Month: October 2022

Utility and Transportation Contractors Association (UTCA) Executive Director David Rible issued the following statement today on the passing of former Governor Jim Florio:

“Governor Florio is the embodiment of what it means to be a public servant. As an Assemblyman, Congressman and Governor he fought tirelessly for the causes he believed in, even when it was politically unpopular. Above all, he served with grace and dignity and leaves behind an amazing legacy of public service. 

 “I consider myself fortunate to have had the privilege of interacting with Governor Florio during my time in the Legislature. Even as a new legislator from the opposite party, he always treated me with kindness and respect that is too often lacking in today’s political environment.

 “In addition, our association has enjoyed a great relationship with the Governor’s law firm, Florio Perrucci Steinhardt Cappelli Tipton & Taylor, which has served as our legal counsel for many years. On behalf of the members of UTCA, I offer our condolences and prayers to Lucinda and the entire Florio family.”

Utility and Transportation Contractors Association (UTCA) Executive Director David Rible issued the following statement today regarding a push in New Jersey to follow California’s lead and ban the sale of gasoline-powered cars:

 “This is well-meaning policy but we are already seeing the pitfalls of transitioning to electric vehicles without addressing the impact on the power grid. California had to ask residents not to charge their electric vehicles because their grid simply cannot handle the demand, yet they just voted to ban gas powered vehicles. We do not want this scenario coming to New Jersey.

“Taking proactive steps on climate change is important but we cannot just enact laws because they sound good. We are particularly concerned about our members being forced to use electric vehicles when the infrastructure to power them – much less hundreds of thousands of electric vehicles for the entire state – simply does not exist in our state. Not only that but how exactly we pay to create that infrastructure, whether it’s publicly available charging stations, people charging at their homes or our members having to charge at their places of business, has not been figured out.

“Much more thought needs to go into this idea, clearly more than California put into it. Let’s not rush into something that will create even more and bigger problems.”

Utility and Transportation Contractors Association (UTCA) Executive Director David Rible issued the following statement today regarding a report from the National Resources Defense Council which shows that New Jersey is getting the second least amount of federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, per lead line, of any state:

“This is absolutely outrageous. Time and time again New Jersey sends money to Washington only to get fleeced in return.

“We, along with members of the Clean Water, Healthy Families, Good Jobs Coalition, warned of this exact scenario months ago when decisions were being made about funding. We specifically noted that this could happen without changes from the Environmental Protection Agency. Those changes never happened and now we have been shortchanged again.

 “It is unacceptable to think that New Jersey’s water infrastructure needs are lacking enough to be second to last in funding. In fact, it’s ludicrous. We have some of the oldest water infrastructure in the country, including grossly outdated combined sewer overflow systems that need to be addressed as soon as possible. Moreover, as we showed in Newark, we know how to do this and do it right, so long as the necessary resources are there.

 “Our members made New Jersey a shining example of how to fix broken water infrastructure. They stand ready, willing and able to do it again throughout our state. We just need the federal government to get its act together and give us our fair share of funding.”

Utility and Transportat

ion Contractors Association (UTCA) CEO Robert Briant, Jr. will be inducted into the American Road and Transportation Association (ARTBA) Foundation’s Transportation Development Hall of Fame.

“I am incredibly honored to be selected to join the legendary figures from the transportation industry, including my father, in the Transportation Development Hall of Fame,” said Briant. “While my name may be on the plaque, this award is actually a testament to the dedication and hard work of the UTCA members, staff and partners who have been tireless advocates for the infrastructure industry.”

The Hall of Fame recognizes individuals and families who have made significant contributions to the nation’s transportation development and have exhibited exceptional leadership abilities. Briant’s father, Robert Briant, Sr., who founded the UTCA, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013.

UTCA Executive Director Dave Rible lauded Briant’s commitment to the organization and the industry as a whole.

“Bob’s passion for growing and improving the UTCA is only matched by has dedication to bolstering the infrastructure industry,” he said. “I am honored to work with Bob at the UTCA and congratulate him on this amazing recognition of his three decades of service to the construction field.”

A unanimous selection of the Board of Directors, Briant has worked with the UTCA since 1982 and is the Chairman of the New Jersey Infrastructure Bank, a member of the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority and former Chairman of the Clean Water Coalition.

“I have been fortunate to work with so many amazing organizations and people who share my goal of promoting economic prosperity and protecting our health and environment by building and maintaining a world-class infrastructure system,” said Briant. “While I am proud of what we have accomplished in my time at the UTCA, I look forward to continuing to fight for the absolutely vital infrastructure industry in New Jersey and throughout the country.”

Prior Hall of Fame inductees include President Dwight Eisenhower; former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta; Garrett Morgan, who invented the three-stage traffic signal; the founder of Caterpiller; and the Roebling family, who built the Brooklyn Bridge.