Latest News

Orange County Unveils State-of-the-Art Solar Panels

Date: March 20, 2024

Orange County has unveiled a state-of-the-art floating solar panel installation, which is expected to be a game-changer for making renewable energy goals, according to WESH.

Conveniently nestled at the Southern Regional Water Supply, this innovative project represents a fusion of cutting-edge technology and environmental sustainability. The floating hub, which covers nearly four acres, harnesses the rich and abundant sunshine in Florida to generate clean, renewable energy. "We're very proud about that. It will produce 1.9 million megawatts of energy annually, which will help meet about 25% of the energy needs at this facility, which supplies water to about 80,000 Orange County residents," Carrie Black, Chief Sustainability Officer of Orange County, said.

Each solar panel is specifically designed to withstand the unique challenges posed by its aquatic environment, ensuring optimal performance and durability. "We definitely had some lessons learned during the process in regard to the connection to the facility, but we are looking to replicate this at more of our facilities across the county as well," Black said. These panels work by harnessing solar power from the sun-drenched skies of Florida, but that energy production is then multiplied by the reflectivity of the water. Read more.


Pedestrian-Cyclist Tunnels Could Save Lives, Connect Neighborhoods

Date: March 20, 2024

Some day, bicyclists and pedestrians will be able to cross the Florida East Coast Railway corridor in Fort Lauderdale without risking life and limb. And the Black and white communities historically divided by the tracks might get a little closer.

The Broward County Metropolitan Planning Organization, which obtains federal funding for local transportation projects, has won a $1.5 million grant from the US Department of Transportation for tunnels at five points along the rail line that carries FEC freight trains and Brightline’s speedy passenger trains and will eventually carry local commuter trains.

The cash outlay — from the Biden Administration — is part of a national program the White House rolled out Wednesday that will distribute $3.3 billion for 132 projects in 40 states aimed at benefitting lower income, disadvantaged people and reunited communities, according to a White House announcement.  Dubbed the Reconnecting Communities Pilot and Neighborhood Access and Equity program, the Department of Transportation is awarding 72 planning grants, 52 capital construction grants, and eight regional planning grants. Read more in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

NCEES Seeks Structural Engineering Expertise

Date: February 20, 2024

NCEES is in the process of assembling panels of licensed structural engineers and licensed professional engineers to participate in a series of two-day meetings to determine the cut score, or establish the pass point, for the 2024 Principles and Practice of Structural Engineering exam. This process requires a cross-section of engineers from various employment positions and technical specialties. NCEES asks that you consider volunteering to assist with this important work. Access more information here.


NASA PACE Spacecraft to Collect Florida Environmental Data

Date: February 20, 2024

Florida Today reports that Florida's shallow-water coastlines may be environmentally analyzed in unprecedented detail via NASA's PACE spacecraft, which recently launched atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Armed with a hyperspectral imaging radiometer and two polarimeters, PACE is NASA's most advanced ocean-color-detecting mission to date, said spokesperson Katherine Rohloff during a press conference.

Of note to Floridians: NASA touts PACE as "the first mission to provide measurements that enable prediction of the 'boom-bust' cycle of fisheries, the appearance of harmful algae, and other factors that affect commercial and recreational industries." Brian Barnes, a research associate in the Optical Oceanography Lab at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science, specializes in assessing and monitoring coastal systems using satellite-based sensors. He said PACE should help scientists track growth and decline of seagrass beds across the Sunshine State.

"It's very hard to go out in a boat and identify where exactly all of the seagrass is. You can do it using high-resolution satellites, but that's a very laborious and time-consuming process. With PACE, it's going to be going over essentially every day, taking a look down," Barnes said. Read more.


University of Florida Receives $1.5M Gift for Industrialized Construction Engineering

Date: February 20, 2024

The University of Florida reports that, less than three weeks after President Ben Sasse announced $2.5 million in strategic funding to advance the field of Industrialized Construction Engineering (ICE), Autodesk announced a $1.5 million gift to the UF College of Design, Construction and Planning and UF Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering to establish the world’s first-ever industrialized construction program.

On January 23, leaders from both colleges gasped just before lunchtime when Autodesk COO Steve Blum shocked the room with the surprise announcement. As an industry leader in changing how the world is designed and made, Autodesk pledged to provide all UF students and educators free access to their industry-leading software and technology. The goal is to strategically build a pipeline of skilled ICE laborers in the state of Florida.

Currently, Florida lacks the volume of skilled workers to implement industrialized construction. Thanks to Autodesk, students will have expert training and a deeper understanding of ICE. A game changer in tackling the housing crisis, both colleges will use this critical donation to learn how to reduce development costs by up to 50% while doubling the speed of traditional construction methods. Read more.

NTSB Investigating Brightline High-Speed Train Crashes

Date: January 19, 2024

The National Transportation Safety Board said it will investigate two crashes involving Florida’s Brightline train that killed three people at the same railroad crossing on the high-speed train’s route between Miami and Orlando, the Associated Press reports.

The crashes happened at a crossing along the US 1 corridor in Melbourne, on Florida’s Atlantic coast, where the high-speed train passes through on its daily routes to and from South Florida. Since Brightline launched the 160-mile extension that links South Florida and Orlando in September, there have been five deaths, according to an Associated Press database. Read more.


UF Plans to Advance the Field of Industrialized Construction Engineering

Date: January 19, 2024

The University of Florida has announced that faculty and students will help advance the field of industrialized construction engineering with $2.5 million in strategic funding from the office of UF President Ben Sasse.

Working together, UF’s College of Design, Construction and Planning, and the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering will seek to revolutionize how the world conceptualizes, designs, and builds affordable and resilient buildings and civil infrastructure. The College of Design, Construction and Planning will use its future 50,000-square-foot Bruno E. and Maritza F. Ramos Collaboratory to harness the power of AI, design automation, and robotic construction to enhance productivity, safety, and quality in residential and commercial construction.

UF’s Center for Advanced Construction Information Modeling and the Smart Industrialized Design and Construction Lab will expand their educational offerings and research related to emerging technologies for the design, construction, and maintenance of civil infrastructure.

UF’s Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering and the College of Design, Construction and Planning also plan to create a first-of-its-kind undergraduate degree program in industrialized construction engineering, making UF a critical destination for researchers and students interested in the field. This tech-centered program will focus on environmental stewardship, as students research resilient construction practices and learn to use sustainable materials in their work. Read more.

Florida Lawmakers Seek Study of EV Impacts on Infrastructure

Date: December 14, 2023

With concerns raised about a proposed annual registration fee on electric vehicles amounting to a “double tax,” House members want a study about impacts of the increased number of electric vehicles on Florida roads, WGCU reports.

Bills filed in the House and Senate called for imposing a registration fee on electric vehicles to make up for lost gas-tax revenue, which is used for transportation projects. But the House Transportation & Modals Subcommittee scaled back the House bill (HB 107) to direct state economists to review the long-term infrastructure effects of electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles.

“It seems like a lot of us agree that we don't want to jump ahead when it comes to applying some sort of fee or tax to EV drivers without doing the research first,” Rep. Anna Eskamani, D-Orlando, said. Under the revised bill, lawmakers would be expected in 2026 to consider potential changes to address the anticipated decline in gas-tax revenue as more electric and hybrid vehicles go on the road. Read more.


New UCF Tech Uses AI & VR to Monitor Safety of Bridges and Buildings

Date: December 14, 2023

The University of Central Florida reports that its researchers have developed four new inventions that use artificial intelligence and virtual reality to improve the structural health monitoring of buildings, bridges, roads, and other civil structures.

“Structural health monitoring is an area of need internationally,” says Necati Catbas, a Lockheed Martin St. Laurent Professor in UCF’s Department of Civil, Environmental and Construction Engineering who led the development of the structural health monitoring technologies. Catbas says that traditional monitoring methods involve onsite visual inspection, which can be both time-consuming and costly with manual inspections and can create road and bridge traffic closures.

One invention Catbas and his team developed employs computer vision, while another uses augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). He says computer vision can complement sensors and visual inspection of structural health, and that it is very practical because it doesn’t require access structures such as bridges, buildings, or towers. The technology, a Comprehensive Structural Health Monitoring System, enables inspectors to safely view and accurately assess the load-worthiness and serviceability of structures without having to be onsite. Read more.

Duke Energy to Construct First US Green Hydrogen Facility in Florida

Date: November 16, 2023

The United States' first end-to-end green hydrogen facility will be constructed in Florida, International Business Times reports. The Charlotte, N.C.-based power utility's new energy creation, storage and combustion demonstration facility will be constructed in conjunction with General Electric's GE Verona and management consultancy firm Sargent and Lundy. The system will be located at Duke's existing solar energy facility in DeBary, Florida, about 25 miles northeast of Orlando.

The proposed demonstration plant aims to display the commercial feasibility of similar facilities throughout the country. Construction is expected to last approximately one year, with the plant fully operational by the end of 2024. Duke Energy's plans for the nation's first green hydrogen facility has the potential to mark a turning point in the transition to using liquid hydrogen as a fuel source in the US.

The location of Duke Energy's hydrogen facility is no coincidence: Florida is an ideal location for growing the large-scale solar energy plants necessary for eventually transitioning away from natural gas-fired power plants using green hydrogen. Florida receives more sunlight than any other Southeastern state outside of Texas; it is already the #3 US state by solar panel installations, with residential and utility installations increasing steadily since 2015. Read more.


Air Force Awards $5 Million to Florida Universities for New Research Center of Excellence

Date: November 16, 2023

Florida State University has announced that The FAMU-FSU College of Engineering and the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering at the University of Florida will collaborate on a new Air Force Office of Scientific Research Center of Excellence focused on high-speed flight and morphing aerospace vehicles, which can change shape while in flight.

The Florida State University-headquartered Florida Center for Advanced Aero-Propulsion (FCAAP) will manage the center, named “AEROMORPH: Aerospace Morphing via Integrated Sense, Assess and Respond.” The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Air Force Office of Scientific Research awarded the universities $5 million for the project.

Researchers will conduct fundamental research into morphing structures, conventional distributed sensing, state estimation and control systems that are crucial to aerospace morphing technology.

“This new Center of Excellence on morphing structures for aerospace applications will significantly enhance our research collaboration with the FCAAP partner institutions and Air Force Research Laboratories,” said FCAAP Director Rajan Kumar. “The consortium will allow our students, postdoctoral researchers and faculty to interact with AFRL engineers and scientists and develop technologies for next-generation high-speed flight vehicles.”

The interdisciplinary work will combine insights from information theory, network science, fluid-structure interactions, experimental aerodynamics, and other disciplines. Read more.

University of Florida Launches Semiconductor Institute

Date: October 18, 2023

The University of Florida’s (UF) Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering has announced its creation of the Florida Semiconductor Institute (FSI), aimed at providing coordination within Florida’s burgeoning semiconductor industry, The Capitolist reports. According to the university, FSI will serve as a hub for coordinating activities related to the development and manufacturing of microchips in Florida. It will also advise the state and promote public-private partnerships to support the industry in the state. The FSI’s founding comes following a series of federal investments to revitalize the state’s semiconductor manufacturing industry in the United States and advance chip technology research.

