Public safety is front and center with public officials today. Big changes are coming as historic amounts of federal funding pour into cities, counties, states and special purpose districts for projects to improve public safety that will be launched in 2023. One...
The federal government is using an interesting combination of well-funded grant programs and attractive tax incentives to ensure that America’s historical legacy is preserved. The plan is working… and hundreds of historical renovation and enhancement projects are in...
The Denton County Commissioners reviewed a feasibility study for a potential multi-use exhibition center aimed at stimulating the local economy and increasing tourism. The study showed that a mixed-use facility could have a projected annual economic impact of $33.4...
The Midland City Council voted in favor of awarding an architectural firm an agreement to develop a master plan for the Midland Public Safety Training Facility. The firm will now move forward with performing design, construction documents, construction bidding and...
Oklahoma – The city of Tulsa-Rogers County Port Authority was awarded a $22.3 million grant in September 2022 for the Port of Inola Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plant. The money was part of $38.2 million the Tulsa region received as one of 21 recipients of a...
As part of its systemwide strategic plan, MPact 2025, the University of Minnesota is seeking opportunities for partnerships with health systems that will maximize its statewide impact in health care innovations and research. The university has made several goals,...
Inflation fears linger, supply chain issues drag on, construction costs continue to rise… and those factors have created significant issues for public officials who were poised to launch new initiatives. Even bond packages that passed supporting local projects are now...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rang in 2023 with a new program designed to provide funding for critical water infrastructure projects. Now, the EPA is providing loans to state financing authorities which are also known as state revolving fund programs....
Last year, Congress allocated $1 billion in funding to support technology modernization projects. States, counties, cities and educational institutions are now receiving funding and $100 million flowed to modernization projects at the state and local levels of...
The University of Utah will enter a public-private partnership (P3) to build 5,000 student housing units by 2030. A P3 will allow the university to build and own the much-needed beds and save on tuition and state funding for other projects. The University of Utah...
The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center near the oceanfront is due for renovation. The plan is to renovate the 40-year-old main building by modernizing exhibit spaces and allowing for an African penguin’s exhibit. This exhibit will include a rocky...
The Public Utility Commission on Jan. 19 adopted the proposed Performance Credit Mechanism (PCM) electric market design option that had initially been proposed in November 2022. Following the adoption, the PUC deferred implementation of the PCM until Texas lawmakers...
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) passed by Congress in 2022 allocated $1 billion for efficiency upgrades to state and local government buildings. The funding gave public officials new cause to examine the conditions of their public facilities, and many are...
The time has come to stop thinking about port projects in the same way we once did. Everything has changed and with an abundance of funding, port projects in 2023 will include many new components. Over the last several years, shifting economic and environmental...
The Railroad Commission (RRC) released an interactive map that shows ongoing orphan well plugging projects by county. The wells, which can leak methane, toxic water and chemicals into their surroundings, are prioritized by potential public safety and environmental...
The Texas Broadband Development Map was released Jan. 12. The Texas map is an interactive tool that identifies areas of the state that are eligible for funding broadband expansion projects as defined by state law. An area is eligible for funding when less than 80...
The Merchant Marine Academy’s (USMMA) Kings Point campus in Nassau County, N.Y. has a 59-page report that shows why $340 million is needed in federal funding to repair aging buildings and infrastructure. The 2022 Capital Improvement Plan’s short and long-term...
The governor of Tennessee has presented a statewide transportation plan that includes public-private partnerships (P3) for “choice lanes.” Drivers would have paid access to these lanes during times of heavy traffic congestion. The funds from the choice lanes would...
A somewhat overlooked marketplace in years past is now one that should be monitored regularly. Billions of dollars in federal funding, designated specifically for tribal lands, are flowing to Native American communities throughout the U.S. and, projects of all sizes...
In 30 states, the cost of booking a hotel room usually includes a specialized tax purposed for tourism. The revenue collected from hotel guests becomes available for state or local projects that enhance existing venues or deliver new tourist attractions. Sports...
Mobility is now a major focus of local infrastructure planning. It is a critical component of almost everything public officials want and need to accomplish. Many of the objectives cannot be accomplished, however, without the inclusion of new technology designed to...
It should be noted that both state and federal officials are funding projects to remedy environmental and safety issues that have persisted for many years. New funding will also recycle many public assets and make them revenue-producing in the future. Federal and...
America’s rural regions have never been as high a funding priority as the country’s urban areas. That’s understandable considering the population delta. However, that scenario is changing somewhat. Recent federal funding programs are reversing decades of neglect in...
Much of the initial attention from infrastructure funding was focused on broadband and electronic vehicle deployment. But now, other funding sources are getting lots of attention and bridge repair and replacement is occurring throughout the country. The bipartisan...
Earlier this month, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) released its list of the top IT-related priorities for the upcoming year. The five strategies topping this year’s annual list are already visible in almost every state and local...
