Nassau County Confirms Intent to Ultimately Upgrade 2600 Outfall Pipes

Scottsdale, AZ /PRNewswire/ -Abtech Holdings, Inc.(OTC QB: ABHD) ("AbTech" or the "Company"), a full-service environmental technologies and engineering firm providing innovative water pollution and contamination solutions to communities, industry and governments, today commented on progress related to its$12 millionNTE (Not-To-Exceed) stormwater management contract inNassau County, NY, awardedOctober 2013. These comments follow the County's Press Conference held inMineola, New YorkonJuly 9, 2014.

At the press conference, led by County ExecutiveEdward P. Manganoand attended by AbTech and County officials, as well as Legislator Donald MacKenzie and local environmental groups, it was announced that the County ultimately intends to upgrade all of its stormwater outfall pipes.

"With 2,600 County-owned outfalls, unmitigated stormwater runoff and flooding from backflow through those pipes is a key issue facing our communities," stated County ExecutiveEdward Mangano. "This Design-Build-Operate program with AbTech Industries is a major step forward in protecting our environment as it helps remove debris and other pollutants before they enter our waterways, accumulate on our beaches and harm marine life."

Under AbTech's contract with the County, 60 identified trouble spots have been analyzed and ranked and the prioritized top 10 sites will be upgraded under the$12MNTE amount. The contract signedOctober 2013has a three year term with a provision for up to 2 years of operations and maintenance.

Following theJuly 9, 2014Press Conference, several camera crews from local and national media outlets were taken to one of the first of an initial ten outfall pipes in which AbTech's treatment systems and Smart Sponge Plus technology are to be installed.

"It is gratifying to see the emphasis and support that the leadership ofNassauis putting behind the AbTech effort to install a cost-effective, rapid-deployment water quality treatment system to address stormwater contamination, including pathogens as well as the added benefit of a flood control system. The attention we received yesterday from the County has precipitated strong follow-up interest from a number of Counties and Municipalities that have been awaiting evidence of a serious first mover," commentedGlenn Rink, founder and CEO of AbTech.

ABOUT ABTECH HOLDINGS, INC. (OTC QB: ABHD) AND ABTECH INDUSTRIES, INC.

AbTech Industries, Inc. (a subsidiary of Abtech Holdings, Inc.) is a full-service environmental technologies and engineering firm dedicated to providing innovative solutions to communities, industry and governments addressing issues of water pollution and contamination. Its products are based on polymer technologies capable of removing hydrocarbons, sediment and other foreign elements in stormwater runoff (ponds, lakes and marinas), flowing water (curbside drains, pipe outflows, rivers and oceans), and industrial process and wastewater. AbTech's offerings include the ground-breaking new antimicrobial technology called Smart Sponge Plus. This technology is effective in reducing coliform bacteria found in stormwater, industrial wastewater, and municipal wastewater. Smart Sponge Plus is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (Registration #86256-1). AbTech's teams of water treatment technology experts, civil and environmental engineers, and field operations specialists develop solutions to improve the quality of our limited water resources. AEWS Engineering (a subsidiary of Abtech Holdings, Inc.), is an independent engineering civil and environmental engineering firm partnered with top research and engineering universities. By focusing on bringing new engineering and technology innovation to the water infrastructure sector, AEWS is positioned to be at the forefront of stormwater Best Management Practices development and to deliver the latest in design excellence to its customers. For more information please visitwww.abtechindustries.com. More information on AEWS Engineering can be found atwww.aewsengineering.com.

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" which are not purely historical and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the development, costs and results of new business opportunities. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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Abtech Holdings, Inc. Updates Progress On Its $12M Nassau County Stormwater Contract

Irrigators, irrigator technicians and irrigation inspectors will receive hands-on and classroom instruction at trainings offered by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in July and August. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo by Charles Swanson)

COLLEGE STATION Currently, 785 public water systems in Texas have mandatory water-use restrictions in place with an additional 387 utilities following voluntary restrictions, according to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

That is 25 percent of the states water systems with restrictions, said Charles Swanson, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service irrigation specialist, College Station.

Many people and municipalities are looking for ways to conserve water, particularly irrigation professionals seeking ways to make the best use of irrigation water for public parks, sports fields, landscapes and golf courses, Swanson said.