“Microchips are an integral part of our society. The Florida Semiconductor Institute will serve as a hub to coordinate activities that will support the development and manufacturing of these vital chips here in Florida,” UF President Ben Sasse said. “In addition to advancing research and development and educational opportunities, the FSI will advise the state and foster public-private partnerships to enhance what is already a vibrant microchip industry in Florida.”

The FSI will serve as a central hub for more than 60 faculty members from various departments in UF’s College of Engineering, along with academic partners from other Florida universities and private entities. Read more.


Jacksonville Uses Green Infrastructure to Combat Flooding

Date: October 18, 2023

A recent report from Florida TaxWatch proposes new measures to help combat storm water runoff and reduce flooding through the use of green infrastructure, according to The Center Square. Over the past few years, the Sunshine State has had its fair share of severe storms, as recently as August, when Hurricane Idalia made landfall in the Big Bend region of the state, causing widespread flooding to coastal towns.

The report states that as of 2023, Florida has invested over $300 million to build coastal resiliency, reduce stormwater runoff, and reduce flooding through the Resilient Florida Program. This comes with an increasing maintenance cost which could reach upwards of $7.7 million over the next five years, and does not include any new projects.

Jacksonville, located on the Atlantic Coast, was affected severely by flooding caused by Hurricanes Irma and Matthew. Stormwater runoff into bodies of water near the city impacted water quality and infrastructure.

To prevent or reduce future disasters, the city invested into green infrastructure alongside man-made infrastructure, reducing the stress on drainage systems and significantly lowering the risk of severe flooding — even during higher-than-average rainfalls. Read more.


Florida Poly Advances Growth with $15 Million Engineering Building

Date: October 18, 2023

Florida Polytechnic University recently revealed the modern design and functionality of the new Gary C. Wendt Engineering Building, a 40,000-square-foot academic facility that will begin construction next spring.

The $15-million, two-story building will house research and development labs for a variety of engineering disciplines, staff and faculty offices, collaboration spaces, and a conference room. The facility will also feature an open courtyard on the exterior, which will connect to the Barnett Applied Research Center, providing additional recreation space.

“We’re experiencing great campus growth due to our rising reputation as a premier STEM university, and the coming construction of this engineering building is a reflection of that success,” said Dr. Randy K. Avent, Florida Poly’s president. “The new Gary C. Wendt Engineering Building will play a pivotal role in fulfilling our academic mission, as we educate the top engineers Florida needs to keep growing industry throughout the state.”

The Gary C. Wendt Engineering Building will be the third academic facility on campus, joining the iconic Innovation, Science, and Technology building, and the Barnett Applied Research Center, a 90,000-square-foot facility that opened its doors in 2022. Read more.

Florida Tops in US for Solar Installations

Date: September 22, 2023

The Sunshine State is finally realizing its solar-energy generation potential, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Florida topped all other US states for solar energy installations during the first half of 2023 and is on track to upend California and Texas, the top solar installers of 2021 and 2022, for solar energy capacity increase in 2023. The new figures were reported in the latest Solar Market Insight report recently released by energy analytics firm Wood Mackenzie and the Solar Energy Industries Association. The report shows that Florida added 2,499 megawatts of solar-generation capacity during the first half of the year, far surpassing the 1,648 MW added by California and the 1,292 MW added by Texas.

Florida’s increase for the first six months exceeded the amount of solar capacity ever installed in the state during an entire year, an SEIA news release stated. It contributes to a record 32 gigawatts — a gigawatt is equal to 1,000 megawatts — of new solar capacity projected for the United States in 2023. That’s a 52% increase over 2022 and a single-year record for the nation, according to the release. Read more.


Researcher Will Map Vulnerable Critical Infrastructure in Western Florida

Date: September 22, 2023

Compound flooding — when two or more sources of flooding occur simultaneously or in close succession — can spread the reach of natural disasters beyond their normal scope. A new study by Ebrahim Ahmadisharaf, a researcher at the Resilient Infrastructure and Disaster Response Center, or RIDER Center, in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, will help communities in the Pensacola Bay and Perdido Bay watersheds manage the threat posed by compound flooding.

Ahmadisharaf will map vulnerable critical infrastructure within the two western Florida watersheds and update estimates of rainfall intensity, duration and frequency under climate change. The work is supported by a $475,000 grant from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

“Improving community resilience is the motivation behind our work at the RIDER Center,” Ahmadisharaf said. “We have a good idea of how the communities we will examine are impacted by coastal flooding and by inland flooding, but we need a better understanding of how those two types of flooding work together and could place more people and infrastructure in harm’s way.”

Why it Matters: Official and municipal planners rely on detailed maps and predictions about weather and the impact of natural disasters to help decide where critical infrastructure should go and how to protect those investments. But climate change is altering the intensity of weather; for example, by making rainfall heavier. That means old predictions are outdated. Projects like this one can help update expectations and keep communities safe. Read more.

$20.4 Million Awarded for Infrastructure Projects in St. Petersburg

Date: August 17, 2023

St. Petersburg will receive $20.4 million in grant funding through the state's "Resilient Florida" initiative for infrastructure projects, according to Patch.com.
The funds, awarded by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection, will be used for projects related to stormwater flooding and water reclamation.

"We have an intentional focus on partnerships and seeking grant opportunities. These Resilient Florida Program funds will enable the City to make necessary infrastructure improvements that will mitigate flooding and increase utility service reliability," Mayor Kenneth T. Welch said.

The city will spend nearly $11.6 million to mitigate stormwater flooding at Lake Maggiore in the Salt Creek basin. Nearly $10.7 million will be used for the Basic C Resiliency Salt Creek Outfall Pump Station and $900,000 on Basic C Resiliency Salt Creek Conveyance improvements. The city will also replace maintenance buildings at water reclamation facilities to increase service reliability and safety during extreme weather, including hurricanes. About $4.8 million will be spent to replace the building at the Southwest Water Reclamation Facility while about $4.1 million is earmarked for the Northeast Operations and Maintenance Buildings Replacement Project. Read more.


Autonomous Shuttle Pilot Program Launches in Orlando

Date: August 17, 2023

The City of Orlando has announced the start of a six-month autonomous shuttle pilot program in partnership with Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority (LYNX) and Beep Inc., an Orlando-based provider of autonomous shared mobility solutions. The autonomous pilot, called SWAN Shuttle (Shuttling With Autonomous Navigation), will provide the city and LYNX data and learnings to guide the city's transportation strategy on how shared, electric and autonomous vehicles can enhance accessibility, improve the quality of life for residents and ensure the city remains future-ready and sustainable.

"The City of Orlando believes communities must be connected to thrive, and so we are always looking at new ways to embrace creative, innovative ways to do this," said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. "With the expansion of autonomous vehicle shuttles into our neighborhoods, we can converge cutting-edge technology with new mobility solutions to further redefine the way our community moves. The SWAN Shuttle builds on our diverse network of mobility options and furthers our commitment to our residents, our environment and our future."

Residents, visitors, and businesses will have access to the fare-free SWAN Shuttle pilot seven days a week in Creative Village starting on August 20. The roughly one-mile route will have five stops connecting LYNX Central Station and SunRail to UCF/Valencia Downtown, Luminary Green Park, Electronic Arts and Parramore and Creative Village residents and businesses. Read more.


University of Central Florida Engineer Leads Project to Study Offshore Wind Turbines

Date: August 17, 2023

A $3.3 million research project led by Tuhin Das, an engineering professor at the University of Central Florida (UCF), is being funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) to study floating offshore wind turbines. The aim of the project is to develop a software platform that simulates the impact of external factors, such as changing winds and crashing waves, on these systems, Energyportal.eu reports.

The initial phase of the research, which received $772,000 in funding, demonstrated the potential benefits of the software. The results showed comparable outcomes to industry-accepted models and experimental data. The recent $3.3 million grant from ARPA-E will finance the second phase of the research, allowing for further investigation over the next three years.

The goal is to develop a publicly accessible software platform that will be hosted on the university's website and available for licensing and commercialization. This will enable researchers from academia and the industry to utilize it to advance wind turbine research and innovation. Read more.

Florida to Receive $1.17 Billion for Internet Infrastructure

Date: July 20, 2023

Florida is set to receive an investment of $1.17 billion from the federal government as part of the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) program, The Capitolist reports. The funding aims to expand high-speed internet infrastructure across the state.

The federal allocation serves to enable Florida to connect residents and small businesses to high-speed internet by 2030. In addition to the BEAD program, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the implementation of various initiatives to improve internet accessibility, including the Affordable Connectivity Program, which provides eligible households with up to $30 per month off their internet bill, along with a one-time $100 credit toward a computer.

The federal initiative supplements ongoing statewide projects that provide funding to local broadband infrastructure, including a recent allocation of $60 million through the Broadband Opportunity Program authorized by Governor Ron DeSantis to expand internet access in unserved communities. Read more.


Florida Municipal Utilities to Get More Solar Power Sites

Date: July 20, 2023

The Florida Municipal Power Agency recently announced it is moving forward with a plan to add six solar-energy “farms” that will supply power to 20 municipal utilities throughout the state, wuft.org reports (via the Florida News Service).

The first part of the plan will involve adding sites in Putnam and Levy counties that will generate nearly 150 megawatts of energy. The Putnam County site is expected to be finished by the end of 2023, while the Levy County site is slated for 2024, according to the agency, which is an electricity wholesaler for municipal utilities.

The second part of the plan involves adding four sites in Columbia, Levy, and Bradford counties in 2025 and 2026. The announcement is part of a project that includes already-operating solar sites in Orange and Osceola counties.

The agency is working with Miami-based Origis Energy on the project. Jacob Williams, general manager and CEO of the agency, said the expansion, in part, will “enable us to serve several new communities that haven’t had access to solar before.”


Florida Approves Hurricane Model Using Climate Conditioning

Date: July 20, 2023

Applied Research Associate, Inc.’s (ARA) latest version of HurLoss® has once again been accepted by the Florida Commission on Hurricane Loss Projection Methodology (FCHLPM) for insurance rate making in Florida, according to a news release.

This latest version is also the first time ARA has submitted a model with a current, or climate-conditioned, view of hurricane risk rather than a stationary or long-term historical view, and the first model accepted by the FCHLPM to account for climate change.

"This improvement recognizes the evolving nature of hurricane risk, which is driven by changing environmental parameters, such as sea surface temperature and wind shear,” said ARA Principal Engineer Frank Lavelle, who has managed the development and support of ARA’s hurricane model since 2002.

This breakthrough in climate conditioned modeling is made possible by ARA’s unique methodology, allowing for direct input from leading Global Circulation Models (GCM).

“ARA’s engineering approach to catastrophe modeling is first principles, physics based,” Lavelle said. “Our hurricane model has always used physically based inputs, rather than relying solely on statistical modeling or simply claims data.”

