January - 2017

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Rick Perry approved as energy secretary by Senate panel

WASHINGTON - Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry has been approved by a Senate committee to serve as energy secretary in the Trump administration, The Associated Press reports. Perry, most known for serving as governor of Texas for 15 years and running for president in 2012 and 2016, cast himself as an advocate for a range of energy sources while testifying before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, noting that he presided over the nation's leading energy producing

New U.S. Maritime Advisory System Established

StartFragmentThe Maritime Administration (MARAD), in partnership with the Departments of State, Defense, Justice, Transportation, and Homeland Security, the intelligence community, and maritime industry stakeholders, has announced the launch of the new U.S. Maritime Advisory System, which establishes a single federal process to expeditiously provide maritime threat information to maritime industry stakeholders, including vessels at sea. Developed in response to valuable feedb

You're Hired: Tracking the Trump Administration Transition

Executive action roundup Need a refresher? In the 10 days since President Donald Trump was sworn in, he has signed executive actions to alter federal policies on trade, immigration, energy, healthcare, abortion, lobbying, federal employment, and the organization of the National Security Council. The executive actions taken by Trump in his first 10 days largely fall into two categories: executive orders and presidential memoranda. The differences between the two are subtle. Or

As Gas-Tax Profits Decline, More States May Turn to Tolls

Tolls have been a fact of life in Indiana for at least 60 years, but state Rep. Edmond Soliday thinks there will have to be more of them if the state wants to keep its roads in good shape. Soliday, a Republican who chairs his chamber’s transportation committee, said the most expensive part of the state’s transportation network are the heavily trafficked interstates that are filled with out-of-state trucks. Federal law, however, prevents states from tolling existing interstate

The Hidden Risks of P3s

State and local governments are eager to find ways to address the infrastructure deficit. While both the Obama administration and the incoming Trump White House have promoted a greater use of public-private partnerships (P3s), government officials are well advised to bring rigorous analysis and staff expertise to the negotiating table to avoid costly mistakes and minimize risks for taxpayers. Recent news coverage highlights the importance of careful analysis. A recent article

Texas high speed rail project gains national attention

COLLEGE STATION, Tex. - (KBTX) A high speed rail project between Houston and Dallas is getting national attention after it was listed as a priority to President Trump. College Station's City Council wanted to know more about the rail line. Questions continue to surface about the future of a high speed train that would pass through the Brazos Valley, even for those working on the project. Jeff Moseley works for Texas Central Partners and said Trump's administration did not rea

Trump Warms to House Republicans’ Proposed Border-Adjusted Tax

President Donald Trump is warming to a congressional Republican proposal that would replace the U.S. corporate income tax with a levy on companies’ imports and domestic sales, even though he had recently criticized the idea as too complicated, a senior administration official said. The Republican proposal, which enjoys broad support among members of the party in the House of Representatives, is known as a border-adjusted tax. Exports would be exempt from U.S. taxes, under the

New record for youngest containership demolition

The seven-year-old Hammonia Grenada, delivered in 2010, has taken pole position as the youngest container ship ever sold for scrap. The previous record-holder, the Panamax Rickmers India, was delivered in 2009 and sold to shipbreakers last month. A brokerage data firm reported a sale price for the Grenada of $315 per LDT, or about $5.5 million. Brokers say that the demolition is a confirmation of the plummeting value of Panamax ships after the opening of the expanded Panama C

House panel sets infrastructure hearing

House lawmakers next week will begin exploring ways to revitalize the nation’s crumbling infrastructure with the promise of a massive legislative package on the horizon. The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold its first hearing in the new Congress on Wednesday in an effort to hear input from business leaders and organized labor about what it will take to upgrade U.S. roads, bridges and other public works. The hearing will examine “the challenges fa

Trump Order Lets CEQ Chief Decide Which Projects Are High Priority for Expediting

President Trump issued an executive order Jan. 24 that empowers his White House Council on Environmental Quality chief to decide which infrastructure projects can be designated "high priority," and then coordinate deadlines with federal agencies in an effort to speed up processing of those projects. While that new policy directive covers various types of infrastructure work, it specifically lists transportation projects among those the Trump administration wants to expedite.

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