By Subcontractors USA News Provider Recently, Commissioner Wayne Christian wrote a letter to President Joe Biden encouraging him to reconsider discussions with OPEC+ and instead unleash the private sector to produce oil domestically in America. The formatted letter is below: Dear Mr. President, I write to you concerning the Biden Administration’s recent discussions with OPEC+…
By Subcontractors USA News Provider The American Petroleum Institute (API) today published Standard (Std) 1104, 22nd Edition, Welding of Pipelines and Related Facilities, updating an important global standard that supports industry-wide actions to strengthen environmental sustainability efforts while meeting growing energy demand. “Standard 1104 is API’s most widely utilized global standard, used in nearly 100…
By Helen Callier, Contributing Writer There are too many times to count where our PermitUsNow team members have answered the company’s 1.844.PERMIT.4 line, and the voice on the other side says, “I am having problems getting a permit.” We ask the caller basic questions like the scope of work, location, type of use, and their…
By Subcontractors USA News Provider The RRC’s mission to protect neighborhoods around Texas extends to helping residents and excavators identify the vast network of underground utilities they need to pay attention to. Pipelines and other important underground utilities can easily be severed when unsuspecting individuals dig haphazardly, potentially risking harm. The RRC works with Texas…
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently issued updated guidance to help employers protect workers from the coronavirus. The updated guidance reflects developments in science and data, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s updated COVID-19 guidance issued July 27. The updated guidance expands information on appropriate measures for protecting…
While the hazards most often associated with workplace deaths in the U.S. construction industry – falling, being struck-by or crushed by equipment or other objects, or suffering electrocution are well-known – a recent study finds that another potential killer is taking lives at an alarming rate. In 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention…
Capital Metro has launched a new zone for Pickup by CapMetro in the neighborhoods surrounding South Menchaca, bringing on-demand public transportation to the community and fulfilling an important component of the Project Connect system. Expanding neighborhood circulators is a key element of the Project Connect program of projects that voters passed in November 2020, and…
Travel rebound is steadily growing and nearing pre-pandemic levels. Houston Airports uses three measurements to gauge passenger travel: Enplanements, Capacity and Load Factor. June 2021, enplanements — the boarding of an aircraft by a passenger— gained 2.24M, an increase of 15% over the previous month. Capacity —the number of seats made available by carriers —…
The Texas Department of Transportation recently announced the selection of Brian Barth as the department’s second Deputy Executive Director. Barth assumed his new role on August 1 and will serve alongside Deputy Executive Director Brandye Hendrickson, who joined TxDOT on July 19. Both positions report to Executive Director Marc Williams with Barth responsible for leading…
By Subcontractors USA News Provider Recently, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) announced the newly elected members of its Board of Directors. Two of the three positions will be occupied by The National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) members: Emily A. Grandstaff-Rice FAIA and Kevin M. Holland, FAIA. About Emily A. Grandstaff-Rice, FAIA, elected 2022…
By Jocelyn Kerr, PVAMU School of Architecture Contributor When Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU) graduate student Kennedy Wallace was in middle school, she already had her sights set on college. Although she was interested in a career in photography, a chance meeting with a historic preservation representative from the Savannah College of Art and Design…
By Stephen Schad, Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design Contributor The Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts announced recently that University of Houston Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design Professor Sheryl Tucker de Vazquez’s proposal Hair Salon: Translating Black Hair Practices for Architecture Using Computational Methods is among…
By Subcontractors USA News Provider Construction employment in June remained below the levels reached before the pre-pandemic peak in February 2020 in 39 states, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government employment data released today. Association officials noted that many construction firms are struggling to cope with supply chain…
By Subcontractors USA News Provider Construction employment declined by 7,000 between May and June as the industry still employs 238,000 fewer people than before the pandemic, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association officials said that job losses in the nonresidential construction sector offset modest…
By Subcontractors USA News Provider Unprecedented price increases for a wide range of goods and services used in construction pushed up contractors’ costs by a devastating 26.3 percent from June 2020 to June 2021, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released recently. Association officials cautioned that rising…
By Subcontractors USA News Provider CenterPoint Energy, Inc. recently announced the unanimous decision of the CenterPoint Board’s Independent Directors to implement a new independent board leadership and governance structure. The Board named Martin Nesbitt, chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee, as its new independent board chairman, effective immediately. Martin Nesbitt appointed as Independent Chairman…
By John Moreno, CPS Energy Contributor South Texas is known for its sprawling pastures, longhorns and sizzlin’ summers. To help beat the heat, customers are cranking down their thermostats to stay cool and comfortable. How does that affect utility bills and budgets? Those lower thermostat settings can lead to much higher energy usage and bills….
By Subcontractors USA News Provider In a new report, EPA Region 6 once again commended the Railroad Commission’s Underground Injection Control program for protecting underground sources of drinking water and controlling seismic activity. RRC’s UIC program, which handles the most Class II injection well applications in the nation, carries out state and EPA-approved rules on…
By Subcontractors USA News Provider In yet another move to take advantage of improvements in technologies, the Railroad Commission today launched its new Pipeline Inspection Permitting Evaluation System (RRC PIPES). RRC PIPES is a centralized cloud-based portal, which streamlines agency processes and provides a valuable tool for RRC’s Pipeline Safety staff and operators to upload…
By Helen Callier, Contributing Writer Picture this: you sip your favorite cup of coffee, log into a jurisdiction permitting e-portal to check the status of your plan reviews, then you take a double-look at the screen and shake your head wondering why you have received multiple pages of rejection comments from plan reviewers. What the…