ARA’s method of quantifying the effects of climate change on hurricane risk is to allow the hurricane model to ingest predictions of future global temperatures and wind shear from leading GCMs and provide event occurrence rates for any given time frame and carbon emissions scenario that has been modeled with a GCM. Read more.

State Licensing Board Warns of Fake Emails

Date: June 21, 2023

Please be aware of spam emails being sent to professional engineers and engineering firms that appear to have been sent from the Florida Board of Professional Engineers. These emails, including ones with “a secure document” or a scam GoFundMe link, were not sent by FBPE, and should be deleted immediately, FBPE advises in a news alert.

The body of the email has a link to view a document or a link to a cloud document server, such as Dropbox. Do not click any links or open attached documents. If you did click on a link or open a document, contact your technical support desk or run an anti-virus check.

Like previous fake emails, this email you received was likely a phishing attempt aimed at getting your personal information or an attempt to load malicious software on your computer. These types of emails will often appear to be sent from a familiar email address, but with a slight variation, such as fbpee.org, rather than our actual domain, fbpe.org.

FBPE does not send out emails with invoices or emails that ask for personal or professional information, or for you to verify your information. Learn more.


Brightline Completes Rail Line Construction Between Orlando and South Florida

Date: June 21, 2023

A major milestone in Brightline’s connection from Orlando to South Florida. Today, they’ve announced the completion of the long-anticipated rail line, wesh.com reports.

The 170-mile stretch of rail now connects Central and South Florida, and Brightline is gearing up to finally begin running routes on the new line.

The project broke ground in 2019, about a year after services opened between Miami, to West Palm Beach. Service will include 16 daily round trips with hourly departures between Miami and Orlando.

Brightline says this work generated more than $10,000 jobs and had an economic impact of more than $6 billion dollars for the State of Florida.

The next phase is now all about high-speed testing in that corridor between West Palm Beach and Orlando, mainly going through Brevard County. The testing will go up to 110 miles and hours, and that’ll continue through July. Read more.


USF Researchers Work to Prepare Florida for Hurricane Season

Date: June 21, 2023

The 2023 hurricane season has officially begun, and the University of South Florida reports that its researchers are exploring ways to increase safety and preparedness across the state.

Assistant Professor Zachary Haber in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering is exploring novel, sustainable structural engineering solutions that can better withstand the powerful effects of natural disasters, including hurricanes. His goal is to develop design and construction guidance that can be used by bridge engineers. His focus is on ultra-high-performance concrete, an innovative fiber-reinforced, cement-based material that is five times stronger and 10 times more durable than conventional concrete.

Inside USF’s Smart Grid Power Systems Laboratory, electrical engineering Professor Lingling Fan helps electric companies across the nation evaluate the vulnerability of a power grid during extreme power grid events, such as a hurricane. Fan says when preparing for a hurricane, power plants usually proactively shut down certain areas ahead of the storm to increase safety, avoid serious damage and shorten restoration time post-storm. This can lead to uncontrolled blackouts for large demographic areas.

Through real-time digital simulators with powerful computing capabilities, Fan is able to evaluate how many people are impacted by shut-downs, develop detailed restoration plans and test various techniques to avoid blackouts, damage to equipment and delays in restoration of power – providing information of great value to power grid operators. Read more.

Deerfield Beach PE Named NSPE Fellow

Date: May 16, 2023

NSPE-FL member Terrance Glunt, P.E.

NSPE has welcomed NSPE-FL member Terrance Glunt, P.E., into its 2023 Class of Fellows. He is a senior principal, community development at Stantec Consulting Services. He joins four other PEs in receiving the membership level that honors NSPE members who have demonstrated exemplary and devoted service to the profession, the Society, and their communities.


Florida-Based Power Company Making a Huge Bet on Hydrogen

Date: May 16, 2023

NextEra Energy grew into a clean-energy powerhouse by investing early in wind and solar farms. The Wall Street Journal reports that the company is now staking its continued growth on hydrogen.

The new strategy is a huge bet for the Florida-based business, which has become the most valuable power company in the US, in part because it outperformed its financial targets: Its 2022 profit was up roughly 70% from a decade ago. Over the past two decades, NextEra’s market capitalization has soared to more than $150 billion from roughly $11 billion. NextEra now says it sees the potential to invest more than $20 billion in so-called green hydrogen after the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which provides significant tax credits for such projects.

Rebecca Kujawa, chief executive of NextEra Energy Resources, the company’s renewable-energy-development arm, said the company is already fielding interest from prospective hydrogen customers. She said the company sees the potential to develop more than 15 gigawatts of renewable-energy projects to support the hydrogen-production facilities. A gigawatt of electricity can power several hundred thousand homes.

“I’m very excited about how this could shape our business and our industry over the long term,” Kujawa said. “It’s an enormous growth opportunity.” Read more.


Florida DOT Plans State’s First Wildlife Crossing Overpass Across I-4

Date: May 16, 2023

The Florida Department of Transportation is working on a wildlife crossing overpass in Polk County to protect the wildlife living in the area, according to WFTS Tampa Bay.

More than 100,000 vehicles zip through Interstate 4 every day, making it extremely dangerous for animals to get across. “There have been several black bears and Florida panther collisions on the interstates, but luckily there haven’t been that many because when wildlife approach the roadway, they just know it’s not safe for them. They turn back and go the other way,” said Brent Setchell, FDOT District 1 drainage design engineer.

For the last 50 years since I-4 was built, it has been a barrier to wildlife movement. FDOT’s proposed wildlife crossing overpass will improve the access animals have to their habitats on both sides of the interstate.

“It’ll go over I-4 and it connects the Green Swamp to the north and Saddle Creek and Tenoroc Fish Management to the south. Eventually, even further south, going to the Peace River corridor,” Setchell said.

The $11.9 million dollar wildlife overpass will be the first in the state solely for wildlife use. FDOT determined that an overpass is more cost-effective than an underpass. Read more.

After Five Years, Florida Ready to Replace Collapsed Bridge

Date: April 19, 2023

Five years after the catastrophic of a pedestrian bridge with a novel design meant to punctuate Florida International University’s ascendancy as a public institution, state engineers are finally ready to give it another go, governing.com reports.

This time, though, cutting-edge is out. So is FIU, which conceived of the ambitious bridge project a decade ago and oversaw design and construction of the failed structure.

The Florida Department of Transportation, which took direct control of the project from FIU after the collapse, has now unveiled plans for a $20 million, 290-foot-long footbridge over eight lanes of heavy traffic on Southwest Eighth Street. Like the previous version, the new bridge will link FIU’s main campus to the small, working-class city of Sweetwater and its flourishing University City, a dense cluster of apartment towers with cafes and shops for students, faculty and school staff.

Despite some superficial resemblance to the old bridge, the nearly finished design plans for the new version take a decidedly conservative approach to engineering and construction — an effort clearly intended to reduce to a minimum the risk of a repeat of the shocking calamity that occurred on March 15, 2018. Read more.


FSU Announces Investments in Quantum Science and Engineering

Date: April 19, 2023

Florida State University recently announced that it will dedicate more than $20 million to quantum science and engineering over the next three years. The funding will support hiring at least eight new faculty members, equipment and dedicated space in the university’s Interdisciplinary Research and Commercialization Building, and seed money for a new program focused on this emerging field.

FSU President Richard McCullough announced the investments at the first day of the university’s Quantum Science and Engineering Symposium. “It’s clear from the research being presented here that FSU is uniquely positioned to be a leader in what is now being heralded as the second quantum revolution,” McCullough said. “We have the drive and the desire to expand our existing efforts so that we can be on the forefront of research in this area of critical national and global importance.”

The investments are part of the university’s efforts to support the development of applications that exploit quantum mechanics to make engineering breakthroughs. The federal government has made expanding knowledge of quantum information science and developing new technologies a strategic priority. Agencies such as the National Science Foundation, Department of Defense, Department of Commerce, Department of Energy, and others are part of the $2.6 billion National Quantum Initiative. Read more.

Southwest Florida International Airport Terminal Expansion Expected to Be Completed in 2025

Date: March 15, 2023

The passenger terminal of Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) located in Fort Myers, Lee County, Florida, is being expanded to maximize capacity and offer passengers more facilities and services, according to Airport Technology. The expansion project represents the second largest public works project in the history of Lee County.

The Lee County Port Authority is developing the project with an estimated investment of $331 million. Construction on the project began in October 2021 and the expanded terminal is expected to be operational in 2025.

The RSW airport terminal expansion will help in meeting the increased passenger traffic that has reached pre-Covid levels of more than 10 million passengers a year. It aims to improve the airport passenger experience by reducing passenger wait times, improving Transportation Security Administration checkpoint activities, increasing post-security offerings, connecting concourses, and adding amenities. Read more.


The NASA Economic Impact on Florida

Date: March 15, 2023

NASA has a unique mission that provides benefits in big and small ways as funding spent for space exploration create jobs, jumpstarts businesses, and grows the economy. NASA’s economic impact is nationwide, but how does Florida benefit?

There are 2,172 NASA federal jobs and 19,852 contractors in Florida. For every NASA federal job located in Florida, an additional 16.8 jobs are supported in the state economy. For every million dollars’ worth of economic output generated by NASA federal jobs, an additional $6 million worth of output is sustained throughout the state economy. Read more.


A 5,000-Mile-Long Wad of Seaweed Takes Aim at Florida’s Beaches

Date: March 15, 2023

Researchers say a 5,000-mile-long seaweed bloom stretching from the shores of West Africa to the Florida Keys could be the largest in history, reports Fox-13 in Tampa Bay.

It's something researchers have been studying for the last decade and say this year's bloom could pose health risks and cause problems to the environment and infrastructure. According to Popular Science, as the mass inches closer to land, it can diminish water and air quality, smother coral reefs, and restrict oxygen for coastal fish. While some seaweed can be used in sustainable products, this sargassum is virtually useless—and very smelly. Read more.

New Florida Infrastructure Plan Focuses on Congestion Relief

Date: February 10, 2023

Interstate projects across Florida are getting an extra boost in funding to speed up the process and push completion up by at least 10 years, according to Governor Ron DeSantis.

At a news conference at the SUNTRAX Test Facility Toll Operations in Auburndale, the governor announced a $7 billion proposal in funding toward 20 major interstate and roadway projects over the next four years.

The legislative proposal, dubbed Moving Florida Forward, is prioritizing projects already in the Florida Department of Transportation’s Five-Year Work Program. Read more.


Big Cypress Basin Completes Water Infrastructure Project

Date: February 10, 2023

The entire Big Cypress Basin (BCB) Board along with officials from Collier County and Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary celebrated the completion of an upgraded water control structure in Naples that borders portions of the Bird Rookery Swamp and Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. Coastal Breeze News reported on the project’s completion.

“Today is a great day for the Big Cypress Basin,” said Charlette Roman, Chair of the Big Cypress Basin Board and Governing Board Member of the South Florida Water Management District. “The improved water control structure will enhance the ecosystem in the Big Cypress Basin, Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and the Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed. It will also help protect local communities from flooding, while ensuring and managing water flow. This project is a true win-win for people and nature.”