To bring professionals up to date on the latest methods to make best use of their resources, four trainings will be conducted in July and August by Swanson and Dr. Guy Fipps, AgriLife Extension irrigation engineer, College Station.

Three of the trainings will be held in College Station and one in Dallas. The College Station courses will be held in Room 317 of Scoates Hall on the Texas A&M University Campus. The Dallas course will be held in the Education Building at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, 17360 Coit Road, Dallas.

Continuing education units will be offered for irrigators, irrigator technicians or irrigation inspectors licensed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

The names, dates, locations and descriptions for the trainings are:

Irrigation Troubleshooting and Performance Testing, July 30, College Station. The course will consist of hands-on training in how to program irrigation controllers, electrically troubleshoot controllers and valves, properly install rain sensors, determine sprinkler precipitation rates and create good irrigation schedules. Cost is $165. Eight continuing education units offered.

Solar and Wind Pumping Workshop, July 31, College Station. The workshop will teach how to design solar- and wind-powered pumping systems used with irrigation systems.

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July and August trainings designed for professional irrigators

With both a pond installation crew and a pond maintenance crew, we are able to handle any and all of your water gardening needs!

Additionally, John Dillon has vast experience in pond filtration, aquatic plants and koi fish health. Should one of your prized fish become ill, we have the experience and knowledge to take care of it. Outdoor Magic Inc. takes great pride in its work, and makes complete client satisfaction its top priority. Outdoor Magic Inc. has also completed all of the landscaping, hardscaping and night lighting seen in all of our photos. Imagine, one company that can bring your backyard pond and landscape dreams to life and maintain them like magic.

While Outdoor Magic specializes in the design, installation and maintenance of water gardens and koi fish ponds, many of our clients have asked us to re-landscape or install lighting or patios around thier homes after seeing the job weve done for others around their ponds.

The following is a list of our services and brief descriptions: (click each for more information)

Whether we are doing the install, or you want to do it yourself, we design first class ponds with all the necessary equipment.

With over 250 full-scale pond projects completed, this is where we really shine. The water gardens we install have graced the yards of some of the finest homes in the area.

From Spring cleanouts and start-ups, weekly or bi-weekly, regularly scheduled visits to clean filters, pumps, and check water quality to fall time closings, we do it all. We also offer koi health advice services, where we can come out to your pond and diagnose and treat any ill fish.

From time to time, pumps, filters and UV lights fail and need to be replaced. We are available to fix and/or replace any equipment or landscape issues you

Whether around your pond, or around your home, landscaping is another facet of design and installation in which Outdoor Magic excels. From our broad knowledge of trees, plants, and perennials to our Japanese flair, the landscaping throughout and surrounding your pond is our passion.

Certain backyards layouts work very well for long streams that offer the ability to create small waterfalls along the way. Some clients prefer these in their front yards as well.

Continued here:
Pond Installation & Maintenance Services | Serving NY, NJ & CT

Fairly easy to design install and build, Garden ponds add a little extra interest to any garden. If it be for fish, water lilies or just for the aesthetics a well designed pond in any landscaping project adds value as well as being a calming addition to the garden. You can build you own pond either using using pond liners, or preformed garden ponds.

Some local council regulations may need to be met before building a garden pond. A successful pond will be deep enough to allow plants and fish to have cool water, water flow is also essential to maintain a healthy garden pond.

Rocks and Foliage at the edge of a Garden Pond add a finishing touch (Foliage is a low growing or 'prostrate' conifer)

Correct design is the secret of how to build a pond. A well designed water garden or pond adds a tranquil feature to your home and can add value to your property.

From a simple stand alone unit, a pre cast pond or a waterfall, stream and pond combined a few factors need to be considered.

Garden pond construction profile, showing plant shelve design and rock edge placement.

Garden ponds are a great feature in any garden, and when you use specialist garden pond liners and provide shade for you pond by using appropriate garden plants water loss from garden ponds and other water features through seepage can be minimized. Ponds kits are readily available, these include preformed garden ponds made from UV stabilized PVC or similar products. A waterfall flowing into a garden pond is another element to consider adding to your garden pond design. Fountains can be another very worthwhil e feature in any garden pond.

