Underground Construction - April 2021 - 8

NEWSLINE LATEST INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENTS
Multiple Utility Workers Hurt in
Gas Explosion Near Houston
Utility workers trying to repair a broken gas line
north of Houston struck another one, causing an
explosion that injured six of them, including one
critically, authorities said.
The explosion happened Friday in Klein, said Rachel Neutzler, a spokesperson for the Harris County
fire marshal. The CenterPoint Energy workers were
repairing a 2-inch (5 centimeter) gas line when they
struck a larger one, sparking the explosion, she said.
The workers remained hospitalized Saturday with
second- and third-degree burns. A firefighter was
also injured but was treated at the scene, Neutzler
said. Authorities initially said all seven of the injured
were utility workers.
The blast and ensuing fire forced the evacuation
of about 100 people from nearby homes, and they
were allowed to return on Saturday. One home's
exterior and fence, and a powerline and utility pole
were damaged.
CenterPoint Energy said in a statement that
electricity had been restored to affected homes but
that crews were still working to restore gas service.

ASCE's U.S. Infrastructure
Report Card Receives a 'C-'
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)
released the 2021 Report Card for America's
Infrastructure, its latest quadrennial assessment of
the nation's infrastructure. The Report Card gives
the U.S. an overall 'C-' grade and finds the country
is spending just over half of what is required to
support the backbone of the economy.
For the first time in 20 years, the country's
infrastructure as a whole received a grade in
the 'C' range, meaning on average, the nation's
infrastructure is in mediocre condition, has
deficiencies and needs attention. However, 11 of
the 17 categories in the Report Card received a
grade in the 'D' range: aviation, dams, hazardous
waste, inland waterways, levees, public parks,
roads, schools, stormwater, transit, and wastewater.
Overall, the long-term infrastructure
investment gap continues to grow. That gap has
risen from $2.1 trillion over 10 years in the last
report to $2.59 trillion in the latest study, meaning
a funding gap of $259 billion per year.
" This not a report card anyone would be proud
to take home, " said ASCE Executive Director
Thomas Smith. " We have not made significant
enough investments to maintain infrastructure that
in some cases was built more than 50 years ago.

APRIL 2021 | UCONonline.com

As this study shows, we risk significant economic
losses, higher costs to consumers, businesses and
manufacturers - and our quality of life - if we don't
act urgently. When we fail to invest in infrastructure,
we pay the price. "
If the U.S. does not pay its overdue infrastructure
bill, ASCE said by 2039 the U.S. economy will lose
$10 trillion in growth and exports will decline by
$2.4 trillion. More than 3 million jobs will be lost in
2039. In addition, each American household will
bear $3,300 in hidden costs per year.
ASCE highlighted the role infrastructure investment could play in speeding the nation's economic
recovery. " America's infrastructure bill is overdue,
and we have been ignoring it for years. The
COVID-19 pandemic only exacerbates the funding
challenge because state and local governments
have had to prioritize public health over everything
else for the past year, " said Jean-Louis Briaud, Ph.D.,
P.E., ASCE president. " If we take action now, we can
generate job growth and build infrastructure that is
more reliable, more secure and more resilient while
increasing the quality of life for everyone. "

Montana County
Approves Permit for an
Under River Pipeline
A floodplain permit to place a natural gas pipeline
under the Gallatin River in Montana was approved
as part of a larger project to build a vacation rental
destination on an island in Gallatin Gateway,
county officials said.
The Gallatin County Planning Department
issued the permit to NorthWestern Energy on
Friday, granting permission to place a 2-inch
(5-centimeter) pipeline up to 15 feet (5 meters)
below the riverbed about 225 feet (70 meters)
downstream of the Mill Street bridge, The Bozeman
Daily Chronicle reported Tuesday.
Company officials said the Riverbend Glamping
Resort project would use about half the natural gas
capacity of the pipeline, while the remaining will be
made available to other utility customers.
NorthWestern said it would bore the pipeline
deep enough to prevent floatation, collapse or
lateral movement and would complete construction in the winter and early spring to avoid flooding
impacts. It also said natural gas is unlikely to enter
the river because it has a low solubility, meaning if it
leaked it would escape into the air.
" The main concern with natural gas is explosion
potential, " the company said. " In elevated
concentrations it can escape quickly from water,

causing an explosive hazard in poorly ventilated or
confined areas, none of which are present at the
proposed bore site, and is why the pipeline is not
encased in conduit and odorant is added. "
County Floodplain Administrator Sean
O'Callaghan said he approved the application
because it complied with regulations.
Hundreds of people raised concerns about the
pipeline last year when the NorthWestern applied
for the permit. Peggy Lehmann, a landowner near
the proposed resort, argued against the project
and is working with Protect the Gallatin River in
opposing the permits.
She argued the pipeline should not have been
approved because it would affect aquatic wildlife,
the river, the habitat and public recreation. She also
said there could be significant consequences if the
pipeline broke.

Pelosi Pledges Swift
Work on Major U.S.
Infrastructure Package
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on March 14 pledged
swift work by Congress on a job and infrastructure
package that will be " fiscally sound, " but said she
isn't sure whether the next major item on President
Joe Biden's agenda will attract Republican backing.
Infrastructure legislation has a long history of
support from both parties as lawmakers aim to
deliver on projects back home. But Republicans
disagree with Biden's focus on the environment
and the possibility of financing any program with
debt after the government borrowed heavily to
address the economic fallout from the coronavirus
pandemic.
Pelosi has directed key Democratic lawmakers to
begin working with Republicans on a " big, bold and
transformational infrastructure package. "
Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., chairman of the Senate
Environment and Public Works Committee, and
Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., chairman of House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, hope
to pass a bill out of their committees in May.
The package could include policy changes -
on green energy and immigration - and even
try to make permanent some of the just-passed
COVID-19 assistance such as child tax credits.
" It is going to be green, and it is going to be big, "
DeFazio told The Associated Press.
Work on passing infrastructure legislation in a
Senate split 50-50 with Vice President Kamala Harris providing a tiebreaking vote will probably prove
more difficult. Moderate Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.

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Underground Construction - April 2021

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