Houston Port Plans New Wharf

A little more than a year after opening the Bayport Container Terminal, the Port of Houston recently opened its first cruise berth and is planning for a new wharf in the Bayport Terminal Complex.

Port of Houston Approves up to $74 Million for New Wharf

With the expansion of the Bayport Container Terminal in the Port of Houston and industrial construction activity rising to record levels, the Port Commission of The Port of Houston Authority approved the addition of a new wharf at a cost of up to $74 million. (See “Golden Triangle Golden Again,” published in this issue.)

The Bayport Container Terminal in the Port of Houston continues to expand and drive industrial revenue.

The commission authorized advertising and receipt of competitive sealed proposals for Bayport Terminal Complex Phase 1 Wharf. Plans and specifications for the construction of about 1,330 ft of additional wharf, including associated dredging and material disposal on site, have been prepared.

Within the past year, Houston's industrial construction activity has grown to record levels driven mainly by the Port of Houston's recent expansion by way of the Bayport Container Terminal, which will increase capacity to 2.3 million TEUs, an increase of more than 200%, and allow Houston to market itself as a better alternative for shipping, according to the Industrial Market Trends Houston Fourth Quarter 2007 newsletter by Grubb & Ellis Research.

PHA achieved its eighth consecutive year of record-breaking revenue in 2007.

San Antonio Plans CNG Refuse Fleet, Fueling Station

The city of San Antonio contracted with Clean Energy Fuels Corp. of Seal Beach, Calif., a provider of natural gas (CNG and LNG) for transportation in North America, to design, build and operate the city's first compressed natural gas refueling station.

The development will initially fuel 15 refuse trucks and is expected to expand to fuel 30 refuse trucks by next year. The move will make the city's CNG refuse fleet the largest in Texas.

The city has an option to purchase 60 more CNG refuse trucks in fiscal year 2009 and could potentially construct two more CNG refueling stations at two additional city maintenance facilities.

San Antonio utilized federal and state funding opportunities to assist with the station and vehicle cost. The city was able take advantage of the federal alternative vehicle credits by instructing refuse truck dealers to pass along the tax credit savings to the city in their truck price bids. In addition, the city utilized state grant funding from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to assist with the station cost.

Texas Water Development Board Approves $457M in Water Projects

The Texas Water Development Board has approved financial assistance totaling $457,422,500 for a variety of water system improvements across the state.

TWDB approved $97,975,000 from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund for various projects. Included in that funding is $5.9 million for water system improvements for the city of Coleman; $25 million for the city of Mount Pleasant; $65 million for the city of Fort Worth; and $2.4 million for the city of Rollingwood.

The Texas Water Development Fund also distributed $1.4 million for water system improvements for the Greater Texoma Utility Authority on behalf of the city of Anna and the city of Melissa.

The Economically Distressed Areas Program approved $105,500 for preparation of a water facility plan for the city of Groveton. The Rural Water Assistance Fund provided $218,000 for water system improvements for the Gause Water Supply Corp. in Milam County; and the Agricultural Water Conservation Loan Program presented $500,000 to the Sandy Land Underground Water Conservation District for financing an agricultural water conservation program.

The Rural Water Assistance Fund provided $4.7 million for the purchase of water rights for the Canyon Regional Water Authority; $3.2 million went to Atascosa, Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, Hays, Medina, and Wilson counties; and the Martindale Water Supply Corp. in Caldwell County was awarded $1.5 million.

The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund awarded $38 million for water system improvements for the city of Arlington; the Clean Water State Revolving Fund presented $4.8 million for wastewater system improvements. Of that, $1.1 million went to the Bell County Water Control and Improvement District No. 2; and $3.7 million went to the Greater Texoma Utility Authority on behalf of the city of Sherman. The Texas Water Development Fund awarded $310 million for water system improvements for the Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority Inc.

Biofuels 2010 Conference Scheduled for June 23 & 24 in Houston

The Biofuels 2010 conference is slated for June 23 and 24 at the Hilton Americas in Houston. The conference aims to explore the latest innovations, developments and regulations in the industry.

Global production of biofuels is booming, as higher oil prices and technological breakthroughs have made it a more profitable business. With nations around the world having to hit their biofuels targets, there has been unprecedented and significant growth in the industry.

The conference is designed to help attendees understand the current fuel drivers and developments within the US; learn about the latest regulations and how they will influence the industry; assess the development plans for the rest of the world; discuss innovations and developments in technology; hear how other industries are utilizing clean fuels; and evaluate the developments of BTL, ethanol, biodiesel and the progress of cellulosic ethanol and renewable diesel.

For more information visit www.biofuels2010.com.

Two Spec Centers Finished at Port Crossing Commerce Center

Cadence McShane Corp. of Houston completed the construction of two new speculative warehouse buildings totaling 660,000 sq ft at the Port Crossing Commerce Center located at the Port of Houston in La Porte.

Port Crossing is a 300-acre commercial/industrial business park. Munson Kennedy Partnership of Houston provided the architectural services for the two-building development.

Building B5 is a 412,665-sq-ft cross-dock distribution facility situated on a 20.7-acre site along State Highway 146 near Bayport Terminal. Building A4 is a 247,240-sq-ft single- or multi-tenant warehouse facility located on an 11.4-acre site with access to a 22-track rail yard.

CB&I Awarded Contract for Yarwun Alumina Refinery Upgrade

CB&I of The Woodlands was awarded a contract of more than $130 million by Rio Tinto Alcan for the design and construction of storage tanks and associated works for the expansion of the Yarwun Alumina Refinery. The project, in Western Australia, is expected to be complete by 2010.

San Antonio Hosts Texas Water Quality Association Convention

The Texas Water Quality Association Convention and Exhibition is scheduled from July 9 to 12 at the The Menger Hotel in San Antonio.

The conference includes opportunities to earn continuing education units, participate in an awards banquet and meet dealers in the industry. For more information, visit www.twqa.org.