All you need to create a stream is a gentle slope and access to electricity for a pump to circulate the water, storm water can be captured from your roof and stored in a tank to feed or top up the stream.

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Garden Ponds, building and design ideas | Nurseries Online ...

Just south of the Atacama desert, prototype fog catchers are watering Chilean farms struggling with drought and climate change

WHERE the cold waters of the Humboldt current meet the dry hot air along northern Chile, a thick fog rises up off the Pacific and is blown inland over the arid coast. On these barren steppes just south of the Atacama desert lies a lush forest where trees suck moisture from the fog.

A new team from Chile and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology is mimicking these natural fog catchers to provide water for drinking and crop irrigation in this parched region.

Water scarcity is a serious problem near the small city of Ovalle where smallholder farmers grow grapes, avocados and artichokes. Dwindling reservoirs and falling water tables have forced the region's agricultural communities to ration water. That's where fog-catching technology could help.

In November, a team of engineers and a geographer climbed a hillside near Ovalle to install what looks like a small square billboard (see photo). Stretched taut between two posts is a metre-square stainless steel mesh above a gutter that empties out into a plastic drum. Similar prototypes allow gravity to feed the collected water into irrigation ponds. Farmers in this part of Chile have already used fog-harvested water to irrigate their crops. Scaled up, they could help people in the area battle the effects of climate change.

But catching fog with mesh is no simple task. If too much water is trapped inside the fibres, the mesh won't drain, like a waterlogged pair of jeans. If the holes are too large, wind will blow the droplets through. Mesh clogging and droplet blow-through hinder the efficiency of the typical mesh used in more basic fog catchers. Various fog catchers have been in use for decades, but the new design takes them to another level, says MIT's Gareth McKinley.

"Our coated mesh was five times as efficient at collecting fog as the mesh currently used," McKinley says. He and his colleagues optimised the mesh hole size and hydrophobic coating to maximise the efficiency of their device's fog collection. Fog catchers generally catch less than 5 litres of water per square metre of mesh per day, depending on wind speed and the water content of the fog as well as other factors. McKinley's design captured 12 litres per square metre per day.

Richard LeBoeuf and his students at the University of Los Andes in Chile's capital Santiago have designed a probe that can measure the moisture content and velocity of the fog in hopes of inferring its prevailing direction. They linked a series of these probes to a laptop and beamed the data over broadband wireless back to LeBoeuf's office 400 kilometres away. The networked probe system, dubbed FogFinder, was a finalist in Vodaphone's 2014 Wireless Innovation competition last month.

The next step would be to fit the fog catchers with mechanisms that let them spin in the wind, like turbines."We are trying to move out of the artisanal phase and into the industrial phase," says team member Pilar Cereceda, a geographer at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, who has been studying site selection for decades, and drumming up local interest in fog catchers.

Cereceda's group and others like a Canadian company called FogQuest have set up prototypes across northern Chile. Most employ the Raschel net, which is less efficient than the new material. Similar projects have been providing water for local people in Nepal, Guatemala, Morocco and Ethiopia.

Original post:
Fog catchers pull water from air in Chile's dry fields

Carnegie

Council members are considering whether to permit a Thai massage parlor to operate at a commercial facility at 39 W. Main St.

Excel USA Trading & Services Co., owned by Qun Shen, wants to use the unoccupied site for the massage parlor, which, as a personal service, is considered a conditional use in a commercially zoned area.

Ms. Shens 16-year-old son, Max Shen, spoke for her because she doesn't speak fluent English. He said Thai massage is more difficult because it involves deep tissue and the business expects to treat eight to 12 customers a day.

Solicitor Joe Lucas asked at the June 9 meeting whether the customers will be clothed, to which Max replied that they will wear underwear and the attendants will be clothed.Mr. Lucas said he wanted assurance that the massage parlor wouldn't be a front for prostitution.

"People are familiar with clinical and medical massages, but then there are fronts for prostitution, Mr. Lucas said. There's no way to really tell except to ask you."

Max said the individual treatment doors cannot be locked and that his mother can walk in at any time.

All of the workers have state licenses and Ms. Shen has applied for hers.

