Good morning. I hope everyone had a great weekend. Mine started shortly after leaving ACEC HQ in DC, where Vice President Chuck Black, other ACEC member organization leaders, and I enjoyed an excellent Leadership Orientation by ACEC National.
It was good hearing from each department at National and what they are working on for our states and members. ACEC’s Leadership gave us updates on what the Executive Committee, Board, Research Institute, and Government Relations teams are working on. Senior Vice President of Government Relations Steve Hall gave the following areas his team is focusing on in the 118th Congress:
Public Market Advocacy:
- Transportation/Water
- QBS & Procurement Issues
- Tax & Regulatory Issues
- International
Private Market Advocacy:
- Energy
- Environmental
- Labor
- Liability
Hall said ACEC’s priorities are:
- New multi-year aviation program
- Water Resources Development Act (WRDA)
- IIJA Implementation & Oversight
- Opportunity on energy permitting
- Immigration/border security (a way to advance workforce agenda)
ACEC-SC will take these issues to the Hill when we are there for Consulting Congress Day. Hall said this Call to Action had helped ACEC with its efforts on the R&D Amortization legislation in Congress. If you have not answered the call to action, please do so here, now.
We also heard updates on the communications efforts, educational opportunities, and events ACEC is working on. It was a great update, and it was great to meet other ACEC leaders from across the US.
We here in Columbia are bracing for the final six days of the first session of the 125th SC General Assembly. Last week was the final week for most subcommittees for this year’s session. Full committees will be meeting this week, and those bills still have a shot of passing this year if they have already crossed over from one body to the other. In committee last week, the Senate continued to debate the split of SCDHEC. With the House Bill (H.4124) already moved from one body to the other, we anticipate that whatever they pass in the Senate will be used for compromise in the Conference Committee. The House version has not passed the Senate yet, so Conference Committee may not be in the cards this year.
Secretary Hall, Deputy Secretary Colvin, and SCDOT Chief of Staff were at the State House Thursday, speaking to the Senate Legislative Oversight Subcommittee. At the meeting, Hall explained to members how tolling portions of I-95 could create problems. Hutto is looking for ways to toll I-95 for out-of-staters. One of the reasons Hutto wants this is to replace the bridge over Lake Marion. With the plans already underway to improve I-95, adding the tolling portion could create problems. Senator Young engaged the DOT on the bridge program. Funding the bridge program in the way the House version of the budget would help move the bridge program forward. The Oversight Committee also heard about how SCDOT looks at EVs and how utility relocation continues to slow projects. SCDOT closed out speaking to workforce issues. Like the consulting world, SCDOT continues to look for qualified employees to help implement the state's infrastructure needs.
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Events:
May 16, 2023
Transportation Committee Meeting
Michael Baker International
Calendar invite
May 24, 2023
ACEC-SC/SCDOT Mid-Level Designers Meeting
SCDOT
June11-14, 2021
ACEC Annual Convention & Consulting Congress Day
Washington DC
June 15, 2023
ACEC-SC Board & Annual Meeting
SC Engineering Conference & Trade Show
Charleston, SC
June 15-17, 2023
SC Engineering Conference & Trade Show
Charleston Marriott
Charleston, SC
General Registration, click here.
Sponsor/Exhibitor, click here.
Call for Papers, click here.
For hotel rooms, click here.
August 3, 2023
ACEC-SC Membership Meeting with ACEC Update
The Palmetto Club, Columbia, SC
August 3, 2023
Transportation Committee Meeting
The Palmetto Club, Columbia, SC
October 7 & 8
Riverfront Revival
with Darius Rucker
2 VIP Tickets
Click here to enter.
November 9, 2023
Transportation Committee Meeting
Michael Baker International
Columbia, SC
Save The Date(s)
May 24, 2023
Mid-Level Designers Committee
SCDOT
25th Anniversary
ACEC-SC/SCDOT
Annual Meeting:
Sponsors
Exhibitors
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May 11, 2023 ACEC-SC Transportation Committee
Meeting moved to May 16, 2023
ACEC-SC Transportation Committee,
Chair Emily Swearingen has rescheduled the ACEC-SC Transportation Committee to May 16, 2023, due to a request from the membership. Click here for a calendar invite.
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Click here to book your hotel room.
(deadline: May 25)
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Join us as the SC Engineering Conference & Trade Show
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2023 SC Engineering Conference - SPONSORS & EXHIBITORS
The 2023 SC ENGINEERING CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOW is offering sponsorships and a variety of exhibitor options, which offers you the best way to market your goods and services.
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2023 SC Engineering Conference & Trade Show
Click here to register as a general attendee.
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(UPDATED AS OF 05/01/2023)
This update is intended for the use of ACEC members only.
ACEC Water, Energy and Environment Committee
Government Affairs Update 05.01.23
DEBT
• House passes debt bill with more clean energy cuts
Read more.
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ACEC-SC Mid-Level Designers
The ACEC-SC/SCDOT Mid-Level Designers are meeting on May 24, 2023, at SCDOT’s auditorium. Please forward this flyer to your mid-level folks. This quarter President Jeff Mulliken, Ph.D., PE (CarolinaTEA), and I will talk to the Mid-Level Designers about who ACEC-SC is and why our partnership with SCDOT is important to both SCDOT and our members.
Click here for more details.
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Don’t miss this opportunity to present at South Carolina’s largest engineering conference. Are you involved in a new or novel project, approach or system you think your contemporaries would find interesting and worthwhile? Offer to make a presentation at the conference.
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ACEC-SC Award Nominations
1) 2023 Young Engineer/Professional of the Year Award
Click here to view the nomination form. Deadline: May 15, 2023.
2) Firm of the Year
Click here to view the nomination form. Deadline: May 15, 2023.
3) 2023 Engineer of the Year Award
Click here to view the nomination form. Deadline: May 15, 2023.
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ENTER TO WIN DARIUS RUCKER VIP TICKETS
ACEC-SC has another excellent way for you to support the ACEC PAC. We’re raffling off two VIP tickets to Darrius Rucker’s River Front Revival Music Festival.
Click here to enter the raffle.
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NEW Internship Placement Databank
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ACEC-SC has a NEW Internship Placement Databank for member firms like yours to find fantastic interns from engineering to I.T., marketing, and H.R. The databank is housed on ACEC-SC's website or click here (password: ACECSCinterns).
Read more.
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Did you know ACEC can provide you with Life/Health Insurance, Business Insurance, and Retirement Insurance? Check out the ACEC Trusts here.
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