USF Engineers Awarded $2.5 Million Federal Grant to Expand Algal Bloom Research

Date: January 19, 2023

University of South Florida engineers are leading a team of scientists across the state in the development of a new, state-of-the-art system that allows water districts to better predict and manage harmful algal blooms.

The university reports that the $2.5 million grant from the US Army Corps of Engineers allows USF to work with researchers from the University of Florida and the South Florida Water Management District to address harmful algae blooms in Lake Okeechobee, St. Lucie River, and Caloosahatchee River watersheds, according to a news release.

“Harmful algae blooms cause many negative environmental, health and economic effects throughout the state,” said principal investigator Mauricio Arias, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering. “This three-year grant from the US Army Corps of Engineers supports the development of new state-of-the-art water quality data and models to better predict and manage harmful algae blooms in this vitally important and environmentally sensitive ecosystem.” Read more.


$2.6 Billion Storm and Sea Level Rise Project on Tap for Florida Keys

Date: January 19, 2023

President Joe Biden recently authorized a US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) $2.6 billion coastal storm and sea-level rise infrastructure resiliency project in the Florida Keys. Appropriations for the project will require separate, annual approvals by Congress, Keys Weekly reports.

The county also secured a nearly $1 million initial appropriation, approved in the omnibus spending bill, to fund the planning, engineering, and design of six U.S. 1 stabilization projects in the Keys, the first phase of the plan. The plan includes 5,500 feet of the road at mile markers 79.5, 70, 70.9, 67, 37, and 34.5, identified as vulnerable to erosion and wave energy.

“We are committed to making Monroe County as resilient as possible against the effects of future storms and sea-level rise,” said Monroe County Administrator Roman Gastesi. “This partnership with USACE allows us to tap into federal money to help offset resiliency costs to Florida Keys residents.” Read more.

Year One of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

Date: December 13, 2022

The Biden Administration recently updated state and territory fact sheets that highlight the nationwide impact of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the largest long-term investment infrastructure and competitiveness in nearly a century. To date, over $8 billion in funding has been announced and is headed to Florida with over 170 specific projects identified for funding. Access information about Florida projects here.


FIU Receives $3.2M to Research 3D Printing Ultra-High Performance Concrete

Date: December 13, 2022

FIU has received a $3.2 million grant from the Army Corps of Engineers to research the 3D printing of Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC). The innovative research looks to help military personnel and industry professionals create extra-strong, customized structures on demand, according to a news release.

UHPC is stronger and more durable than traditional concrete. The material is projected to become very important to the construction industry in the coming years, said Atorod Azizinamini, director of infrastructure research and innovation at the Office of Research & Economic Development and professor of civil engineering at the FIU College of Engineering & Computing.

“Just a shell of UHPC wrapped around a structure adds to its total strength,” said Azizinamini, principal investigator of the grant. “The properties of UHPC allow us to make structures smaller and more lightweight. This translates to energy savings and smaller carbon footprints.”

Another major benefit of UHPC is that it is difficult for water to penetrate. This is important because if a substance like saltwater breaches through a building’s concrete and reaches its reinforcing steel, it can cause corrosion. Read more.

Florida Power and Light’s Post-Storm Restoration Was Fastest Ever

Date: November 17, 2022

Company leaders from Florida Power and Light recently said the utility had achieved its best-ever service restoration time after Hurricane Ian in September, though the repair effort may end up costing customers a collective $1.1 billion, utilitydive.com reports.

NextEra Energy Resources, the company’s energy development division, reportedly signed contracts for more than 2.3 GW of new renewable energy and storage projects in the last quarter. Company spokespeople said renewable energy should continue to see rapid growth thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act.


Space Florida Moves Forward on Developing Jobs, Landing Facility Projects

Date: November 17, 2022

The board of Space Florida, the state-run organization in charge of promoting the aerospace industry, has approved nearly $60 million for upgrades to the Launch Landing Facility (LLF) and has decided to move forward with vendor solicitations on two other unnamed projects that are expected to create dozens of jobs, the Florida Insider reports.

The $41.4 million that was approved for the LLF’s development was increased to $58.8 million as part of a 2013 NASA contract that Space Florida was given management and operation of. The Middlesex Corporation, BRPH Engineers Architects, Inc., Michael Baker International, Inc., RUSH Construction, Inc., and Neoverde Holdings, LLC are a few of the project’s suppliers who will receive the funds.

Space Florida’s board, chaired by Lt. Governor Jeanette Nuñez, moved forward with two other projects in which companies who are unnamed are poised to create jobs and invest millions in exchange for tax incentives as well. Read more.

Florida to Receive $2.65 Billion for Transportation Projects

Date: October 20, 2022

Florida is slated to get $2.65 billion this fiscal year for transportation projects as part of a major federal infrastructure law, FOX 51 reports.

The money is part of $59.9 billion that will be released from the Federal Highway Administration for 12 programs under the $1.2 trillion law signed by President Joe Biden. The agency estimates that under the current formula, Florida would receive $13.3 billion for highways and bridges over five years.

"On an average annual basis, this is about 26% more than the state's federal-aid highway formula funding under current law,” a report from the agency said. Portions of the funding, for electric-vehicle charging stations and transportation-resiliency efforts, had already been announced. Read more.


Florida University Helps Launch AI Curriculum in Public Schools

Date: October 20, 2022

Florida is among the first states to adopt a K-12 artificial intelligence, or AI, education program designed to prepare its youth for the growing global demand for an AI-enabled workforce.

Tapping into the expertise of the University of Florida and its AI initiative, the Florida Department of Education recently added a three-year program of study called AI Foundations to its Career and Technical Education Program, or CTE, according to a news release. Three Florida school districts are participating after specialized AI training was available to teachers over the summer.

Nearly everyone is accessing AI or being influenced by the technology every day, and that will only increase, said UF Associate Provost David Reed, who leads the university's Artificial Intelligence Academic Initiative Center.

"More and more people with all levels of education and technical skills are exposed to AI, including on their phones, their watches and in their homes," Reed said. "Through several initiatives, including an AI curriculum program developed for Florida public schools, the University of Florida aims to increase understanding among students about how their data is being used, improve their skills in computer science and also impact the AI workforce shortage." Read more.


Historic Ford Plant to Be Razed for Industrial Project

Date: October 20, 2022

After a Jacksonville City Council vote, the 97-year-old Ford Motor Co. factory in Talleyrand will be demolished. Previously, an order from the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission had blocked the owner of the riverfront landmark from tearing it down. Amkin Hill Street LLC wants to raze the structure for a possible maritime industrial redevelopment project.

The Council's 17-0 vote overruled the previous decision. The factory served as an assembly plant for the Model T and Model A cars that city historic preservation staff said automaker Henry Ford helped plan and operate, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record.

Florida Condo Safety Law Requires PE Inspections

Date: September 21, 2022

Florida has enacted a law (S.B. 4-D) that increases safety requirements for condominiums following the tragic collapse of the Champlain Towers South in Surfside last year. A critical component of the law requires "milestone inspections" of the structural integrity of condominiums by a licensed engineer or architect.

Condominiums and cooperative association buildings that are three or more stories in height must obtain a "milestone inspection" to gauge structural integrity if they are 30 years of age or 25 years of age and located within three miles of a coastline. These buildings will need the initial inspection and reinspection every 10 years to be conducted by a licensed engineer or architect. If a building's certificate of occupancy was issued on or before July 1, 1992, the initial inspection must be completed before December 31, 2024, and within 180 days of notification by a local enforcement agency. Read more.


Proposed Light Rail Project Gains Support

Date: September 21, 2022

Local stakeholders and the Florida Department of Transportation are advocating for light rail that would extend across Central Florida and connect commuter rail to Orlando's airport in a new white paper, Mass Transit reports.

The report calls for proposals to extend the public transportation modes to the region's convention and tourism district and extend high-speed rail service to Tampa. A couple of proposed alternatives include completing the project in steps or completing the infrastructure in one massive $6 billion project. Read more.


Companies Sought for Educational Program

Date: September 21, 2022

JA Inspire North Florida, a career exploration program that exposes middle school students to high-demand, high-growth careers, is looking for engineering companies to participate. Students prepare with classroom lessons leading up to an event and post-event activities, the Jacksonville Daily Record reports.

Companies taking part will inform students about careers and real-world work in their respective fields and emphasize the importance of education and staying in school. Participation in the program will allow firms to market themselves to students, parents, educators, and others. Companies interested in sponsoring and participating in JA Inspire should contact Tiffany Guthrie at 904-398-9944 ext.230 or tiffany@janfl.org. Read more.

Florida Condo Safety Checks May Face Difficulties

Date: August 17, 2022

Worries abound in Florida that there are not enough engineers to do detailed inspections of condo units as is required by law. The regulation was passed in the aftermath of last year’s tragedy at Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside.

More than 900,000 units need to be inspected in a short amount of time, according to floridarealtors.org, and only about 50,000 engineers and architects – the only professionals authorized to do the inspections – are available. The inspections are due by the end of 2024, but each one can take up to two months. If issues are found, second inspections can be required.

State Representative Jason Pizzo said the state does not have enough engineers to complete the inspections. “Tell your nieces and daughters and sons to go study engineering,” Pizzo told the Associated Press.


Insurance Companies Starting to Deny Coverage for Solar Panels

Date: August 17, 2022

In Florida, First Coast News reports, it is becoming increasingly common for insurance companies to drop customers if they put solar panels on their roofs, or if they participate in net metering. This practice is not happening in the rest of the country, only in Florida, the news outlet says.

Sometimes the panels are cited by insurance companies as being “high-risk,” despite the fact that state authorities say an energy surge running through solar panels cannot damage a home.

Another theory about why coverage for solar is drying up is that a clause in some Florida Power and Light contracts says homeowners are responsible for damage from panels, said Doug Wiles, president of Herbie Wiles Insurance.

This lack of available homeowners’ insurance could be causing some to avoid having solar panels installed. The state is expected to transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050.

Duke Energy Completes Solar Farm

Date: July 20, 2022

Duke Energy recently completed its first community solar site in Hardee County, Florida, in its drive to make more solar power available for all customers in Florida.

The Fort Green Renewable Energy Center is the first of 10 solar sites, totaling 750 megawatts, that are part of the company’s new community solar program, Clean Energy Connection.

Through the program, Duke Energy Florida customers can subscribe to solar power and earn credits toward their electricity bills without having to install or maintain their own equipment.

The facility was built on approximately 500 acres of repurposed mining land and consists of nearly 265,000 solar panels, utilizing a fixed-tilt racking system that will produce enough carbon-free energy to effectively power more than 23,000 average-sized homes at peak production.


SpaceX Beefs Up its Internet Satellite Presence

Date: July 20, 2022

SpaceX recently launched another set of Starlink internet satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, tying its previous annual launch record just seven months into the year, Florida Today reports.

The launch took 53 of the internet-beaming satellites to low-Earth orbit, then the company’s Falcon 9 rocket landed on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean; it marked the booster’s thirteenth flight.