Council adopted an ordinance prohibiting right turns at the intersection of Summit and Chestnut streets because trucks do not have sufficient room for turns.

KLH Engineers was given approval to proceed with an engineering design for the Citizens Bank parking lot at a cost not to exceed $15,000.

Original post:
Municipal news: Carnegie, Collier, Findlay, Heidelberg

Sea levels are rising due to climate change. The World Bank has ranked Mumbai as one of the most vulnerable cities to sea level rise in the world fifth in terms of overall cost of damage and seventh in terms of damage measured as percentage of GDP.

The horrors of July 26, 2005 still haunt us every time there are predictions of heavy rainfall. Flash floods and landslides occur, in some capacity, every year during the monsoons. The floods, stagnant water and untreated surface runoff catalyse the spread of diseases, deterioration of ground water quality generating negative perceptions of these vulnerable urban spaces.

In response, the municipal government expands its budget to install larger storm water pipes and constructs new sewage treatment plants. However, there are no attempts made to address the root cause behind these issues ineffective top-down government regulations with general public apathy as a by-product. To better address these causes, one must first analyse the citys morphology.

Mumbai, from being an archipelago of seven islands with wetlands between them, was consolidated, first by the British and then by the Indian government into one large land mass. The city grew northwards and employment centres were set up together with housing complexes, which in turn attracted informal communities to encroach nearby.

Parallel to this growth, government organisations set up infrastructure and created spatial strategies for development in order to streamline the way for entrepreneurial agencies to populate the market. In search of this market oriented goal, naturally existing systems (mangrove forests, wetlands, rivers) were ignored, and at many places erased. The consolidation of islands resulted in most of the wetlands being sacrificed thereby, causing a shift in balance urban development replacing nature. The mangrove forests, rivers, and wetland systems that protected the coastal suburbs from high monsoon tides and floods were compromised.

Despite the municipality constructing concrete roads and building storm water drains, lack of maintenance and unchecked growth of formal and informal developments blocked these drains with solid waste. To add to this, deforesting wetlands made the city vulnerable to tidal surge, causing storm water drains to overflow back into the city during high tide.

In addition to issues of flooding, the sea level around Mumbai is projected to rise by 48cm by 2100, which, along with tidal and storm surge, could have devastating impact on the coast. There have been an insubstantial number of studies carried out on this issue. A Google search reveals some newspaper articles mentioning the possibility of sea level rise, and a general technical report from the National Institute of Oceanography in Goa.

However, thanks to public protests due to frequent floods, the remaining mangroves and wetlands have been placed under protection of the forest department and strict regulations have been set against their deforestation. Most or all the mangrove forests are now located along coastal edges of Mumbai. They have been pushed out, and rivers have been squeezed in, leaving Mumbai vulnerable to tidal waves, floods, erosions and sea level rise.

Deeper examination suggests the urban corridors of Mumbais river emerge as one of the greatest potentials to not only address issues of flooding, but also create a liveable and symbiotic urban environment. Mumbais rivers are seasonal and begin in the catchment areas in the hills of Borivali National Park, and flow via wetlands Dahisar in the north, Oshiwara towards the west, Poisar in the centre and Mithi in the southern part of Mumbai into the Arabian Sea.

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How Mumbai's natural systems are an important resource for the city's future

Neighbors who oppose a proposed subdivision on Redbud Trail are accusing a former West Lake Hills city planner who recently left the city to start his own architecture business of ignoring emails from a potential buyer while he represented a separate, soon-to-be buyer who is now proposing the subdivision.

The allegations have temporarily stalled the West Lake Hills City Council votes on the subdivision proposals. The city Board of Adjustment did not vote on the variances because the mayor and a few board members said they would rather wait until the city attorney addresses the allegations.

Fillpot was never in charge of approving the application for the plans he is representing privately, Mayor Dave Claunch said.

Attorney Herb Prouty will look into the accusations against former city planner Davin Fillpot and will report his findings to the City Council at the upcoming June 25 meeting, Claunch said. Prouty works for the law firm of Alan Bojorquez, who serves as West Lake Hills city attorney.

