Latest California Construction Industry News
Here are a few of the latest news stories in the industry as it relates to California:
Interior Department Supports Improved California Water Delivery
The U.S. Department of the Interior verified that it plans to continue to work with the California state government on the massive “California WaterFix” project. The statement is a reversal of the Trump Administration’s recent comments that it did not support the massive project. WaterFix includes Building large tunnels under the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta along with a diversion point on the Sacramento River to improve the state’s water delivery capability. The Interior Department stated on October 25 that it “shares the goals of the state of California to deliver water with more certainty, eliminating the risks to the California water supply, and improving the environment” but that it “does not expect to participate in the construction or funding of the CA WaterFix.”
Puente Energy Project Deal Falls Through
The deal that was bringing a new natural-gas peaking plant to Ventura County, in the works since 2012, began to fall apart this October after local officials, with the support of environmental groups, determined that the plant was unnecessary and it did not meet state-wide clean energy objectives. NRG Energy was to build and operate the plant and they had navigated through most of the permitting and regulatory requirements needed for the project to move forward.
Border Wall Segments Prototypes in San Diego
The Trump Administration’s border wall is closer to reality with prototyping activities in San Diego. Once completed, the government will review the prototypes on a variety of criteria, including the ability to withstand blows from sledgehammers, pick-axes, and other hand tools. Each prototype has a value of up to $500,000.