Underground Construction - February 2021 - 6

EDITOR'S LOG

Robert Carpenter | Editor-in-Chief

UCT Moves to July

Even as we were completing a successful
Underground Construction Technology
International Conference & Exhibition
(UCT) in late January 2020, the world was
learning about a looming health concern
with a rapidly spreading virus called
COVID-19. By early-March, countries
around the world - the United States
included - started taking drastic measures
to halt the spread of a growing pandemic
that continues to strike fear around the
world. By early summer, we realized that
we had no choice but to be pro-active and
delay UCT until mid-May of 2021.
Now comes what we believe is another
pro-active decision. With the COVID
vaccination program slow to gear up,
combined with recent virus surges after
the holidays, prospects are slim that
conferences can attract much of a crowd
for the first five or six months of 2021.
Therefore, we're moving UCT a final time
to July 13-15. It will still be held at the
Nashville Music Center in Nashville, Tenn.
Really, it was an easy decision. In
July, the majority of Americans should
be inoculated, and the underground
infrastructure markets will be in full
summer construction season mode.
With any luck, that promised
infrastructure spending bill will even be a
reality for sewer and water markets, joining
the $9 billion already designated for the
6

FEBRUARY 2021 | UCONonline.com

telecommunications industry to supply
broadband to underserved areas. Gas
distribution companies also have a full slate
of work planned for 2021 as do electric
companies. While large pipeline projects
will be limited in 2021, not to be overlooked
are the multitude of smaller projects.
We expect July will be busy for
underground markets. It will be a time when
people, desperate for critical information,
can count on attending the industry's
highest level of concentrated and beneficial
education available; a time for those
interested in learning more about current
and emerging technology; and a time for
those just ready to network with ample
opportunities to discuss, query and simply
enjoy. And all this will be held in a safe
environment, as both UCT and Nashville
are carefully planning to address any health
concerns that may still exist in July.

Chasing Answers

The news of the world these days,
especially from the United States,
continues to perplex most people. There is
so much stormy weather that it's virtually
impossible to see through the clouds.
The United States has a new president
and Congress. Pundits are ferociously
speculating on what that means for
the future. People are postulating on
everything ranging from what the thread
count of the new sheets on White House
beds should be, to cabinet nominations, to
actual policy decisions. Somewhere in the
pack, underground infrastructure impacts
are being considered, as well.
One thing is for certain: energy and
pipeline markets are going to have a
tough road ahead - at least initially -
with the President Biden administration.
Already, oil and gas leases on Federal
lands have been frozen and the Keystone
Pipeline has been nixed, despite strong
protests from Canada. Our neighbors to
the north wanted to have a dialogue on
that subject before Biden acted but that
never materialized. Killing the Keystone
may have been a great way to pay off
environmental supporters, but a lousy way

to start a positive relationship with Canada.
Of course, a lot depends on the price
of energy. Alternative energy continues
to carry a higher price tag to develop and
perfect than conventional petrochemical
sources. If oil and gas reserves keep being
depleted as world-wide economies ramp
back up, that will put upwards pricing
pressures on, especially with another
round of price cuts by Saudi Arabia and
other OPEC countries. At some point, the
Biden administration may be forced to
choose between cheap energy and a strong
economy or expensive energy resulting in
a struggling economy.
Never in a million years would I have
dreamed that in 2021, I would be analyzing
the impacts and effects of a virus upon the
economy and operations of the sewer and
water infrastructure industry. But here we
are, February 2021, publishing our 24th
Annual Municipal Sewer/Water Infrastructure
Forecast & Market Analysis, and COVID-19
has had a huge impact on those markets.
As usual, lots of interesting material
came from cities, particularly in these
challenging times. Municipalities
clearly took a large economic hit as the
pandemic forced cities, large and small, to
substantially shut down many businesses
and operations for much of 2020. That
meant a shortfall of user fees and local
sales tax revenue. Always tight budgets
just got squeezed some more for 2021.
As I noted earlier, the new political
dynamic might bode well for another
round of stimulus incentives. Comments
from the survey respondents definitely
held out hope for such funding relief. After
poor jobs reports in recent months and
unemployment still at high levels, anything
that can spur rapid job growth is popular
with politicians - assuming the money
truly goes where it belongs. Infrastructure
investment is the shot in the arm that our
economy so desperately needs. *
http://www.UCONonline.com
Underground Construction - February 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Underground Construction - February 2021