Staff with the Texas Board of Architectural Examiners, which regulates the practice of architecture within the state, examined information provided by the Westlake Picayune about the allegations and found no indication of a violation of their own rules and statutes.

Fillpot has declined to comment before June 25 because the city is investigating these allegations, and I do not want to complicate their efforts, he said.

In a letter to the mayor and City Council, neighbor Chris Gunter has objected to someone so close to the city attorney being the investigating attorney. He requested that someone with experience investigating these matters, such as a former prosecutor, be chosen.

Mr. Bojorquezs role is to defend the City of Westlake Hills, and he is very zealous about this, Gunter wrote. An attorney associated with his firm does not engender even the appearance of an independent and objective investigation, much less an actual one.

Claunch said he disagrees that Prouty would be partial to one side.

Hes about as far removed from this situation and all the people involved as you can get, he said.

Continue reading here:
Former West Lake Hills planner being investigated

Information from the Florida Department of Transportation:

A detour for I-75 is planned for tonight and overnight for bridge work over I-75.

Details of the work is as follows:

I-75 -- Airport Direct Connect from south of the Alico Road interchange (#128) to south of the Daniels Parkway interchange (#131): Construction project: Work continues to build a direct connection from I-75 to the Southwest Florida International Airport. The job adds new lanes parallel to I-75 from south of the Alico Road interchange to Daniels Parkway interchange. The contractor is building two bridges, over I-75 and Treeline Avenue/Ben Hill Griffin Parkway, connecting the interstate to the airport.

Work along I-75

During nighttime/overnight hours from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday/Wednesday, crews will close I-75 northbound and southbound to install concrete railing on the bridge over I-75. During these hours, northbound and southbound motorists will use Ben Hill Griffin Parkway/Treeline Avenue to travel between Alico Road and Daniels Parkway. Southbound motorists will exit at Daniels Parkway and travel east to Ben Hill Griffin Parkway/Treeline Avenue to re-enter the interstate at the Alico Road interchange. Northbound motorists will exit at Alico Road and travel east to Ben Hill Griffin Parkway/Treeline Avenue to re-enter the interstate at the Daniels Parkway interchange.

Next week motorists also should expect lane closures on I-75 during nighttime/overnight hours from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.as construction activities continue. The outside southbound exit-only-lane at Alico Road (exit #128) is closed during daytime and nighttime hours. These closures allow crews to widen the highway and continue work on the bridge over I-75. Motorists should be aware of slow moving traffic and possible delays.

During the day, crews are working on the bridge over I-75, constructing new lanes parallel to the interstate, and installing guardrail throughout the project.

Crews also continue digging ponds and placing fill to build new lanes. Motorists should be aware of construction vehicles and equipment entering/exiting I-75, Ben Hill Griffin Parkway/Treeline Avenue near the airport entrance, Terminal Access Road, and Three Oaks Parkway, Alico Road and Corkscrew Road.

Work at Southwest Florida International Airport entrance:

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I-75 detours planned Tuesday night, overnight

Published: Thursday, May 29, 2014, 12:46a.m. Updated 6 hours ago

As expected, the Buffalo Township Planning Commission and its supervisors on Wednesday gave Freeport Area School District's $33.1 million middle school building project the green light.

Anticipating the township's approval, the Freeport Area School Board awarded $27.6 million in contracts for the project Wednesday.

Massaro Construction was given the general construction contract.

The school is being built behind the Freeport Area High School off South Pike Road (Route 356) in Buffalo Township. It will house about 500 students in grades 6 to 8.

Groundbreaking is expected in mid-June, and the district hopes to open the school in fall 2015.

Project architect HHSDR Architects Engineers and its contractors have been working with Buffalo Township's planning commission and engineer since December in an effort to resolve stormwater plan deficiencies and correct numerous items that did not meet township ordinances.

They met our ordinances; that's all we wanted them to do from the beginning, said planning commission chairwoman Regan Cordier.

Issues that had been sticking points for months were resolved in a few weeks after the planning commission on May 7 delayed forwarding a decision onto supervisors mainly due to problems with the site's stormwater management plan.

Someone must have had an epiphany to get everything done, said Supervisor John Haven.

Read more from the original source:
Freeport Area approves middle school contracts after OK from Buffalo Township