WIN's Waste-by-Rail Planned Infrastructure at the Tunnel Hill Reclamation Landfill in New Lexington, OH

Port of Long Beach, CA Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Project Rendering of the Lenox Road Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge Connection over GA 400

SSAB Hydrogen-fueled Zero Emissions Steel Making Process

Babcock & Wilcox BrightLoop™ technology produces desirable outputs such as hydrogen, while isolating carbon dioxide (CO2) for capture and storage/sequestration or beneficial use.

Aerial View of the Wilfred “Bomba” Allick Terminal - St. Croix, U.S.V.I.

July 26, 2023

Written By Karl Kalbacher, PG

The US Department of Energy (US DOE) announced today that Energy Exploration Technologies (EX) out of Austin, TX has won a $5 million competitive grant from the FY22 AMMTO-GTO Lithium Extraction and Conversion from Geothermal Brines competition to demonstrate and validate cost-effective, innovative lithium extraction and lithium hydroxide conversion technologies.

The project combines (EX)'s advanced lithium recovery process technology with their partner's geothermal power generation process to extract commercial quantities of lithium hydroxide monohydrate (LHMH) from the Salton Sea geothermal field. Doing so will allow for an efficient, simplified, low water use, lower greenhouse gas footprint and low-cost lithium hydroxide production from geothermal brines suitable for application to other domestic lithium resources.

This pilot demonstration will allow EX to scale up for additional optimization onsite and performance testing and will provide the data necessary to further commercialization.

The project expects to achieve capital and operating expense reductions of at least 30%, provide for the economic development of currently non-viable U.S. domestic lithium resources, accelerate commercialization of a domestic supply of battery grade LHMH, and conserve 30 metric tons of water per metric ton of lithium carbonate equivalent.

The total project cost is $10.2 million.

Kalbacher Associates (KA) was pleased to prepare with EX the grant application. We welcome the opportunity to support your grant application needs in the renewable energy and energy efficiency space.

Madison, WI wins $15.1 million US DOT grant to rebuild John Nolan Causeway

April 13, 2023

Written By Karl Kalbacher

The US Department of Transportation (US DOT) announced today that the City of Madison, WI has won a $15.1 million competitive grant from the Bridge Investment Program (BIP) to support the replacement of six off-system bridges that are in poor condition along the John Nolen Drive Causeway.

John Nolen Drive is an iconic gateway to and from downtown Madison. The Causeway is used daily by 45,000 vehicles and about 4,000 bikes.

The reconstruction project will create better vehicular access to downtown Madison and improve bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. The BIP grant will also improve transportation safety, reduce greenhouse gas emissions through travel mode shifts, support downtown economic development, and benefit minority/low-income residents in the southern portion of the community.

The total project cost is $30.2 million.

Kalbacher Associates (KA) was pleased to prepare the Benefit Cost Analysis for this project and assist in writing the grant application. Since 2018, KA has won 11 US DOT infrastructure grants for clients totaling $155,767,794.

Bridge Rendering of Nevada Pacific Parkway Extension over Union Pacific Rail Lines

On May 6, 2021, Governor Ron Desantis (FL) announced that the City of Port St. Joe, FL will recieve $9.96 million in US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) grant funds to repair sanitary sewer lines and facilities that were severely damaged from Hurricane Michael in 2018.

The Rebuild Florida General Infrastructure Repair Program is designed to provide funding for local governments to strategically rebuild and harden infrastructure in order to prevent or reduce losses from future disasters.

Hurricane Michael hit the Gulf Coast 25 miles east of Panama City on Oct. 10, 2018, as a Category 5 storm, the first such storm to strike the U.S. mainland since Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

The storm killed 74 people and caused $25.5 billion in damage.

I was pleased to work with Dewberry Engineers and City officials to prepare the winning grant application to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (FL DEO) that will offer the promise to the citizens of Port St. Joe of a new start following the devastation caused from Hurricane Michael.

I am so pleased to report that the City of Vallejo, CA is a recipient of a $2 Million US Bureau of Reclamation (US BOR) - Water and Energy Efficiency Grant for 2021. The City requested US BOR funding to replace antiquated water meters and cracked water lines. Along with $3.494 Million of local funds, Vallejo will be able achieve when the project is completed annual water savings of 1,184 acre-feet which will help the entire San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta region to become less dependent on precious surface water sources for potable water use. My sincere thanks to the City of Vallejo for providing me the opportunity to assist the City prepare their winning grant application.

January 12, 2021. EPA has selected the City of Vallejo, CA to apply for $24 million in Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) funding. Vallejo’s FY20-21 to FY24-25 Drinking Water Capital Improvement Program will consist of improvements to aging infrastructure including: pipeline replacements, water treatment plant upgrades, pump station upgrades, water tank upgrades, advanced metering, dam safety upgrades, and other improvement activities. The purpose of these projects is to improve aging water infrastructure to minimize water main breaks and leaks and ensure treatment processes continue to meet federal and state standards.

Kalbacher Associates personnel were pleased to assist the City of Vallejo in completing their WIFIA application.

For more details please go to this site Vallejo FY20-21 to FY24-25 Capital Improvement Program | Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) | US EPA

Karl Kalbacher

Kalbacher Associates, LLC

Charlotte Multimodal Transit Hub

November 19, 2021

The US Department of Transportation announced that the City of Charlotte, North Carolina will receive $15 million to construct a new multimodal transit center to replace the existing open-air bus terminal in downtown Charlotte. The new transit center will include an underground bus concourse with seamless connections to LYNX Blue Line light rail, the CityLYNX Gold Line streetcar, local and regional bus service, and a new bicycle and pedestrian trail. The City of Charlotte intends to develop new retail and office space atop the new facility once completed.

The redesigned terminal will eliminate the need for riders to cross active bus lanes to access various bus stops and will improve street-level access with signalized crosswalks. By enhancing connections to LYNX rail and constructing a new bicycle and pedestrian trail, the project supports quality of life by providing more transportation options. By constructing the new transit hub underground, the project supports additional development in a dense and transit-rich area of Charlotte, increasing environmental sustainability and economic competitiveness.

Kalbacher Associates prepared the Benefit Cost Analysis report for the project and assisted on preparing the project narrative.