The House passed a 90-day extension of funding for surface transportation projects with a provision to clear the way for construction of the Keystone XL crude pipeline. The bill also sets aside 80% of the BP fines for the restoration and recovery of five Gulf Coast states that were affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Lawmakers in both chambers are expected to begin negotiating a longer-term highway bill.
Join Wisconsin Society of Professional Engineers for the 2012 Annual Discovery Conference: Continuing Education Required in Wisconsin... What Does This Mean For Me? The conference is Friday, April 13 and Saturday, April 14 at the Crowne Plaza in Madison, Wisconsin.
To register fill out the registration form below and return. Sign up TODAY!
The House and Senate left last Friday, March 30th for a two week recess after passing a 90 day extension for surface transportation programs. This, the 9th extension, will now expire on June 30th. ASCE was disppointed in extending the program another 3 months, because Congress tends not to work on anything until the deadline nears.
Congress returns on April 16th and there are rumors that the House Republicans are still working on a path forward.
Wisconsin's Professional Engineer licensure and continuing education requirements have recently changed. These changes have clarified licensure by providing two paths to licensure rather than the cumbersome and outdated four paths as described in Wisconsin Act 350. This change brings Wisconsin more in step with other states and will make it easier for Wisconsin Professional Engineers to achieve comity registration with other states.
See below the article that will be printed in the upcoming newsletter.
The National Highway Institute Underwater Bridge Inspection Course #130091 will be held on May 7-10, 2012 in Madison, Wisconsin.
Local Coordinator: Brian K. Schroeder, (715) 864-4537 SchroederB@AyresAssociates.com
Additional information can be found below. Search by Course #130091.
Congress is struggling with the Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill and lack of action this week could be catastrophic. Please consider the issues and contact your legislators in Washington today or tonight.
We are currently operating on the eighth extension of SAFETEA-LU. This extension expires on Saturday. Lacking action by Congress, states federal funding for projects will stop leading to potential stop work orders on design and construction projects funded by federal dollars. In addition, since Federal Highway Administration staff is funded from this authorization, those staff would likely be told not to report to work; adding delays to ongoing projects.
The Senate passed a 2-year bill and the House passed a 5-year bill. The Senate expected the House to take up their 2-year bill, but now the House has delayed action forcing a vote on another extension. The Senate has hinted that they may not pass an extension to force the House to take up the Senate bill. A stalemate and no extension will have affects many times more adverse that the recent FAA shutdown.
The House was scheduled to vote on the extension Monday and yesterday; both votes were postponed because there was not enough support to pass the measure.
Adding to the urgency, Congress will leave tomorrow night for a two week recess. If Members of Congress are unable to pass an extension before the recess, the consequences will be dire. For every day that surface transportation programs lapse, the Highway Trust Fund would lose approximately $100 million in fuel tax revenues because the federal fuel tax also expires on Saturday.
ASCE has summarized the issue and provided a legislative contact page below. You can read about the issues and position of ASCE. There is also a draft letter that you can edit, add you name and address, and easily contact all of your federal legislators from one page.
Congress needs to hear from you on this issue.
Carl Sutter of our Section will be running for Region 3 Governor this summer. The Wisconsin Section Board has endorsed his nomination. Look for the ballots this summer.
The Senate just passed MAP-21 at 1pm today (03/14/12). The Senate bill is a two-year, $109 billion authorization, which ASCE has been very supportive of. The bill passed with a vote of 74-22. You can see how your Senators voted below.
The House on the other hand is no closer to passage. In February the House introduced H.R. 7, the American Energy and Infrastructure Jobs Act, which was a 5 year bill at $260 billion. ASCE visited with about 150 House Republican offices to garner support for the legislation, but the Speaker pulled the bill around President's Day. House leaders are now considering taking up the Senate passed bill, or tweaking the 5 year bill which did not get enough support as originally written. Many now speculate that the House will not take any action on a multi-year bill until next month. Since the latest extension will expire on March 31st it looks like a 9th extension to surface transportation program may be in order.
ASCE is holding our annual legislative fly-in next week where 160 civil engineers will meet with their Members of Congress to urge action on surface transportation.
See how your Senators voted below:
As published in the ASCE Southeast Branch Newsletter.
A very special congratulations to Bridget Schuh for being awarded the 2011 Citizen Engineer Award!
This award is in recognition of ASCE members' accomplishments in the area of public services and recognizes individuals whom their community knows as civil engineers and who have volunteered their time to help others in their community or have influenced local policy or legislative affaris and have improved the imagine of civil engineers.
Bridget was selected for volunteering her time and talents to a wide range of community activities and serving as a leader and organizer within ASCE. Bridget has been actively involved in activities such as Future Cities, MATHCOUNTS, Steel Bridge Competition, iHeels and has made numerous presentations to students of all ages to introduce them to the possibilities of civil engineering. Bridget also has helped with food drives, fund-raising efforts, youth softball and Habitat for Humanity projects.
Bridget's award will be announded at the Multi-Region Leadership Conference in Kansas City, MO on Friday, February 10, 2012. Congratulations to Bridget for being selected for this award and for setting a "shining example for our profession".
