🚀 Graham Carter 🚀’s Post

During the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday 17 July 2024, the King set out the government's priorities for the coming months. The delivery of “high quality infrastructure” will “accelerate” under the new Labour government’s plans to reform the planning system. It is anticipated that The Planning and Infrastructure Bill will “play a key role in addressing [planning] constraint, unlocking more housing and infrastructure across the country and supporting sustained economic growth. It also said the Bill would “accelerate the delivery of major infrastructure projects in alignment with our industrial, energy, and transport strategies”. It continued: “We will simplify the consenting process for major infrastructure projects and enable relevant, new and improved National Policy Statements to come forward, establishing a review process that provides the opportunity for them to be updated every five years, giving increased certainty to developers and communities.” In our recent blog, we look at what nationally significant infrastructure projects actually are and the current planning process for them. #NSIPs #BNG #ecology #ecologyservices

What is Planning? Planning as a profession contains multitudes, and as a #PathwaysToPlanning Graduate Planner, you are able to encounter many of them and find out what interests you the most. Some of the other exciting areas of the field include: Validation: Logging planning applications and ensuring they are completed properly. Geospatial Information Systems ('GIS'): A type of mapping software which can give planners a map or spatial representation of what developments will look like, and therefore their impact on how a place or community will look and function. Enforcement: Enforcement, compliance and monitoring are all terms for the team that addresses developments that breach, have not followed, or do not have planning permission (unauthorised development). Planning Officers who work in this area have the authority to require developments to be demolished and rebuilt if necessary. Specialist Services: The specialist areas covered by a local council depend on what kind of landscapes exist in the area. Typical specialist services include archaeology, heritage, urban design, ecology, transport, climate change, minerals and waste, and environmental health matters. Applications are open now for Cohort 3, find out more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/e-fBRQGt. #LocalGov #GraduateOpportunities #Planning

NZ INFRASTRUCTURE COMMISSION WEBINAR | SECURING RESOURCES FOR URBAN GROWTH - 5 June 2024 "New aggregate opportunity maps will support growth in Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington and Queenstown regions" The AQA has been asking successive Governments to identify and protect existing and future aggregate and sand resources. The AQA are therefore delighted that the Infrastructure Commission has commissioned this work for some regions of New Zealand, and they are hopeful the Government will fund this work for the remainder of the country as part of its Minerals Strategy. To aid councils and others in thinking about where the resources will come from to support future growth, the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission | Te Waihanga commissioned GNS Science to identify potential extraction opportunities close to four high-growth areas: Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington and Queenstown/central Otago. The findings will be released on 5 June at 1:30pm, after a public webinar where report authors will discuss the findings, and the Wellington Regional Leadership Committee team will present on how they’re looking to apply these findings to support Wellington region’s future growth, using tools such as guiding land use and rules in the regional and respective district plans. Register for the webinar on 5 June from 12:30-1:30pm below: https://lnkd.in/guQiqphU

The Fast Track Approvals Bill of the Coalition Government has been approved by Cabinet and will receive its first reading under urgency this afternoon, before being sent to the Environment Committee for public submissions. Projects will become eligible for fast track through one of two ways – either through a referral by the joint decision of the Ministers of Infrastructure, Regional Development and Transport upon an application, or by being listed as a project in Schedule 2A of the Bill. Once a project has been referred into the fast-track process, it will be considered by an expert panel which will apply relevant consent and permit conditions. Panels will have a maximum of six months to do so. The project will then be sent back to joint Ministers to either approve the project (with conditions) or decline the project. Ministers will also be able to refer a project back to a panel if they determine the conditions recommended are too onerous. Projects listed in Schedule 2A of the Bill will be automatically referred into the fast-track process, and the listing of a project in Schedule 2B of the Bill will be required to be taken into account by Ministers if and when a project comes before them for referral into fast-track. The Bill does not currently contain any projects listed in either Schedule 2A or 2B. The government will be establishing a Fast Track Advisory Group of independent experts to provide advice to Ministers on what projects should be included in the legislation. In the coming weeks, Ministers will establish the group, publish the criteria, and applicants will be able to submit projects to the group for evaluation. Cabinet will decide on the exact mix of projects and the projects will be inserted into the schedules of the Bill through the select committee process. The new regime will allow the fast tracking of: ➡️Resource consents, notices of requirement, alterations to designations and certificates of compliance under the Resource Management Act 1991 ➡️Marine consents under the Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf Environment Effects Act 2012 ➡️Section 61 land access arrangements under the Crown Minerals Act 1991 ➡️Applications for archaeological authority under the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014 ➡️Concessions and other permissions under the Conservation Act 1987 and Reserves Act 1977 ➡️Approvals under the Wildlife Act 1953 ➡️Aquaculture decisions under the Fisheries Act 1996

🚰✅ Fostering a culture of quality: "WASH Funders Infrastructure Checklists: Boreholes and Handpumps" Although not the only issue to be considered, the design and construction of high-quality infrastructure is a prerequisite for sustainable rural water supply services. Support to the management, maintenance and repair of services, as well as post-construction monitoring are important. However, poor-quality infrastructure undermines everything that follows.  This document urges funding agencies to be explicit in expecting infrastructure and services to be of high quality. The set of four checklists presented should help organisations that are funding Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (#WASH) projects and programmes to ask the right questions concerning borehole and handpump design and construction quality.  The checklists are: 1️⃣ Direct implementation – boreholes 2️⃣ Direct implementation – handpumps 3️⃣ Direct implementation – post-construction monitoring and inspection 4️⃣ Indirect implementation – strengthening the enabling environment for service delivery that relies on borehole drilling and/or handpumps. These tools are designed to support a self-assessment or an assessment of specific Grantees, help assess applications, evaluate ongoing programmes, and uphold technical construction standards. 🔗 Access the checklists here: https://lnkd.in/dpJN_p8Z Skat Foundation | The Waterloo Foundation | #AskForWater | The Water Project | Kerstin Danert | Ron Sloots | Tabitha Ndiaye | Spencer Bogle, PhD | Adam Questad | Jennifer DeFrance | Temple Chukwuemeka Oraeki | Brett Gleitsmann #ruralwater #waterinfrastructure #ruralsanitation #boreholes #handpumps

