Noel Loughrin, MBA

We've made it to APWA Southern California Chapter! ☀️ We're excited to connect with you and share how you can begin experiencing smoother operations with a cloud-based solution for more collaborative teams. #APWA #APWAsocal #localgov #assetmanagement

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Big news for Sonoma County data enthusiasts! The Economic Development Collaborative is excited to announce its launch of the newly revamped Economic Indicators! The Economic Indicators is an annual report, tailored to deliver the latest and most relevant data for our region. Now it can be accessed online through interactive data. Did you know, the manufacturing industry makes up the biggest slice of Sonoma County's GRP at $5.2 billion? Find out which other industries are in the top five under "Economy" at https://hubs.la/Q02PMpw30 #DataEmpowerment #RegionalImpact #SonomaCounty

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The California Public Utilities Commission’s $41 million investment in broadband grants is a pivotal move toward bridging the digital divide and advancing digital equity. By funding essential “last-mile” projects across counties like Madera, Napa, and San Luis Obispo, California is equipping its communities with the connectivity needed for sustained growth, resilience, and opportunity. At DUC, we are dedicated to supporting counties and municipalities that champion project governance and build open, resilient networks. Such investments are essential not only for ensuring robust connectivity but also for driving competition, minimizing disruption, and establishing a strong foundation for sustainable economic growth and innovation. Through our ongoing collaborations with partners and stakeholders committed to digital equity and transformation, we see firsthand how enhanced connectivity fuels long-term community prosperity and well-being. #BroadbandAccess #FTTP #Broadband #ProjectGovernance #DigitalEquity #LastMileConnectivity #EconomicGrowth #DUC #CaliforniaBroadband https://lnkd.in/e4uSGQeg

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Check out the latest GovLoop article, highlighting Portland's Homelessness and Urban Camping Impact Reduction Program. Discover how they harnessed the power of GIS mobile apps and dashboards to collect vital data on homelessness and map areas in need of assistance. 🗺️ 🤝 https://lnkd.in/ebZyaAAH #GIS #Transparency #DataDrivenApproach

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#ICYMI: Valley Economy Blog by Dr. Jeffrey Michael takes apart the Department of Water Resources’ public relations claims. Read Dr. Jeff Michael’s analysis of DWR’s faulty math comparisons between the Delta Conveyance Project and Southern California desal projects here: https://bit.ly/44THqQm For our young readers, this is a case of the #MathAintMathing, and you are the ones who will end up paying for the Delta Conveyance Project, rather than for the climate, education, and societal investments for which you all are envisioning for the future. #cawater #prodelta

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ICYMI: Our friends at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) unpack the California Public Utilities Commission's decision on energization timelines in its latest blog. #PACTCoalition agrees: The CPUC's decision marks progress toward the state’s climate and air quality goals, but there is still more that can be done to realize the huge public health, climate, and economic benefits of a zero-emission transportation future. Our members are committed to supporting California in these efforts. 🌱 Read more: https://lnkd.in/eN_m5m7b #transportationelectrification #ZEVInfrastructure

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Last week the California Public Utilities Commission released the Self-Generation Incentive Program Impact Evaluation Report for calendar years 2021 – 2022. This report, prepared by Verdant Associates, is the most comprehensive look to date at behind-the-meter #DERs in California. The study examines the impact of tens of thousands of #solar and #storage systems on customer bills, utility costs, environmental emissions, and #resiliency benefits. We examine DER participation in #VPPs for emergency #reliability and model the maximum benefits possible using optimal dispatch of battery storage. Findings and conclusions assess the SGIP’s effectiveness and ability to meet its goals. Recommendations are also provided to better guide and advance program success and to propose ways in which more value can be extracted from these systems moving forward. The report also quantifies the contributions of California’s #BTM renewable generation fleet (e.g., fuel cells, distributed wind) to meeting climate goals.   The report is available on the CPUC’s website here: https://lnkd.in/gnpfYCnn

