CEMEX breaks ground on $250 Million Plant Expansion
As Austin gets one step closer to a commuter rail, $118 million is approved for water projects, Apache expands in West Texas and a new airport study set to begin.
CEMEX Breaks Ground on $250 Million Expansion
CEMEX USA, Houston, broke ground on a $250 million Balcones cement operations expansion at its New Braunfels location.
The project will add a second kiln to the operations, doubling the cement production capacity to 2.4 million tons to support the growing need for cement in Texas for everything from roads and bridges to hospitals, schools and other projects around the state.
“This expansion demonstrates a significant financial commitment to the community, a dedication to the environment, and allows Texas to be better positioned to meet its future needs for housing, roads, bridges, commercial buildings and other infrastructure facilities,” said Gilberto Perez, President of CEMEX USA. “Today, we are one step closer to meeting the future construction needs of our region. Let's get started.”
Even though the cement production will double, the operations' emissions will not increase. CEMEX will replace existing equipment and install state-of-the-art technology to protect the environment. More efficient dust control equipment and the installation of new NOx control technology to the existing kiln system will be completed.
Completion is expected in 2008.
Texas Water Development Board Approves $118 million in Water Projects
The Texas Water Development Board recently approved financial assistance totaling $118 million as follows:
* $57 million from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for water system improvements for the City of Karnes City, $3.6 million, City of Fort Worth, $49.9 million, La Joya Water Supply Corporation, $2 million, and the Delta County Municipal Utility District, $1.5 million;
* $53.7 million from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for wastewater system improvements for the City of Celina, $4.5 million, City of Fort Worth, $33.6 million, City of Liberty, $8 million and the City of Mercedes, $7.5 million; and
* $7.5 million from the Texas Water Development Funds for water system improvements for the Northeast Municipal Water District, $5 million, and the Greater Texoma Utility Authority on behalf of the City of Anna, $2.5 million.
The TWDB is the state agency charged with collecting and disseminating water-related data, assisting with regional planning and preparing the State Water Plan for the development of the state’s water resources, and administering cost-effective financial programs for the construction of water supply, wastewater treatment, flood control and agricultural water conservation projects.
Assembly of Austin’s Urban Commuter Rail Train Complete
The assembly of Austin’s Capital Metro's first urban commuter rail train is complete and Stadler Rail Group has begun static testing of the vehicle at its manufacturing plant in Switzerland. Track testing will follow in the next few months.
This is the first of six diesel-electric trains for Capital MetroRail. The first vehicle will arrive in Austin this fall for testing on Capital Metro's tracks. Each train will have room for more than 200 passengers (108 seated) and will feature bicycle and luggage racks, high-back seats, low floor entry for easy access, and free WiFi.
Capital MetroRail trains will exceed both U.S. and European safety standards.
Service will begin in late 2008 from Leander to downtown Austin. Initially, trains will run every 30 minutes during morning and afternoon rush hours.
The website - allsystemsgo.capmetro.org – has a Capital MetroRail map and station locations. Capital MetroRail is part of the resident-designed All Systems Go Long-Range Transit Plan, which also includes expanded local and express bus service, Capital MetroRapid bus service, new park and ride facilities and more.
Apache Corporation Closed on $1 Billion Acquisition of Oil, Natural Gas Fields
Houston-based Apache Corporation closed on a $1 billion acquisition of controlling interest in 28 producing oil and natural gas fields on more than 218,000 gross acres (approximately 143,000 net acres) with more than 300 drilling locations in the Permian Basin of West Texas from Anadarko Petroleum Corporation.
Apache will book net reserves of 70 million barrels of oil equivalent (57 million barrels of oil and 78 billion cu ft of natural gas); net daily production from the fields is estimated at 9,000 barrels of oil and 19 million cu ft of gas. The acquisition adds 31 percent to the company's existing Permian oil production and 24 percent to its gas production in the basin.
Most of the asset value is concentrated in eight operated fields comprising 81 percent of the proved reserves and 72 percent of the net production. Apache is funding the acquisition with debt; after the transaction, the company's debt remains less than 30 percent of total capitalization.
New 125-Megawatt Texas Wind Farm Providing Energy to TXU
With an expectation of producing enough power for more than 24,000 homes - Airtricity completed construction of the Forest Creek Wind Farm - located about 25 miles southeast of Big Spring - increasing TXU Wholesale’s renewable energy capacity by 125 megawatts (MW).
TXU Wholesale, a subsidiary of TXU Corp. and Airtricity, a world-leading renewable energy company based in Dublin, Ireland, are working together on the project. Airtricity owns and operates the facility. TXU Wholesale and its affiliates currently have contracts for 705 MW of renewable energy from 756 wind turbines. The wind farm generates electricity from 54 2.3-MW Siemens wind turbines.
State Approves Funding for Airport Study
Funding was approved to develop a master plan and environmental assessment for a new airport facility in Ennis. Approximately $350,000 in funding was approved by the Texas Transportation Commission at its spring meeting.
Project costs will be funded through TxDOT’s Aviation Facilities Grant Program, which preserves and improves the state’s general aviation system, and the city of Ennis. This year, TxDOT expects to provide approximately $60 million in funding for planning, constructing and maintaining community airports.
Approximately 275 community airports in Texas are eligible for funding. Arrivals and departures from community airports account for more than three million flight hours per year and provide aircraft facilities for agricultural, medical, business and commuter use. |
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