The company has at least a dozen more launches planned through the end of this year, and has launched nearly 3,000 Starlink satellites over 51 missions. The company plans to boost thousands more to provide worldwide internet coverage.

Florida Power and Light Going Green

Date: June 16, 2022

NextEra Energy and its subsidiary Florida Power & Light have set a goal to eliminate carbon emissions by 2045 by shifting to wind, solar, battery storage, nuclear, green hydrogen, and other renewables, the Tampa Bay Times reports.

This would lead to a large increase in the use of solar panels and battery-storage technology. The company’s CEO Eric Silagy said, “Being fuel efficient is really good business and good for customers.”

Last year, natural gas comprised 67% of FPL’s fuel mix, with nuclear making up 20%. In 2045, the Times reports, a combination of solar, battery storage, and green hydrogen would make up 83% of what the utility uses.


Grant to Fund Infrastructure at Industrial Mega Site

Date: June 16, 2022

Okaloosa County will receive $3.2 million through the Florida Job Growth Grant Fund to expand roads, rail lines, and utility infrastructure at the Shoal River Ranch. Governor Ron DeSantis’s investment in the industrial mega site is expected to bring more than 11,000 jobs to the Okaloosa County region. This will more than double the current number of manufacturing jobs in the area, bringing more than 4,000 new jobs in manufacturing.

“[The] grant will lay the foundation for a dramatic expansion of manufacturing in Okaloosa County,” DeSantis said. “Florida is committed to expanding our industrial base and investments like this, as well as our strong support for skilled trades and workforce education, will help us achieve this goal.”

The site is projected to make an economic impact of over $47.6 million after infrastructure improvements are made. Read more.

Florida a Growing Hub for Precision Robotics

Date: May 16, 2022

Surgical robotics is becoming a big deal in South Florida, according to the South Florida Business Journal. Mechanical and electrical engineers work to create precision robots at companies like Neosis, which specializes in dental robotics. The machines can perfectly mimic movements of the human arm and hand and complete small, repetitive tasks accurately.

The surgical robotics industry is in its infancy, but is poised to explode thanks to the evolution of artificial intelligence and other technologies. Firms and investors in Florida are recognizing its potential. The Mako Education Center, opened in 2018, is a 40,000-square-foot facility in Fort Lauderdale created to train doctors in robotic-assisted joint replacements. The Center has helped to draw other robotics companies to the area by validating South Florida’s position as a hub for the industry. Read more.


Lawsuit Says Lack of Water Quality Enforcement is Killing Manatees

Date: May 16, 2022

Three environmental groups have filed a federal lawsuit alleging that water quality standards set in 2009 aren’t being enforced or followed in Florida, the Tampa Bay Times reports. The groups want to force the Environmental Protection Agency to work with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service to address poor water quality in the Indian River Lagoon, where more than 1,500 manatee deaths have occurred since 2021.

The lawsuit contends sea turtles are also being harmed by water pollution from wastewater-treatment discharges, leaking septic systems, fertilizer runoff, and other sources that have killed thousands of acres of seagrass, which are a major food source for manatees.

Under the Clean Water Act, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in 2009 set total maximum daily loads for nitrogen and phosphorus. Those levels were deemed safe for wildlife in the lagoon, the Times reports. The EPA approved these state levels in 2013.

“New information demonstrates that the (total maximum daily loads) fail to account for contributions from historic pollution sources, underestimate contributions from septic systems, and do not account for the impacts of climate change,” said the lawsuit, filed by attorneys from the Earthjustice environmental law organization.

Orlando PE Graduates from NSPE Emerging Leaders Program

Date: April 14, 2022

Michael Eagle, P.E.

Michael Eagle, P.E., of Orlando, is a member of NSPE’s 2021 Class of Emerging Leaders. The latest session of the Emerging Leaders Program began in August 2021 and concluded in February.

Employed for more than eight years at the Orlando office of Kittelson & Associates Inc., Eagle serves locally as senior engineer in providing transportation planning, engineering, and research services. Read more.


Governor Gives Small County Millions for Manufacturing Project

Date: April 14, 2022

Governor Ron DeSantis has allocated $5.5 million to Hamilton County for an infrastructure and manufacturing project that he said will create as many as 1,000 jobs, according to floridapolitics.com. The funding for Florida’s sixth-smallest county comes from the governor’s Job Growth Grant Fund, which he can draw from to fund infrastructure and job training projects throughout the state.

DeSantis was quoted as saying such funding goes farther in rural areas. The county was recorded as having 14,000 residents in the 2020 census, the website reports.


Piney Point Cleanup Plan Approved

Date: April 14, 2022

Florida regulators have approved a plan to remove millions of gallons of wastewater that is stored at Piney Point, an old fertilizer plant site, according to tampabay.com. The Department of Environmental Protection said the goal is to eliminate the looming environmental danger to Tampa Bay. Last spring, 215 million gallons of wastewater were dumped into the bay at the site to prevent flooding into nearby homes and business.

The water stored in reservoirs at Piney Point is a mix of polluted byproducts from fertilizer manufacturing and additional water that became contaminated when it mixed with the waste. The plan is to drain the enormous reservoirs, treat the water, and pump it down a 3,300-foot well across the street on land owned by Manatee County. The reservoirs will then be covered with plastic sheeting to prevent rainfall from getting polluted.

The Point has a long, troubled history. Florida has sued the facility’s owner, HRK, saying the firm did not adequately care for Piney Point and failed to meet its promise of getting rid of contaminated water by 2019.


Florida PE Honored as FEYA Finalist

Date: March 14, 2022

James Works, P.E., was recently honored as a top 10 finalist for NSPE’s Federal Engineer of the Year Award. He works in the US Department of the Air Force’s Air Force Civil Engineer Center at the Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida.

Works and the other finalists were recognized prior to the announcement of a winner during a virtual awards event on February 24. Robert Zueck, Ph.D., P.E., was named the 2022 FEYA winner.

The Federal Engineer of the Year Award, sponsored by the Professional Engineers in Government, honors engineers employed by a federal agency that employs at least 50 engineers worldwide. These nominees have made extensive contributions to their organizations and also to the public that PEs ultimately serve.

James Works, P.E.

Air Force Engineer Oversees Fuels Infrastructure Systems, Facilities

Date: March 14, 2022

A recognized expert on fuels infrastructure, James Works, P.E., chairs the Tri-Service Fuels Discipline Working Group. This technical body develops, writes, and maintains US Department of Defense (DoD) design, construction, and maintenance criteria for all petroleum storage and distribution systems. Also notable, Works heads the US delegation to NATO’s Petroleum Handling Equipment Working Group, which facilitated publication or revision of five Unified Facilities Criteria and more than 25 Unified Facilities Guide Specifications for architectural/engineering and construction firm use.

Works also developed a new management framework to ensure that all Air Force fuels facilities are properly assessed and maintained, planned, designed, and constructed to maximize effective use of funding. In a different capacity, he helped craft health and mechanical engineering policy for Air Force facilities responding to COVID outbreaks, and he drafted updates for mold identification and remediation policies. Additionally, Works was handpicked to give technical support to an audit of the DoD Inspector General’s life, health, and safety deficiencies at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and preliminary assessment of Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait. In response, he recommended multiple improvements to construction and maintenance processes.


Clean Energy Advocates Urge Governor to Veto Net Metering Bill

Date: March 14, 2022

A bill to phase out solar net metering has been passed by the Florida House and Senate. Critics of the bill assert that if it becomes law, it could cripple the success of solar energy in the state.

They are calling on Governor Ron DeSantis to veto the bill. Under the legislation (S.B. 1024/H.B. 741), the amount paid to utilities and customers would start to decrease in 2024 and would eventually disappear. Clean energy groups believe this would essentially kill the future of the energy source in the state.

After a hearing in January, the Florida Senate Committee on Regulated Industries concluded that redesigning the state’s net metering rate structure would have “an indeterminate impact” on solar installation and manufacturing.

Bill Would Require Condo Inspections by Engineers or Architects

Date: February 16, 2022

A Florida Senate bill (S.B. 1702) seeks to require more stringent inspections for high-rise multi-family residences in Florida following the Champlain Towers condo collapse in Surfside. Inspections would be required to be done by licensed engineers or architects, according to the Tampa Bay Times.

Such buildings within three miles of a coastline would have to be inspected in their 20th year and every seven years after that. Other such buildings would have to be inspected in their 30th year and then every 10 years in perpetuity. The bill was passed unanimously by the Florida Senate’s Community Affairs Committee in late January.


Florida Power & Light Now Has 50 Solar Energy Centers in the State

Date: February 16, 2022

Florida Power & Light Company has put into service eight new solar energy centers, bringing its total to 50 centers installed statewide, according to a news release. The centers generate enough clean, emissions-free energy to power approximately 750,000 homes throughout the state annually.

Recently, FPL said it expects to complete its goal of installing 30 million solar panels across Florida five years early–by the end of 2025. This represents the largest solar expansion in America.


Using Engineering to Unlock Answers to Medical Mysteries

Date: February 16, 2022

An engineering professor at the University of Central Florida is using engineering principles to solve the mystery of why the heart attack is the silent killer. Olusegun Ilegbusi conducted a study that used intra-vascular ultrasound imaging with computational fluid dynamics to help predict when a myocardial infarction may occur. The groundbreaking study examined conditions that might cause plaques in the coronary arteries may break off to cause a heart attack, according to a UCF Today article.

The research was used by major drug manufacturers to study the effectiveness of their new heart disease drugs. Ilegbusi is also studying potential causes of and treatments for various cancers and sleep apnea.

“I take the human body as the ultimate engineering design,” Ilegbusi stated in the article. “I am excited by the challenge of utilizing engineering principles to unlock its mysteries. Such a formidable task requires the collaboration of multiple experts in diverse fields of medicine, engineering, computer science, materials science and advanced manufacturing.”

Florida Structural Licensing Bill Raises Concerns

Date: January 19, 2022

Legislation introduced in Florida to create a discipline-specific license is raising a red flag, as NSPE believes that the professional engineering license must be the only legal designation required for the practice of engineering.

The legislation (H.B. 375/S.B. 940) institutes a professional structural engineering license and prohibits individuals who are not licensed professional structural engineers from using specified names and titles or practicing professional structural engineering.

NSPE believes that fragmenting the PE license into discipline-specific titles or practice acts weakens rather than strengthens the integrity of the license. Continued recognition of professional engineering licensure as the defining qualification for professional practice is crucial to the public's understanding of the profession and ensuring the trust and protection of the public.

As professional engineers and constituents, NSPE members have an important voice in the conversation around this issue. Members can share the Society's position with legislators and ask them to oppose this legislation.


Dept of Labor Cites Two Contractors After Accident.

Date: January 19, 2022

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited a Bradenton Beach company for failing to hire a professional engineer to design a scaffolding system that could have prevented a deadly accident.

