Posted: Technical Region Director's Report, October 2008

Wed, 5 Nov 2008 13:22:03 -0500

National Infrastructure Bank Act: Contact your Senator

Thu, 3 Apr 2008 10:52:15 -0400

From ASCE Government Relations:

The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee recently held a hearing on improving the nation's infrastructure. ASCE President David Mongan, P.E., F.ASCE, and others testified supporting the concept of creating a national infrastructure bank that would coordinate funding for qualified infrastructure projects as outlined in the National Infrastructure Bank Act (S. 1926), introduced in 2007 by Senators Christopher Dodd ( D-CT) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE).

In August 2007, Sen. Christopher Dodd ( D-CT) joined with Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) to introduce the National Infrastructure Bank Act (S. 1926), a bill to establish a National Infrastructure Bank to provide funding for qualified infrastructure projects, including wastewater and drinking-water plants, public transit systems, roads and bridges, and public housing. S. 1926 currently has eight cosponsors.

"The bill addresses an issue of paramount importance to our country and its quality of life--the deteriorating condition of our infrastructure systems," said Dodd, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee.

The bill would create the National Infrastructure Bank as an independent entity of the federal government. The bank would be required to evaluate and fund "capacity-building infrastructure projects of substantial regional and national significance."

Infrastructure projects with a potential federal investment of at least $75 million would be submitted to the bank by a project sponsor, state, locality, tribe, or local infrastructure agency, e.g., a transit agency. To determine a level of federal investment, the bank would employ a sliding-scale method that incorporates conditions such as the type of infrastructure system or systems, project location, project cost, current and projected usage, non-federal revenue, regional or national significance, promotion of economic growth and community development, reduction in traffic congestion, environmental benefits, land use policies that promote smart growth, and mobility improvements.

Please contact your Senators in support of the National Infrastructure Bank Act (S. 1926).

Please contact your senators and ask them to cosponsor the National Infrastructure Bank Act (S. 1926).

If your senator serves on the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, ask him or her to encourage Chairman Christopher Dodd to schedule the bill for a markup.

Click here to view members of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.Remind your senators of the extensive infrastructure needs our nation faces as outlined in ASCE's 2005 Report Card for America's Infrastructure. The National Infrastructure Bank as outlined in the legislation would be a powerful tool to help address these needs.

Your message will be strengthened by local examples of infrastructure needs, e.g. a deficient bridge in need of repair or replacement, aging water infrastructure systems, road or transit congestion problems.

ASCE members: Visit ASCE's "Six Clicks" (or less) advocacy website at http://www.asce.org/advocacy.html and select "Read more" under the National Infrastructure Bank Act title to read additional information on this issue. Select "Take action" when you are ready to draft your messages to your senators. We will provide you with a sample, but your message will be most influential (stands a much greater chance of being read and you are more likely to get a response) if it is written in your own words.

Six Clicks to Advocacy

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 10:35:53 -0400

Members of ASCE have a great tool to follow civil engineering legislation: the ASCE "Six Clicks" Advocacy Website.

On this website, you'll be able to...

-- get briefed on the issues and bills before state and federal legislatures that affect your profession
-- quickly communicate with your state and federal representatives
-- find out how your representatives vote on key ASCE bills

Just go to http://www.asce.org/pressroom/publicpolicy/advocacy.cfm and log in with your ASCE member number.

Non-members can use links on this site to contact their representatives.

ASCE News: NTSB I-35W Bridge Report Released

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 13:19:05 -0500

NTSB I-35W Bridge Report released; ASCE/ G-I members urged to read and review.

ASCE news: Section Informant updated

Tue, 8 Jan 2008 12:42:40 -0500

January 3 edition ASCE Section informant has been posted. Linked from G-I website at Section/Branch/Geotechnical Group News

Geo-on-the-Go

Posted: Technical Region Director's Report, October 2008

National Infrastructure Bank Act: Contact your Senator

Six Clicks to Advocacy

ASCE News: NTSB I-35W Bridge Report Released

ASCE news: Section Informant updated