Expert Insights

Technology is changing the world as we know it! It seems new technological advances are emerging at the speed of light – and the world shifts a bit with each new development. Sensors and advanced technology now monitor public officials' activities in hundreds of ways,...

There is a significant trend to watch as cryptocurrency gains momentum and acceptance. If this trend continues, it will bring about many changes throughout America. The total global value of cryptocurrency now is approximately $3 trillion, and while that may sound...

Clean and renewable energy continues to get abundant attention, and the funding support flowing to support clean power projects is historic. Approximately $3 trillion is invested in energy globally each year, and $2 trillion of that amount is devoted to renewable...

Light Detection and Ranging technology (LiDAR) delivers critical data to protect the health of our ecosystems, and government officials use it extensively. This particular type of technology is not well known to everyone, but the benefits it provides make it worthy of...

Congress continues to allocate billions to a long-overdue effort to make the country’s bridges safer. About 50,000 bridges in America recently were deemed structurally unsound, and weather-related events are taking a huge toll on bridge structures. Last week, the U.S....

Unexpected disasters of every type are extremely costly. It might be surprising to realize that earthquakes in the U.S. cost about $15 billion annually in economic losses. While earthquakes are less common, there have been 28 earthquakes reaching a magnitude of 6 or...

Universities throughout the country are investing significant capital in existing campus facilities. National statistics show these types of initiatives are increasing significantly. The state of Texas is an excellent example of this emerging trend. A report by the...

Earlier this month, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced $1 billion for 656 new climate resiliency projects. The capital was awarded to support projects that address infrastructure risks and prepare for future natural disasters, including flooding,...

Courthouses and other municipal buildings are being renovated and upgraded throughout the U.S. That’s because funding for them continues to be available, and that is good news. But even better is the fact that many upcoming projects carry projected costs representing...

The most notable recent news in American infrastructure broke last week when the U.S. Department of Transportation announced $1.8 billion in new funding for 148 infrastructure projects. My previous column covered many of the projects already selected for that funding....

Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced $1.8 billion in funding for 148 infrastructure projects. Most of the funding is available for projects that make streets safer for people who travel on them in any way.  Work on these projects should be under...

Two months ago, the federal government announced that $2.4 billion is available to support rail infrastructure projects in America. Hundreds of public officials interested in rail projects have already submitted applications for funding, and decisions about the...

It is not a new concept, but transit-oriented development (TOD) has become a sweeping trend, as evidenced by new projects being launched throughout the United States. Congress has allocated billions to support the development of attractive residential and retail...

The federal government allocates approximately $1.9 billion annually for maintenance projects related to buildings, roads on land owned by the federal government, parks and every other public asset. That may sound like a lot – until it is noted that a deferred...

Water resources are a critical component of any region's ecosystems. But, perhaps even more important is the realization that water is also essential for human survival. Its needs cannot be ignored. In 2023, the U.S. market for only drinking water treatment and...

Approximately $14.4 billion is spent each year to repair, rehabilitate or replace bridges in America. However, that annual amount has increased and will continue to increase because the backlog of critically needed bridge repairs is estimated to be $125 billion. Of...

April has been a big month for airport infrastructure funding. Two separate announcements of new funding awards were made. The first announcement, on April 5, was for $148 million. On April 25, the second announcement allocated another $76 million to support airport...

Economic development initiatives have always focused on boosting local economies, but now they are commonly designed to deliver revenue to budget-restrained cities and counties. Attracting tourists and visitors is still a key focus of economic development efforts, but...

Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a long-awaited report on water quality standards outlining the maximum contaminant levels for per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contaminants in drinking water. This marks the first time national...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced more than $1 billion in funding for 110 Superfund projects. The upcoming project sites are scattered throughout the country. All locations are contaminated by industrial waste, and remediation is...

Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced another $20.5 billion in federal funding to support transit projects this year throughout the U.S. The FTA had previously announced $9.9 billion in funding, and this new...

Most people have heard about earmarks, but only a few citizens really pay attention to them. That should not be the case. The term earmark refers to federal spending for a specific project for a particular congressional district, locality or state. Members of Congress...

Historical preservation projects are being launched throughout America for two primary reasons: funding is abundantly available, and public assets are treasures that communities like to rescue. The projects create jobs, boost local economies, raise property values and...

Current data continues to indicate significant increases in student enrollments at universities and community colleges throughout the U.S. Community college enrollment was hit especially hard by the effects of the pandemic, but by 2023 a noted increase of 5.3% in...

Last week, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced $3.33 billion in grant funding for 132 projects. The revenue will flow from the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program and the Neighborhood Access and Equity Program. This funding is allocated for projects...

Here’s a fact that may be surprising – it surely was to me. The construction or renovation of buildings accounts for approximately 39% of the total global energy-related carbon emissions each year. Embodied carbon contributes another 11%. That category refers to the...

In February of 2024, additional federal funding was announced for water and wastewater infrastructure projects. The funding is part of the government’s effort to ensure reliable water resources and safe drinking water throughout America. Almost $6 billion is now...

A federal program with a long name is in the process of allocating $5 billion to states for the installation of electric vehicle charging stations. The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program (NEVI), administered by the Federal Highway Administration, is...

Damage repairs from earthquakes in the U.S. typically cost taxpayers approximately $15 billion a year. Considering that, funding to stabilize or prevent as much damage as possible is a good and prudent effort. According to FEMA and a recent geological survey, the cost...

America’s fire infrastructure is very old, and government leaders are trying to remedy that situation. Approximately 20,000 U.S. fire stations are over four decades old. That is an alarming statistic because the estimated useful life of a police or fire station is...

It is somewhat challenging to list all the components of water infrastructure. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines the term as “all man-made and natural features that move and treat water.” And because it takes all types of systems and networks to...

Congress appropriated an extremely large amount of funding for school projects, and the final round allocations totaled $122 billion. That’s a huge amount – about $380 per person in the U.S. This revenue came through the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency...

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided approximately $11.3 billion for projects designed to rehabilitate land where old coal mines were located. Since Congress passed the law, funding has been allocated through the Abandoned Mine Land reclamation programs - about...