Alejandro Carpentry Inc. has been penalized for not taking appropriate measures to protect two workers who were doing framing work at a residential construction site. The platform beneath them failed, and they fell 25 feet. One worker was killed and the other seriously injured. OSHA cited the company for not hiring a PE to design scaffolding, for failing to anchor or brace the outrigger’s beams properly, and for failing to have a competent person train the workers to recognize fall hazards.

In addition, the company was cited for not reporting a deadly accident to the agency within eight hours, which is required by law. Alejandro Carpentry faces $41,739 in proposed penalties.


Controversy Over Proposed Solar Power Legislation

Date: January 19, 2022

Controversy has arisen regarding a proposed change to rooftop solar energy law in Florida. State Senator Jennifer Bradley introduced the bill; she was accused by some of bowing to Florida Power & Light, the largest power company in the US, who had been lobbying for the law change. This was discovered by the Miami Herald and Floodlight, according to The Guardian.

FPL's parent company was a contributor to Bradley's political campaign. Bradley denied any impropriety in introducing the bill, which critics say will hurt rooftop solar.

FPL says net metering, the practice through which rooftop solar customers sell unused energy back to power companies, could cost Florida utilities $700 million between 2019 and 2025. Only about 1% of Florida customers sell energy back to the electrical grid, but net metering has significantly helped to expand rooftop solar in the state. Those in the solar industry say this legal change, which would end the subsidization of solar by non-solar customers, would decimate their business.

FPL is also facing a lawsuit that was recently certified as a class action, CBS 12 reported. The company is accused of not doing its due diligence in regard to storm preparedness before Hurricane Irma four years ago. The storm caused widespread, long-lasting power outages in Florida.

Infrastructure Bill Will Fund Extensive Road and Bridge Repairs

Date: December 15, 2021

The federal bipartisan infrastructure law will pay to repair and rebuild Florida roads and bridges while focusing on climate change mitigation, resilience, equity, and safety for all users, including cyclists and pedestrians. In Florida, there are 408 bridges and over 3,564 miles of highway in poor condition, according to federal data. The state is expected to receive approximately $13.3 billion over five years in federal highway formula funding for highways and bridges.

In addition, $2.8 billion over five years will be spent on improving public transportation in Florida. Funding will also cover modernization of freight rail, increased EV charging options, airport improvements, and other infrastructure updates.


Florida Will Acquire Wetlands with BP Oil Spill Money

Date: December 15, 2021

Florida will receive nearly $33 million in BP oil spill settlement money for a project that will restore damage from the Deepwater Horizon spill in 2010, and prevent future damage to natural resources. The state will use the funds to obtain about 32,000 acres of wetland and floodplain habitat in the Apalachicola watershed in order to facilitate sufficient freshwater and nutrient flow to Apalachicola Bay and the Gulf of Mexico to support oysters and marine fishes, according to the Montgomery Advertiser.

Budget Approved for Terminal Expansion at Southwest Florida International

Date: Novemer 17, 2021

The Lee County Board of Port Commissioners has authorized the construction and total budget for a terminal expansion project at Southwest Florida International Airport. Construction of the $331 million project is expected to take three years. It is reportedly the second largest public works project in Lee County history.

To promote worker safety and health at the project, the US Department of Labor’s OSHA and Manhattan Construction Florida Inc. are partnering on a contractor-government approach to safety and health, reports Occupational Health & Safety magazine.


Final Bridge Collapse Trial Scheduled for January

Date: November 17, 2021

The final lawsuit involving the deadly 2018 bridge collapse at Florida International University has been scheduled for trial in January 2022, according to the Miami Herald and Construction Dive. The pedestrian bridge fell onto the street below, killing six people and injuring 10.

So far, 23 companies sued by survivors of the collapse and by victims’ families have settled, including FIGG Bridge Engineers, the project engineer, and general contractor Magnum Construction Management, which has since declared bankruptcy. The latest lawsuit is being brought against the Louis Berger Group, the independent consultant hired to verify the bridge’s integrity and design, by the widow of one victim.

Read “A Load That’s Hard to Bear” in the fall 2020 issue of PE.

UF Opens Doors to New Engineering Building

Date: October 20, 2021

The University of Florida has opened its new $72.5 million Laboratory for Engineering Excellence, reports the Gainesville Sun. The building has a nontraditional classroom style where lectures are watched online and classroom time is dedicated to hands-on work. Among the high-tech features are advanced 3-D printers, a prototyping lab, a 50,000-psi water cutter, and a global teleconferencing facility with 27 screens.


Algae Blooms Study Using Nanobubbles Technology

Date: October 20, 2021

Researchers are studying a new method of eradicating and preventing algae blooms at the Pahokee Marina, where toxic blue green algae covered the water earlier this year. The study involves nanobubbles. The tiny bubbles, 2,500 times smaller than a grain of table salt, contain a natural oxidant that kills algae cells and neutralizes toxins. Nanobubbles are blasted into the water via special generators installed in the marina. Bubbles at this scale remain suspended in water for long periods, enabling highly efficient oxygen transfer and a supersaturation of dissolved gas in liquids. This oxygenation can reduce contaminants such as algae, algae toxins, and pathogens.

The six-month pilot program funded by a $355,850 grant from Florida's Department of Environmental Protection could be extended for another six months. It is a collaboration between the Water School at Florida Gulf Coast University and Moleaer, a nanobubble technology company. In Florida, algal blooms have been increasing in number and severity due to increased nutrient loading and climate change. The blooms have wide-ranging negative effects on aquatic environments.

Tampa Commits to Using 100% Clean Energy by 2035

Date: September 10, 2021

The city of Tampa has committed to using only clean, renewable energy by the year 2035, WUSF reports. The city council-approved measure requires municipal operations to switch to clean, renewable energy as well as a community-wide transition to 100% clean, renewable electricity in the next 14 years.

Tampa is the 12th city in Florida to adopt such a commitment. The city’s decision comes in spite of a preemption law signed by Governor DeSantis this summer that forbids local governments from restricting or prohibiting utilities from using any specific type of energy source. Municipally owned utilities are the exception.


Anti-Licensing Forces Miss the Point

Date: September 10, 2021

Extreme anti-licensing bills have popped up in numerous states and are posing a threat to the rigorous and established professional standards followed by PEs, architects, and others who design and construct the built environment, according to an op-ed in The Hill.

Lawmakers calling for these extreme measures don’t differentiate between barbers and manicurists, for example, and PEs and architects, say Tom Smith, executive director of ASCE, and Michael Armstrong, CEO of NCARB. “In their absolutist free-market view, reflected in the language of their model legislation, a visit to a barbershop or beauty salon should be treated the same as designing a bridge or water treatment plant.”

The legislative proposals range from measures that would eliminate licensing entirely to so-called “Universal Licensing” bills that would require states to accept licenses from any state regardless of whether the out-of-state license had the same level of qualifications behind it.


Experts on Building Safety Meet to Discuss Safety Measures

Date: September 10, 2021

A group of building safety experts met in West Palm Beach last month to discuss how safety of existing buildings is monitored by communities, as well as guidance for building owners and disaster prevention. The forum was held in response to the Champlain Towers South Condominium collapse, but the incident was not a major focus of discussion, according to the Building Safety Journal.

Participants came from the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Structural Engineering Institute, and the University of Florida, including experts from code enforcement, building, construction, design, and real estate. The participants made recommendations, including more frequent inspections of coastal buildings that face deterioration from saltwater.


FIU Building New Engineering Facility

Date: September 10, 2021

Florida International University’s College of Engineering & Computing will receive a new $54.9 million facility at its West Miami-Dade Campus. FIU’s School of Computer and Information Sciences alone has increased its enrollment by120% since 2017, compared to 10%-15% growth for the rest of the undergraduate programs, The Next Miami reports. The first phase of construction will include a 90,000 square-foot building, with 56,000 square feet of usable space. A total of $38.9 million in state funding from the Florida Legislature and $16 million in philanthropy and research funding will finance the first phase.

Four Solar Farms Planned for Northern Florida

Date: August 11, 2021

Duke Energy plans to build four large-scale solar farms in northern Florida as part of a $1 billion, 10-site infrastructure investment plan that will produce 750 MW when complete, The Capitolist reports. Construction of the farms is set to begin in early 2022 and will take nine to 12 months to complete, the company says. All 10 sites included in the plan are slated to be complete by late 2024. Duke Energy has more than 900-MW of solar generation under construction or in operation in Florida.


Self-Driving Lyft Cars Coming to Miami

Date: August 11, 2021

Ford Motor Company and Argo AI are working together to launch a fleet of autonomous vehicles on the Lyft network in Miami later this year, ITS International reports. Lyft customers will be able to select a self-driving vehicle when requesting a pickup. Ford has been testing self-driving vehicles in Miami, Washington, D.C., and Detroit. Launches are also planned in D.C. and Detroit in 2022.

Argo is using anonymized data from Lyft to determine community needs for AV in order to build a viable business. Also, sensor pods have been installed in several Miami intersections to communicate with the vehicles and warn them of oncoming traffic or pedestrians, according to Forbes.com.

With AV technology rapidly advancing, one question is often raised: Should autonomous cars make life-or-death decisions? A Washington Post article, however presents a different perspective. Advocates say the goal of machine learning should be getting to the point where we’re asking if it’s ethical to let people drive.


Florida Job Opportunities

Date: August 11, 2021

Senior Structural Engineer
Atkins Engineers Inc.

Engineering and Research Technologist
University of Florida-SW Florida Research and Education Center

Army Corps Developing Water Management Plan for Lake Okeechobee

Date: July 21, 2021

The U.S Army Corps of Engineers is working on a water management plan for Lake Okeechobee in South Florida. The work requires consideration of flood control and public health and safety, WPTV reports. Algae blooms and unsafe drinking water are community concerns arising from the strategy of using periodic water discharges. Local leaders are asking for a plan that sends more water south, instead of sending toxic discharges toward West Palm Beach and Cape Coral.

Six options were considered at a recent public meeting. The South Florida Water Management’s governing board workshop is focusing on the Lake Okeechobee System Operating Manual (LOSOM), and the Army Corps is expected to release a report in August.

An editorial in the Dayton Beach News-Journal recently addressed the statewide issue. “Florida leaders get it. They’re just not willing to take the toughest steps needed to clean things up. They are willing to throw some money at it…but it’s not nearly enough to tackle the big problems that face Florida’s algae-plagued water bodies — most of which track back to an excess of nitrogen and phosphorus leaching into water bodies.”


Recommendations from Engineers for Structural Safety Include New PE License Option

Date: July 21, 2021

A group of professional engineers, including members of the Florida Engineering Society, has formed to make recommendations to legislators about whether reinspections of tall buildings should be required after a certain period of time, the Tampa Bay Times reports. Formed in response to the collapse of the Surfside Condo, the group is also pushing for the creation of a special license for structural engineers in the state, arguing that it could help prevent future collapses.

Governor Ron DeSantis has not committed to any mandatory review of older buildings.