A study from the University of Hawai'i reveals how rising coastal groundwater, becoming shallower and saltier, accelerates corrosion and failures in urban infrastructure like sewer lines, roadways, and building foundations. With over 1.42 billion people in 1,546 coastal cities worldwide potentially affected, immediate action and innovative adaptation strategies are crucial for resilience and social equity. What steps is your municipality taking to protect its underground infrastructure? #UndergroundInfrastructure #InfrastructureSafety #google_vignette

🐻 Community Opportunity! 🐻 Join us this November for a virtual Alaska Section, AWRA Brown Bag Meeting! Brown bag meetings are quick, informative, monthly presentations on Alaskan water resources. Members from our community present and chat about their recent research in an informal setting to promote community growth & knowledge. ⌚ When: Tuesday, November 19th, 2024. Noon-1pm AKT 🗺 Where: Online over Zoom: https://lnkd.in/dvKgsUhT 👨💻 Who: Daniel Nichols, PE, CCCA – director at Kuna Engineering 🚱 Topic: Lessons Learned in Rural Wastewater: Anderson Wastewater System Failure 📖 About the Presentation: The City of Anderson is a small rural Alaskan community north of Denali National Park. In 2014, the City completed construction of a new wastewater collection system, complete with insulated mains, services, and lift station. Immediately the system had problems with freezing requiring changes to the system. In 2021, the shallow water table began to rise significantly during the winter. Since then, the collection system has been inundated with groundwater infiltration during the winter months. In February 2023 the issue was so bad that the sewage lagoon was overtopped, and the system froze. Emergency declarations were issued by the City, Borough, and State in February 2023. Kuna was hired to quantify the problem, identify the issues, and provide recommendations. The result was a list of lessons learned that have wide application for rural wastewater systems in Alaska. 🧑💼 About the Presenter: Daniel is a director at Kuna Engineering where he oversees civil engineering, water resources, and rural development. He was born in Alaska and began working in construction and engineering fields while in high school. In 2002, Daniel graduated with a Master of Science from Brigham Young University in civil engineering. Since then, his career has focused on rural development and arctic engineering. Daniel has worked on infrastructure projects in over 150 villages across Alaska. Daniel is also involved in American Society of Civil Engineers as the Alaska Section vice president, Alaska Professional Design Council board member, and is a member of the US Permafrost Association. He was one of the original authors of the Alaska Infrastructure Report Card and has assisted in each addition since. Daniel and his wife Rebecca have raised their six children in Anchorage. Having been raised in Alaska, he likes to fish, hike, kayak, and cross-country skiing. He also enjoys studying Mandarin Chinese, which he learned when he lived overseas in Taiwan. #akawra #alaskawater #community #meeting #wastewater

Navigating Complex Infrastructure: The Power of Hydroexcavation As urbanization accelerates, safely excavating around sensitive infrastructure is crucial. Hydroexcavation, a non-destructive digging method, offers a solution. Using high-pressure water and vacuum technology, it precisely excavates soil without damaging underlying utilities. This technique enhances project efficiency, reduces costs, and minimizes environmental impact. Whether it's exposing underground pipes or excavating for construction, hydroexcavation is a game-changer. Let's explore how this innovative approach can revolutionize urban development projects. Share your thoughts on the future of excavation technology & follow Takunda Mhazo! #Hydroexcavation #Infrastructure #UrbanDevelopment #Innovation #Construction

I’m thrilled to share that our paper, titled “Advances in Innovative Sustainable Transportation Geotechnics,” has just been published in Transportation Geotechnics! In this study, we explore diverse strategies for advancing sustainability in transportation geotechnics, encompassing innovative materials, ground improvement techniques, and use of geosynthetics. A case study is presented to illustrate the practical implementation of sustainable geosynthetics in the United States, offering practical insights into real-world implementations. A huge thanks to Prof Halil Ceylan and Dr. Sunghwan kim for their support!   You can read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/eaHe-2fq   #Research #Sustainability #Transportation #Infrastructure #RecycledPlastics #Geosynthetics #EngineeringInnovation #CivilEngineering #PublishedPaper #IowaRoads

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS (January 13, 2025) – The Virgin Islands Water & Power Authority (“WAPA” or “Authority”) would like to inform the public about upcoming soil boring activities as part of the Northside Waterline Replacement Project. These activities, conducted by Jaca & Sierra Engineering on behalf of the Authority, are essential for evaluating the current water system and designing a more efficient replacement. Soil borings will be carried out along the Northside Highway, as well as in the Mon Bijou-Glynn, Richmond-La Grande Princesse, and Contentment-Richmond area. This process will collect critical data to support the replacement of the existing waterline system in these areas. The soil boring process is non-invasive, will occur within the Department of Public Works’ right-of-way, and will not impact private property. These activities are anticipated to continue through March 2025. The Authority is committed to improving infrastructure and providing reliable services to the community. Further updates on this project will be shared as work progresses. Download PDF: https://buff.ly/4hcIC67