Transit agencies, affordable housing developers, and many others might be envious of the kind of leeway sources say President Trump is willing to grant in the name of project delivery.
Sources familiar with the Trump administration's work on the border wall told the Washington Post that the president has promised pardons for potential wrongdoing in the effort of completing the project by Election Day.
Nick Miroff and Josh Dawsey report:
President Trump is so eager to complete hundreds of miles of border fence ahead of the 2020 presidential election that he has directed aides to fast-track billions of dollars’ worth of construction contracts, aggressively seize private land and disregard environmental rules, according to current and former officials involved with the project.
He also has told worried subordinates that he will pardon them of any potential wrongdoing should they have to break laws to get the barriers built quickly, those officials said.
Progress on the border wall has been too slow for President Trump, who has promised to complete 500 miles of the wall by Election Day in 2020. There's a long way to go to meet that goal. "[T]he U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has completed just about 60 miles of 'replacement' barrier during the first 2½ years of Trump’s presidency, all of it in areas that previously had border infrastructure," according to the article.
The article includes statements from Deputy White House Press Secretary Hogan Gidley, who explains the news as an example of Trump joking about the pardons, and working aggressively to protect the country with stronger borders. The project could soon get an infusion of cash: "Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper is expected to approve a White House request to divert $3.6 billion in Pentagon funds to the barrier project in coming weeks, money that Trump sought after lawmakers refused to allocate $5 billion."
FULL STORY: ‘Take the land’: President Trump wants a border wall. He wants it black. And he wants it by Election Day.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Coming Soon to Ohio: The Largest Agrivoltaic Farm in the US
The ambitious 6,000-acre project will combine an 800-watt solar farm with crop and livestock production.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
California Grid Runs on 100% Renewable Energy for Over 9 Hours
The state’s energy grid was entirely powered by clean energy for some portion of the day on 37 out of the last 45 days.
New Forecasting Tool Aims to Reduce Heat-Related Deaths
Two federal agencies launched a new, easy-to-use, color-coded heat warning system that combines meteorological and medical risk factors.
AI Traffic Management Comes to Dallas-Fort Worth
Several Texas cities are using an AI-powered platform called NoTraffic to help manage traffic signals to increase safety and improve traffic flow.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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