Town Fights Planned Solar Farm, Citing Environmental Racism

Date: June 8, 2021

Archer, a town in northern Florida, is fighting plans for a 600-acre solar farm on the grounds of environmental racism. The town is mostly populated by the descendants of slaves. Some feel the construction of the farm would simply be further exploitation, like the building of coal plants in the past. Others are worried about their property values. Also, the town would not receive the energy harnessed by the farm. Proponents of the solar farm say solar energy is needed for the benefit of society and argue the panels won’t be seen or heard and won’t require the use of water.

The town of Archer successfully fought off plans for an even larger solar farm a year ago, E&E News reports.


Florida Has Strongest Building Code, Report Says

Date: June 8, 2021

Florida ranks number one for having the strongest building code out of states along the hurricane coastline from Texas to Maine, according to the 2021 edition of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety report Rating the States, which evaluates building codes and the administration of code provisions every three years. The report also discusses how states can decrease reported losses after hurricanes and strengthen their codes. Virginia ranks second and South Carolina third.

Good Samaritan Bill Reaches Governor’s Desk

Date: May 14, 2021

Florida PEs and other design professionals who voluntarily provide services during a declared emergency are close to gaining professional liability protection. A bill (S.B. 1060) that has passed the Senate and the House and awaits Governor DeSantis’s signature specifies that an engineer, architect, or structures specialist is not liable for personal injury, wrongful death, property damages, or economic loss resulting from acts or omissions related to certain engineering or architectural services rendered on a volunteer basis during a state of emergency. The limitation of liability, however, does not apply to an act or omission constituting gross negligence or willful misconduct.

Members Andrew Schrader, P.E., and Jonathan Milton, P.E., were quoted about their roles in urban search and rescue in an article in the Capitolist.


Fast-Tracked Highway Upgrades Program Cut

Date: May 14, 2021

A bill that is expected to be signed by Governor DeSantis cancels the 2019 Multi-Use Corridors of Regional Economic Significance program in the face of stark economic conditions caused by the pandemic. The $20 billion endeavor would have involved making upgrades to existing roads and constructing toll roads, comprising 300 miles of roadway. Construction bonds would have financed the projects and been paid off by tolls collected.

Lawmakers say Florida traffic volume has fallen by 9% in the past year and that paying for the total project costs with tolls was not realistic, reports ENR. Instead, the new legislation will finance some of the planned upgrades and the expansion of Florida’s Turnpike westward. A feasibility study on the remaining work will be done in 2022.

Legislators Consider Liability Protections for PE Volunteers

Date: April 20, 2021

Legislation introduced in the Florida Senate provides civil liability protections to professional engineers and other design professionals who provide services during a declared emergency. The bill (S.B. 1060) specifies that an engineer, architect, or structures specialist is not liable for personal injury, wrongful death, property damages, or economic loss resulting from acts or omissions related to certain engineering or architectural services rendered on a volunteer basis during a state of emergency. The limitation of liability, however, does not apply to an act or omission constituting gross negligence or willful misconduct.


Pedestrian Safety Bill Would Require New Crosswalk Equipment

Date: April 20, 2021

A state Senate bill honoring a young pedestrian who was struck and killed when crossing a street was introduced in Florida in an effort to improve pedestrian safety. If passed, the Sophia Nelson Pedestrian Safety Act would replace the yellow flashing lights at midblock crosswalks with red lights. It would also require a traffic engineering study to be done by a professional engineer who recommends installing a midblock crosswalk before a new one could be installed.

The bill was introduced by Senator Keith Perry, who cited a Smart Growth America study that found Florida is the most dangerous state for pedestrians. Supporters of the proposed legislation believe the flashing yellow lights, which are supposed to indicate vehicles should stop, create confusion and a false sense of security for pedestrians.

Related:
Pedestrian fatalities are increasing, and professional traffic engineers are taking on this public safety emergency.

Pedestrian Deaths Continue to Plague Sunshine State

Date: March 18, 2021

Florida continues to top the list of places in the US where a pedestrian is most likely to be struck and killed by a driver, reports the Miami Herald. The article covers the findings of a new report that places nine of the 15 most hazardous US cities for pedestrians in Florida. Orlando ranked as least safe.

In a 2020 PE magazine article, NSPE member Jeff Smithline, P.E., said traffic engineers can have a major positive impact on pedestrian safety, and it starts by asking a simple question: Have I done all I can within all the project constraints to make this roadway safer? “It’s about infusing safety into the roadway project design—whether it’s lower speeds or better visibility and taking that beyond what the standards require. It’s what we try to do as [professional] engineers,” said the national director of traffic engineering at Sam Schwartz.

In the article “How Many Deaths Does It Take to Question ‘Standard Practice’?” Bill Schultheiss, P.E., argued that transportation design is suffering from “an apparent disregard for ethics.”


Two Companies to Build Vertiport Infrastructure in Florida

Date: March 18, 2021

Infrastructure firms AECOM and Ferrovial have signed on to build a network of vertiports strategically connecting Florida cities. Vertiports facilitate the sustainable travel offered by electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. The low-noise emitting aircraft will be able to land, recharge, and take off at the vertiports, which will also feature comfortable customer terminals with touchless technology.

As communities begin discussing urban air mobility and vertiports, questions about their regulation remain, reports Inside Unmanned Systems.

Hackers Target City’s Water Supply

Date: February 11, 2021

A possibility that cybersecurity experts had feared for years has happened in the town of Oldsmar where hackers broke into a water treatment plant’s system and put residents in danger, the New York Times reports. The perpetrators changed the levels of lye in the water, which could have sickened many. However, the crime was detected in time to prevent disaster. The level of sodium hydroxide was changed from 100 parts per million to 11,100 parts per million, a level dangerous for human consumption.

Senator Marco Rubio said in a tweet that the action should be treated as a matter of national security. Cyberattacks on critical infrastructure have become more common in recent years, including nations like Russia, Iran, and Israel, as well as the U.S., attacking each other’s systems.


Governor’s Budget Continues Unprecedented Environmental Funding

Date: February 11, 2021

Governor DeSantis’s Florida Leads budget includes continued funding of $625 million for Everglades restoration and water quality protections and increased investment of $180 million for addressing resiliency of coastal communities.

The Florida Leads budget addresses the challenges of sea-level rise, intensified storm events, and localized flooding by establishing the Resilient Florida program. The program will provide $1 billion over four years for state and local government entities to address these issues.


Senator Urges Fossil-Fuel Workers to Embrace Plans for Clean Energy

Date: February 11, 2021

Bills introduced by State Senators Lori Berman and Anna Eskamani this month instruct the Florida Office of Energy to develop a statewide plan for converting fully to clean energy by 2040 and achieving net zero carbon pollution emissions by 2050, according to the Florida Phoenix. Advocates say state residents could save significant amounts of money by being more energy efficient and creating their own solar power.

Eskamani urged workers in Florida’s fossil-fuel industries to embrace the effort. The plan will create jobs in those industries and help the state economy while protecting the climate, she said.


Highlighted Florida Job Opportunities

Date: February 11, 2021

Project Engineer Project Management Division
Manatee County Public Works

Structural PE Engineer Manager: Restoration
Delta Engineering & Inspection, Inc.

Senior Civil Engineer
Wood

Senior Coastal Engineer
Noble Consultants, Inc (GEC, Inc)

See many other Florida engineering job opportunities on the NSPE Job Board.

Utility Rule Criticized as Customers Struggle to Pay Bills

Date: January 27, 2021

A draft rule from the Florida Public Service Commission, which regulates investor-owned utility companies in the state, was condemned by public-interest and environmental organizations for not addressing energy efficiency, which would reduce pollution and costs for consumers. More than 110,000 Floridian households had their power disconnected due to their inability to pay their bills during the pandemic through October, according to the Florida Phoenix.


Gas South Completes Acquisition of State’s Largest Natural Gas Marketer

Date: January 27, 2021

Atlanta natural gas provider Gas South completed the acquisition of Florida-based Infinite Energy, the company announced in December. Infinite Energy is the largest natural gas marketer in Florida and the acquisition will add approximately 125,000 new Gas South customers and double the company’s annual revenue to an estimated $1 billion, reports the Atlanta Business Chronicle.


DEP Receives EPA Approval for Oversight of Federal Wetlands Program

Date: January 27, 2021

Florida is the first state in more than 25 years to apply for and receive approval to implement a Clean Water Act Section 404 program, joining Michigan and New Jersey as the only states in the country with such authority. The EPA has transferred permitting authority under CWA Section 404 from the US Army Corps of Engineers to the state for a broad range of water resources. This allows Florida to more effectively and efficiently evaluate and issue permits under the CWA to support the health of Florida’s waters, residents, and economy.

DEP Chief Science Officer Dr. Tom Frazer said, “The State 404 program will ensure the prioritization of critical environmental infrastructure projects and guarantee that local environmental experts with a vested interest in and intimate knowledge of Florida’s natural resources are at the helm.”

Everglades Restoration Project Hits 20-Year Mark

Date: December 16, 2020

At the 20-year mark of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Program, the megaproject continues to face scrutiny for being behind schedule and overbudget. As Craig Pittman, a native Floridian with 30 years at the Tampa Bay Times, wrote, "Lots of big stuff is underway, including building three huge reservoirs south, east, and west of Lake Okeechobee." He added, "But the estimated price tag is now up to around $16 billion, more than double the original, and the new completion date is in the 2060s, which is 30 years after it was supposed to be finished. In other words, by the time it’s done, CERP will be ready to apply for an AARP membership." Read Pittman's complete commentary in the Florida Phoenix.

Senator Marco Rubio sees progress, adding, "The tasks ahead are substantial, but the goal is too important to stop fighting. Make no mistake: After decades of delay, Everglades restoration is starting to yield real results."

Meanwhile, in late November, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and federal and local partners reasserted their commitment to dedicating resources to restoring the Everglades through water quality improvement projects. The department defined the Everglades and the ecosystems it supports as international treasures. The total funding for Everglades restoration exceeds half a billion dollars per year. Work to be done includes filling canals and removing levees to restore natural flow, correcting seepage problems, and rehydrating the southeastern coastal marshes, according to the National Park Service.


Lawmakers Hope to Address Climate Change in New Ways

Date: December 16, 2020

House Speaker Chris Sprowls and Senate President Wilton Simpson are advocating for shifts in the ways the state works to combat the effects of climate change, reports Law.com. The lawmakers want to see mitigation projects planned farther in advance and the embracing of tactics like beach renourishment, septic tank conversion, and flood mitigation.


Sand Shortages Found on Florida Coastlines

Date: November 18, 2020

An Army Corps of Engineers-commissioned report found that sand shortages on beaches will be a problem in Florida over the next 50 years. Southern Florida and the state’s Gulf Coast were identified as areas deeply affected by sand erosion, which is caused by climate change, hurricanes, and tropical storms, according to the report by Florida-based firm Taylor Engineering. The Army Corps often moves sand to areas of shortfall in beach renourishment projects. However, “borrow areas” of sand are becoming scarcer, the report found.


