Special Series

The Geosynthetic Institute (GSI) is offering research and development grants to qualifying students. Download GSI's request for proposal (RFP) and share this announcement with your colleagues and friends. Grants of up to $10,000/year are available.

The state of Minnesota's new $1 billion bond proposal includes $15 million for cleanup of a landfill that's been polluted by chemicals from state-based corporation 3M. What's roiled lawmakers, however, is 3M's share is only about half of the state's expected contribution. Regardless of where the funding comes from, it's clear that the leaking landfill needs to be sealed. Learn more here.;

The weekly update on resin and ethylene prices at the Plastics Exchange is available. Polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) prices are increasing, and a nomination has been made on an ethylene price increase. Learn more here.;

In Tel Aviv, the former Hiriya Landfill covers 450,000 square meters and reaches a height of 60 m. It's now being converted into a massive and much-needed park for the region. Environmental Protection magazine has published a piece about Hiriya, and the site itself has a useful website that discusses the project and the affiliated Ayalon Park. Learn more here.;

The Chinese news agency Xinhua reports that the Philippines expects commodities prices from the mining sector to stay high through and beyond 2010. Investment in the Philippines mining industry is expected to crest $1 billion in 2009. Learn more here.;

ASTM International is accepting papers for the 2008 ASTM Advantage Award, a paper competition with prizes up to $15,000. Original papers are sought that demonstrate the positive impact of using ASTM International standards. The deadline for submissions is June 2, 2008. More about the contest can be found here. Learn more here.;

The Boston Globe's briefing on Boston's south communities reports that the town of Scituate is moving forward on a stormwater and erosion control bylaw to require preventitive measures on projects disturbing more than 15,000 square feet. The proposal will be presented at a public hearing on March 13. Learn more here.;

The 2nd edition of ASCE's "Civil Engineering Body of Knowledge for the 21st Century" has been released. This edition places increased emphasis on such topics as sustainability, natural sciences, the humanities, globalization, public policy, risk, and uncertainty. The publication stresses that engineers need to expand their knowledge to meet the challenges of modern infrastructure; and as surveys have shown geosynthetics is an area to which not enough engineers and students are exposed. A bound copy may be purchased via ASCE's bookstore, but a free copy may be downloaded in PDF here. Learn more here.;

The new publisher of Landscape Architecture, the official magazine of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), is Ann Looper. Ann brings 20 years of experience in the field and has spent the past five years as ASLA’s Director of Public Relations and Resource Development. Congratulations are due. She may be contacted by phone at +1 202 216 2369 or by email, alooper@asla.org. Learn more here.;

Solvay has announced it will begin using sugar cane in ethylene production at a facility in Brazil. Ethylene is a primary feedstock to a number of plastics and geosynthetics. Modern Plastics Worldwide reports that it would be at least Solvay's first use of renewable products in feedstock production in the Americas. Learn more here.;

Jessica Ludy and Kristen Podolak's paper "Restoration with Reference: Rediscovering Cerrito Creek in Blake Garden" analyzes an urban watershed in the San Francisco area. What they find is that the site should protect itself from erosion in the long-term with geotextile protection and softer erosion control methods. Currently, too much concrete--much of it crumbling--is used. The current design does little to stem runoff. Learn more here.;

At the Minsmere Nature Reserve in East Anglia, United Kingdom, workers have laid geotextile and poured cockleshells over the material. The goal is to provide a nesting environment for Suffolk's terns, one of the country's rarest birds. Terns avoid too much vegetation. The geotextile layer protects the cockelshell layer from the incursion of vegetation. Learn more here.;

The ASTM D35 (08-01) Committee Ballot is posted now on the ASTM website. Voting members of the geosynthetic-oriented committee need to respond. You may access your ballot here. You will need to login and access to your personalized 'My ASTM' page. The minutes, rosters and agendas (where available) are also posted in this area. The ballot will be open and available on the web until 22 March 2008. Corrections to your personal or contact information may be emailed (mailto:changes@astm.org) with your member number or call customer service at +1 610 832 9585, fax +1 610 832 9555. Learn more here.;

WisBusiness.com reports that Tuncer Edil, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, received the Special Science Award from the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey during a ceremony in Ankara. Numerous high-level public figures, including Turkey's president, were in attendance. Learn more here.;

Heavy rains in the Philippine's province of Cebu have caused significant damage to unpaved roads. City councilman in the affected area have asked their engineering office to study whether geotextiles might be used for road subgrade stabilization: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/cebudailynews/news/view/20080217-119444/Hasten-repair-of-collapsed-Sapangdaku-road Learn more here.;

TRI will host two one-day short courses April 2 and 3 at TRI's Austin, Texas facility on the subject of Construction QA/QC for Compacted Clay & GCL Liner & Geosynthetic Installations. A CQA Certification Exam follows on April 4 for those interested in the CQA - Inspectors Certification Program (ICP). Instructors are Dr. Bob Gilbert and Sam Allen. Mark Sieracke, a landfill design and CQA consultant, will serve as a special guest instructor. For more information, download the short course PDF.

The International Erosion Control Association (IECA) has announced its Awards of Environmental Excellence ahead of the EC08 conference, which begins February 18 in Orlando. Among the winners is TRI's Joel Sprague for the Most Distinguished Technical Paper Award for "Slope Erosion Testing: Identifying Critical Parameters." Congratulations, Joel! Learn more here.;

Coastal erosion is a major problem in Alaska, where some communities are even having to be moved. Gov. Sarah Palin has proposed an initial $1.1 million grant program to combat erosion to imminently threatened areas. The proposal also includes money towards a subcabinet group on climate change. Learn more here.;

Investigative reporter Dale Russell of Atlanta's Fox network affiliate has published an interesting entry on his blog. It seems a newly introduced bill in Georgia would prevent the Environmental Protection Division (EPD) from penalizing the Department of Transportation (DOT) for stormwater and erosion violations. Part of the dispute rests with the DOT accepting the fines in lieu of its contractors who are actually performing the work. Learn more here.;

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer is pushing to remove more than $100 million in funding from the Environmental Protection Fund and direct it towards general expenses. The fund was to receive $250 million. Landfill closure is one of the areas the fund assists. Learn more here.;

The corrected proof of Laurent Briancon and Pascal Villard's "Design of geosynthetic-reinforced platforms spanning localized sinkholes" from the journal Geotextiles and Geomembranes is available. Read more at ScienceDirect. Learn more here.;

Stevens Roofing and Geomembrane Services has a new president. Peter A. Kesser has been named to the post, says the parent company JPS Industries. Mr. Kesser brings more than 20 years experience. Learn more here.;

The American Society of Mining and Reclamation (ASMR) was established in 1983. The society provides a forum for research and demonstration papers and communication between specialists, researchers, industry and others working with these heavily disturbed lands. Visit their site and find out more about ASMR's activities and technical divisions. Learn more here.;

The US operations of Thrace-Linq are expanding their nonwovens production. Thrace Plastics Group acquired Linq's agro and geotextile production divisions in mid-2007. Learn more here.;

I am currently in my final year at Reading University in the UK and am writing a dissertation on the role of certain technologies in assisting the built environment to adapt to climate change. As part of my analysis I am discussing the effectiveness of geosynthetic wrap-around revetments and geotextile tubing as coastal protection strategies. After looking around the IGS website I was wondering if you wouldn't mind answering a few questions that I have regarding the structures. I have attached a set of questions in the email and although I'm sure you're very busy, I would really appreciate it if you could have a quick look over them and reply with your responses. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Kind Regards, Paul Arthur Learn more here.;