As published in the ASCE eNewsletter
Just as the 2012 presidential election is already in full swing, so is the process of choosing the next President-elect of ASCE. Four meembers have thrown their hats into the ring as nominees, to be narrowed to two official nominees by the Society's Board of Direction Nominating Committee before being put to a vote by ASCE members this summer.
The complete article from the eNewsletter can be found below.
As published in the ACEC WI Newsletter
On October 5, 2011, the Assembly Committee on Labor and Workforce Development held a public hearing on the proposed rule. Another hearing was held by the JCRAR committee (the Joint Committee for Review of Administrative Rules) on November 10, 2011. On November 15, 2011, JCRAR adopted a motion to waive the committee’s review period. This action ends the legislative review process for the rule and sends the rule back to the agency to be published and become effective.
Once published, the rules will require professional engineers to complete 30 PHDs prior to renewing their license each biennium. The requirement will be in effect for the next licensing period which means that PEs will have a period of two years, starting August 2012 to August 2014, in which to complete the 30 PDHs in order to renew a PE license in 2014.
More information on the requirements can be found below.
In November of 2010, the Section Board began discussing revisions to the Section's by-laws.
See below the memo from Bill Meyer, Section President, regarding the two purposes for the proposed revisions.
The present Constitution & By-Laws is available for viewing under the menu bar "Information" then select "Constitution".
See below both the proposed Constitution & By-Laws and the present Constitution & By-Laws with "track changes".
Save the date of Friday, September 9, 2011 on your calendar now and prepare to join colleagues at the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel, Appleton, Wisconsin.
Click below to view the registration brochure for more information on the upcoming meeting.
For more information regarding 501(c)(6) use the link below.
Brad Jansen's submittal, "Is it ethical for engineers to develop an infrastructure report card when their industry will likely be the ones regarded financially for addressing the resulting infrastructure concerns?" was selected to receive a Certificate of Commendation for the 2011 Daniel W. Mead Prize for Younger Members.
The YMG was notified that they have received the 2011 Younger Member Group Award for Small Groups. This is a national award that is applied for in February and is a culmination of all that they do as a group throughout the year.
YMG would like to thank the section and the branch for supporting them and making it possible for the group to continue their outreach and community service efforts as well as promoting the younger member group within the offices. The group was able to earn the award in 2010 as well as 2011.
Save the dates of October 20-22, 2011 on your calendar now and prepare to join colleagues at the Memphis Cook Convention Center in Memphis, Tennessee.
Click below to view the Save-the-Date Flyer for more information on the upcoming conference.
On behalf of members worldwide, the American Society of Civil Engineers extends its condolences to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan.
A copy of the condolence letter from ASCE Leadership is available below.
A recent e-mail from ACEC indicates the need for engineers to send letters to their Republican House of Representatives. See below e-mail from Mark Reiffers (ACEC). Please spread the word/send your letters regarding planned House Republican rules changes to the protected Highway Trust Fund. It appears that the federal gas tax, which is currently protected with "firewalls", could be diverted to general spending.
Listed below is the 2011 list of Wisconsin House Representatives.
The update to Wisconsin's Professional Engineer license requirements passed both houses and was signed into law by the Governor. The new law, Act 350, is scheduled to be published on May 27, 2010. The update eliminates the outdated and difficult to administer 'grandfather' clause by requiring all applicants to pass the Principles and Practice examination. This update brings Wisconsin more in step with other states and will make it easier for Wisconsin Professional Engineers to achieve comity registration with other states. We believe this update improves the states ability to protect public health, safety and welfare. Thanks to all those who contacted legislators to communicate the importance of this bill.
The Honors and Awards program of the Society has as its basic objective, the advancement of the engineering profession by emphasizing exceptional service, either through research, publication or career achievement. The awards are conferred by the ASCE Board of Direction in the name of the Society.
We are pleased to advise you that Awad S. Hanna, Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, a member of the Southwest Branch of the Wisconsin Section, has been selected to receive the Construction Management Award The award will be presented at the 2010 Annual Conference Leadership Luncheon, October 2010, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Additional Information and photographs are available below.
The Wisconsin Section is proud to announce the 2009-2010 recipients of the Outstanding Senior Civil Engineering Student (OSCES) Award. This award is given in recognition of the individual's excellence in engineering academic achievement and service to the profession. Congratulations!
The Wisconsin Section ASCE congratulates 11 of its members who became ASCE Life Members as of January 1, 2010. We thank these individuals for their many years of service both to the civil engineering profession and to the Society. They are:
Wisconsin's 280 Life Members represent about one sixth of the total membership. Many Life Members contribute their active participation in the Section and help make it a lively and progressive organization. Thank you!
The Wisconsin Section Board approved in concept a new website design/layout at the last meeting. Watch for changes coming very soon! If you have any suggestions, please contact the webmaster at HansonM@AyresAssociates.com.
Welcome to the Wisconsin Section webpage! Please feel free to comment on other changes and/or information you would like to see as content. Contact the webmaster, Martin Hanson, at HansonM@AyresAssociates.com or email ASCE WI directly at wi.sec.asce@gmail.com.