Everglades Restoration Efforts Gain Funding

Date: November 18, 2020

Increased government funding will boost Everglades restoration efforts in coming years, due in large part to increased political interest in the effort. In September, the South Florida Water Management District approved a $1.2-billion budget, according to ENR. This is an increase of $236 million from the previous year. Governor DeSantis also earmarked more than $625 million in his 2020 budget for restoration and pledged similar spending over the next three years.


Orlando Pulling Plug on Coal-Fired Generation

Date: October 28, 2020

The Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) said it plans to eliminate the group’s use of coal for power generation no later than 2027, including converting two coal-fired units at its Stanton Energy Center to run on natural gas, according to a Power magazine article.

The Florida utility’s management on October 14 made the recommendation as part of its Electric Integrated Resource Plan process. Management on Wednesday said it supports a strategic plan for net-zero emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) by 2050, as well as interim targets of a 50% emissions reduction by 2030, and a 75% cut by 2040.

OUC said it plans to make solar power its main source of new generation, and also will invest in “energy storage and other clean technologies to ensure reliability and resiliency are maintained,” according to a news release.

Read more.


Gainesville Named as Top STEM City

Date: October 28, 2020

Gainesville, Florida was recognized as a 2020 Top STEM City for being a community showcasing exceptional dedication to science, technology, engineering, and math education and careers.

The data science team at Insurify (an insurance quotes comparison site) analyzed both proprietary and publicly-accessible data to determine the top STEM city in each state. The team identified cities with the highest proportion of residents in STEM-based careers and compiled data from Niche on the colleges and graduate schools with the best programs in STEM, as well as the best cities for women in tech.

Read more.


USDOT: Connected Vehicle Pilot More Complex Than Expected

Date: October 28, 2020

Recent analysis of a connected vehicle pilot test in Tampa, Florida, conducted by the US Department of Transportation’s Intelligent Transportations Systems Joint Program Office finds that the complexities of field testing and technology integration were “significantly underestimated,” according to an ASSHTO Journal article.

The ITS JPO conducted a review of the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority or THEA Connected Vehicle Pilot that encompassed 47 roadside units (RSUs) deployed along THEA’s Reversible Express Lane and in Tampa’s Central Business District. At its peak, THEA deployed over 1,000 onboard units or OBUs in personal vehicles, buses, and streetcars.

In a blog post, the office noted that most of the vendors involved in the project demonstrated basic vehicle-to-vehicle applications such as Forward Collision Warning, Emergency Electronic Brake Light, and Intersection Movement Assist, with others demonstrating vehicle-to-infrastructure applications that were specific to their product roadmap.

Read more.


NSPE Career Center

Date: October 28, 2020

NSPE’s Job Board is your one-stop resource for professional engineering employment. Whether you are on the hunt for your next career move or looking for today’s top engineering leaders and talent, you will find it here.

NSPE provides the tools PEs need to keep current in the profession and advance their careers.

Featured Jobs
Senior Electrical Engineer
Tampa, FL

Principal Engineer – Dam Safety Program Manager
West Palm Beach, FL

Find more job openings or reach the right employees on the NSPE Job Board.

Florida Society Member Named FEYA Finalist

February 28, 2020

Each year, NSPE’s Federal Engineer of the Year Award honors engineers employed at US agencies. This year, LCDR Christopher McDowell, P.E., a member from Panama City, FL was announced as top 10 finalist. The top 10 finalists exemplify the best and brightest federal engineering talent.

LCDR Christopher McDowell, P.E.

Panama City, FL
LCDR Christopher McDowell, P.E.
U.S. Department of the Navy
Naval Facilities Engineering Command (Southeast)

McDowell serves as public works officer for Naval Support Activity Panama City (Florida). In that capacity, he recently guided 90 personnel in the quality execution of $35 million in new construction and $41 million of maintenance activities that support $600 million of infrastructure. Following Hurricane Michael’s devastation in Panama City and surrounding Bay County in October 2018, McDowell developed a plan within two days that allowed essential personnel to remain on base, while securing temporary utilities and life support. Then within a three-week recovery period, he supervised NAVFAC engineers, Seabees, contractors, and local utilities in restoring base accessibility and repairing essential utilities — an unprecedented achievement. Additionally, he served as production officer for NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic where his efforts directly enabled the $100 billion Columbia-class submarine program to be delivered on schedule.


Florida Legislature Considers PE Role in Amusement Ride Safety

The Florida House has amusement ride safety on its agenda with a potential PE role in the permitting process. A bill (H.B. 1275) seeks to require permit applications for temporary amusement rides to include an affidavit executed by a professional engineer or qualified  person stating the ride has been inspected and meets state requirements.

NSPE supports the introduction of this legislation, and we need you to contact your legislators to end this exemption.

A day or evening out at a carnival or state fair shouldn’t put anyone at risk of death. Yet, recent fatalities and injuries caused by deteriorated or malfunctioning amusement rides have sounded the alarm—states need to seriously consider a PE role with ride safety inspections.

In 2017, the opening day of the Ohio State Fair turned tragic when the “Fireball” ride broke apart midoperation. Eighteen-year-old Marine recruit Tyler Jarrell lost his life and seven others were injured in the incident, blamed on excessive corrosion.

In November 2019, “Tyler’s Law” (H.B. 189) was signed into law following two years of advocacy by the Ohio Society of Professional Engineers. The law makes a number of changes for amusement ride safety, such as strengthening inspection standards, and places a professional engineer on the Ohio Advisory Council on Amusement Ride Safety.

In 2017, the Kansas Amusement Ride Act was amended to include licensed professional engineers as “qualified inspectors” in addition to establishing registration and inspections requirements, and other rules and standards for the operation of amusement rides. This action was prompted by the death of a 10-year-old on a water slide at a Kansas City waterpark in 2016. The Kansas Society of Professional Engineers supported changes to the law.

Access PE’s July/August 2018 feature article on amusement ride safety and PE involvement, “Hidden Dangers?”


Florida Firms Say Goodbye to Certificates of Authorization

As Florida aims to reduce regulatory burdens for occupations, Florida AEC firms are no longer required to apply for a certificate of authorization.

As of October 1, firms will be required to register their businesses with the Florida Board of Professional Engineers and be qualified by having a professional engineer licensed in the state on their staff. The board, however, is prohibited from charging a fee for qualifying a business organization.

Prior to this change in law, engineering firms had to renew their certificate of authorization every two years and pay a $93.75 fee. Engineering firms applying for a certificate of authorization for the first time had to pay a $125 initial application fee and a $100 initial fee. There was also a $5 unlicensed activity fee.

Firms that are current and active holders of a certificate will be transferred to a new registry.

If a firm’s qualified licensee leaves the firm, the board must be notified within 24 hours. If the licensee was the only qualifying licensee with the firm, the business must stop offering engineering services in the state. If the firm wants to continue offering services, another qualified engineer must be brought into the firm within 60 days.

The registry will also apply to out-of-state firms that want to provide engineering services on a temporary basis.

Learn more about certificates of authorization and other topics associated with managing firm licensure in the white paper “Licensing for Profitability, Agility, & Growth: Meeting the Challenges of Small and Mid-Sized Engineering Firms.”


Hernandez Joins HNTB

Hernandez

Albert Hernandez, P.E., has joined HNTB Corp. as aviation project director and vice president. Based in the firm’s Miami office, Hernandez’s duties include leading HNTB’s service to aviation clients in South Florida, managing large-scale projects, and serving as a client liaison. He was previously assistant director for the Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works for 14 years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Miami and a master’s in business administration from Florida International University.


Florida Approves Early Examination and Increases Licensure Mobility

In June, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation that will allow for early taking of the PE exam and improve licensure mobility.

The legislation (S.B. 616/H.B. 827) revises the prerequisites for an individual to take the PE exam and establishes other standards of practice and responsibility rules. Licensure candidates will be allowed to take the PE exam prior to gaining four years of engineering experience. The candidate will not, however, be eligible to earn a PE license before gaining the required experience.

In 2005, Nevada became the first state to allow the early taking of the PE exam. The following states have followed suit: Arizona, California, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana,  New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming.

The legislation eases licensing mobility by allowing an individual with an out-of-state PE license who has not taken the FE exam to be able to practice in Florida if they have been licensed for 10 years (reduced from 15 years) and have 15 years of continuous engineering experience (down from 20). An individual who has not taken the PE exam but is licensed in another state can qualify for licensure in Florida if he or she has maintained the license for 20 years (reduced from 25) and have 25 years of experience (reduced from 30).

A pathway to licensure for individuals who graduated from approved engineering technology programs prior to July 1979 is also provided by the legislation. The individual must take the standard examinations and have at least six years of engineering experience that indicates competence to be in responsible charge of engineering.

For business licensing, engineers will no longer have to obtain a certificate of authorization for their engineering firm, and out-of-state firms will be allowed to obtain temporary registration.

The legislation also addresses the responsibilities of a PE who serves as a “successor engineer” on a project. It defines “successor engineer” as a licensed engineer who is using or relying upon the work, findings, or recommendations of the engineer who previously sealed pertinent documents. If this individual wants to reuse documents previously sealed by another licensed engineer, he or she will assume full professional and legal responsibility for the work by signing and sealing the documents. The documents will be treated as if they were the successor’s original work, and the predecessor will be released from any professional responsibility or civil liability.


NTSB Reports and NSPE's Actions

  • Recently, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) sent letters to the governors of 31 states named in its final report on the Merrimack Valley gas pipeline explosions, including Florida. The letter requests an end to the engineering license exemption for gas pipeline operators in these states, and asks for governors to provide an update to the NTSB with in 90 days.

    When the NTSB began its investigation of the Merrimack Valley gas pipeline explosions, investigative staff reached out to NSPE seeking information about licensing exemptions. Through a series of conversations and emails, NSPE shared report data, information on the licensing process and requirements, and its Position Statement on licensing exemptions. Consequently, NSPE was successful in getting the NTSB to adopt a policy of addressing and eliminating engineering license exemptions within the gas pipeline industry.

    NSPE’s national staff continues to be in conversation with NTSB staff, and will continue to share updates as they happen. We are happy to support state efforts at eliminating this exemption.

    Read the full report from NTSB.

  • The NTSB has issued the final report on the pedestrian bridge failure at Florida International University. Read the full report. You can also join the conversation currently discussing the report on NSPE Communities.

NTSB Report and Recommendations

Pipeline explosionA BURNED-OUT MASSACHUSETTS HOME AFTER THE GAS EXPLOSIONS
CREDIT: NTSB

NTSB has released an abstract of its forthcoming final report on the fatal Merrimack Valley pipeline explosion from September of last year. Final revisions are being made to the report, but in the report’s synopsis/executive summary, NTSB states that “requiring a licensed professional engineer to stamp plans would illustrate that the plans had been approved by an accredited professional with the requisite skills, knowledge, and experience to provide a comprehensive review.” Acknowledging the importance of the role of the PE in preventing an event like this from occurring, NTSB recommends the elimination of the licensing exemption on natural gas pipeline projects in the 31 states that have the exemption in place, including the state of Florida.

Read the synopsis of the report.