faced capacity issues, overdue
