California – The Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) released a list of more than $11 billion in near-term infrastructure projects on June 23 that could be funded by federal stimulus spending. Titled “Ready for Recovery: A Call for Short-Term Strategic Investments in Infrastructure in the Greater Sacramento Region,” the list identifies hundreds of critical projects from 50 […]
New Jersey – The state’s application for a $811.12 million federal grant to replace the aging Portal North bridge earned President Trump’s authorization on June 12. After his dinner with Gov. Phil Murphy, the president tweeted he would support the Federal Transit Administration grant for the $1.9 billion project, which is one in a series of […]
The Texas General Land Office (GLO) kicked off the first round of the application process for nearly $1.2 billion in federal funding for mitigation projects in communities impacted by Hurricane Harvey and severe flooding in 2015 and 2016. GLO officials are administrating the federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) […]
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) on April 14 announced the award of about $10 billion to commercial and general aviation airports from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Airport Grant Program. USDOT’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is ready to deliver CARES Act grants in April to eligible airports throughout the nation. […]
Overview of Texas Covid Relief Plan Funding by HUD Texas is set to receive $220 million of $3.06 billion in grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). HUD will distribute the funding through its Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency […]
Washington, D.C. – The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) created a Supply Chain Stabilization Task Force to secure needed supplies and equipment in the COVID-19 fight. Supply Chain Stabilization Task Force One of eight COVID-19 focused task forces under the National Response Coordination Center (NRCC), this […]
Washington, D.C. – President Trump released his draft FY 2021 budget on February 10 that proposes $1 trillion for infrastructure investment that joins budget plans by House Democrats and a U.S. Senate environmental committee. The draft budget calls for a 10-year reauthorization of surface transportation programs with $755 billion in mandatory spending from the Highway Trust […]
The city of Seabrook secured funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for design and engineering of a new Pine Gulley Wastewater Treatment Plant. Hurricane Ike flooding damaged the city’s current Main Street plant, which is at sea level, and left residents without sewage service for five days. Repairs took months to complete. FEMA […]
Illinois – The state’s Capital Development Board (CDB) and Department of Veterans’ Affairs will host a vendor forum on November 4 for the design and construction of a new veterans home. The forum will be from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Quincy Veteran’s Home. As part of the Rebuild Illinois capital plan, the state is […]
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) recently announced $48 million in disaster relief and resiliency grants for Texas. More than $13 million will be matched in local funds to help create 7,487 jobs, retain 225 jobs, and generate $6 billion in private investment. Among the grant recipients are: City of West Orange […]
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) is looking to advance its mail delivery fleet using drones. The agency issued a request for information (RFI) as it seeks to gather information about the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) market, which it will use to consider future requirements. Candidates would develop UAS operations and demonstrate the reliability […]
The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) has been awarded an $8.78 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for work on seven existing bridges. NCTCOG serves a 16-county region of North Central Texas, which is centered on Dallas and Fort Worth. NCTCOG will use funds from the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) […]
This is the time of year when bond proposals are voted on by residents so cities and towns can take on improvement projects. But new laws might be enacted in 2018 that could take some of the attraction away from bonds. Last week, a tax reform draft, called Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, H.R. 1, released by the House Ways and […]
In 2015, the National Park Service (NPS) reached a record-high of $11.9 billion in deferred maintenance, which NPS defines as “maintenance that was not performed at the required intervals to ensure an acceptable facility condition to support the expected life cycle of an asset.” Around $5.97 billion of the deferred maintenance is for paved roads and […]
This week Senate lawmakers called for total defense spending in fiscal 2018, which begins Oct. 1, of $700 billion. A total of $696.5 billion was proposed by the House committee Monday, which was approved by the House Appropriations Committee Thursday. The Senate committee’s summary of the bill stated that it backed a $640 billion base budget for the Defense Department and the national security programs […]
Something significant happened this week. U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julián Castro announced $1.8 billion in funding for housing grants. The money will begin flowing to cities to provide assistance to approximately 8,400 homeless individuals. HUD is also funding 25 other new projects to provide permanent housing for individuals and families in areas […]
A new municipal bond geared toward increasing municipalities’ access to public funds for much-needed infrastructure projects is part of President Barack Obama’s initiative to find alternative financing tools to ensure adequate investment in the nation’s infrastructure. The proposed Qualified Public Infrastructure Bonds (QPIBs) would allow municipalities seeking to enter into public-private partnerships (P3s) to take […]
Immediately before and after the Great Recession, states were flush with government funding as federal money was allocated to stimulate a rapidly declining economy nationwide. Much of that funding, particularly in the form of grants, has since been dramatically curtailed. States have had to scramble to find ways to fund existing programs for the last […]
At a time when budgets are stretched thin, funding for social programs is available to local governmental entities through a new and innovative program. The new funding comes from a Social Innovation Fund and monetary awards are based on successful accomplishment of pre-determined social outcomes. According to a report from the Social Innovation Research Center, […]
A plan has been approved that calls for the deepening of the Port of Brownsville by 10 feet. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Chief of Engineers Thomas Bostick recommended the project in a report to the Secretary of the Army. Bostick said the deepening of the port would lead to increased commercial navigation in South […]
“This is not just a success story about preserving our cultural heritage, whose stories are told at these five national parks, it is also a testament about partnership and what we can accomplish by bringing together public and private interests towards a great purpose,” said Acting National Park Service (NPS) Superintendent Clay Jordan. Jordan was […]
Border safety is among the hottest, most controversial issues of our time. Politicians and elected officials cannot agree on what to do, so there is no consistency and almost no collaboration in current efforts to protect and secure United States borders. A solution has been elusive and there is definitely a lack of collaboration on […]
The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently released a report of great interest to all Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSB). More than a decade ago, Congress authorized procurement set-asides in an effort to increase business for historically underutilized WOSBs. According to the GAO report, the Small Business Administration (SBA) discovered in 2012 and 2013 that more than […]
“You are the best-kept secret in the world,” Vice President Joe Biden told more than 500 of the nation’s port officials and executives in Houston recently. Biden delivered the keynote address for the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) annual convention, hosted by the Port Authority of Houston. The Vice President is traveling the country […]
It is extremely difficult for most people to become United States citizens or to stay in the country for long periods of time. Visas are hard to come by and difficult to keep. However, coming to America is not all that big a problem for wealthy families from foreign countries. A 1990 law that authorized the EB-5 program […]
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