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The California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) has a lot of information online, mostly resources for bidders, contractors and the people of California. One of the pages is "Resources For Broadband Projects."https://lnkd.in/g_Hr5Vkb The CPCU describes this page this way: "The following resources may be useful for broadband projects, particularly those in the post-engineered construction phase." The page begins with a section on utility poles https://lnkd.in/g9VHdX-C and the first link is A Natural History of the Wooden Utility Pole, which has the cover shown above. This document (PDF) begins with an excerpt form a John Updike poem titled, appropriately, "Telephone Poles." Next comes an illustrated history of communications, including the Pony Express and the telegraph which replaced it, then the use of poles for electrical distribution. The picutres are priceless! There is plenty of serious information here, much about safety, and concerns over clearing vegetation, a cause of too many California wildfires. But section 8 on Animal Management, is not to be missed! Photos and descriptions of problems with bears, woodpeckers, hawks, etc. are most interesting. The rest of the links in Resources For Broadband Projects https://lnkd.in/g_Hr5Vkb can be most useful for contractors. It includes pages about pole use, permitting, one touch make ready (OTMR), and environmental compliance. But don't miss A Natural History of the Wooden Utility Pole.

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Join our virtual California Roundtable on June 27th, 11AM PT as Rosa Castro, Research & Grants Manager at Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, explores how your agency can achieve elevated grant success. 🏆 Register Now: https://lnkd.in/gNb-dD4S You won’t want to miss this opportunity to learn how to: 👉 Ensure you are set up to take advantage of unprecedented funding opportunities 👉 Think beyond the grant application process and factor in the administrative burden of post-award management and audit readiness 👉 How to utilize purpose-built software to boost your organization’s grant funding and management 👉 Discuss balancing the budget after influx of funding declines #GrantFunding #GrantManagement #EunaGrants

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👏 In our recent webinar with Greg Hermann, Deputy City Manager of the City of San Luis Obispo, we delved into how AI can assist in managing small tasks to tackle bigger issues—an important theme discussed at the #ICMA Conference 2024. Greg highlighted a pivotal insight: while AI may not solve massive challenges like housing or climate change, it can revolutionize how we handle the smaller, time-consuming tasks. "The more help we get with the little stuff, the more time we're going to have for the big stuff," he noted. ✅ This perspective encourages us to think about AI not just as a futuristic concept but as a practical tool that enhances efficiency today. By alleviating the burden of routine administrative work, AI gives us the freedom to focus on strategic thinking and critical issues that demand our full attention. At Citibot, we understand the power of AI in transforming government operations. Our mission is to facilitate seamless communication and enhance community engagement through accessible AI-driven solutions. Join us in exploring the potential of AI to create a more efficient and responsive government. Visit www.citibot.io to learn more. Unlock the power of AI with Citibot's chat solutions to streamline your community interactions. Enhance efficiency and focus on what truly matters. Discover how we can transform your government operations today at www.citibot.io! #efficiencyboost #communitytrust #citibot #aiforgovernment

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For the first time EVER, California has introduced permanent water restrictions in an effort to prevent future droughts (previous state water restrictions were temporary). The new regulation will require the state's largest water utilities—which serve 95 percent of California residents—to reduce the amount of water they provide over the next 15 years. https://lnkd.in/gHYviFDc Underlying this water regulation (which is expected to come into effect by January 1, 2025) are a number of key data points. Suppliers must calculate water budgets based on community needs, weighing a number of factors such as residential (indoor and outdoor) water use; commercial, industrial and institutional landscapes with dedicated irrigation meters; and a maximum allowable volume of water loss from leakage. All that to say, there's a lot happening in California when it comes to water AND data. https://lnkd.in/g8YxHf-k I'm very much looking forward to attending the California Water Data Summit next month with my Bluefield Research colleague Keith Hays. If you are going to be there (or are in the San Diego area) and would like meet, follow this link or drop us a note: https://lnkd.in/g_uvg6ee *(I went to the Summit last year in Palo Alto and it was a great conference). VODA.ai Woodard & Curran Arcadis California Data Collaborative Moulton Niguel Water District Ranchbot Monitoring Solutions Ferreira Construction Co., Inc. Black & Veatch - Environmental Carollo Engineers ASTERRA Subeca CWEA (California Water Environment Association)

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The State of Arizona is taking a bold step to accelerate clean energy projects and tap into federal funding opportunities! The Governor’s Office of Resiliency (OOR) and the Arizona Finance Authority (AFA) are inviting Tribal and local governments, school districts, nonprofit organizations, and private developers to share their clean energy project proposals. 🗓️ Deadline for Proposals: June 28, 2024, by 5 p.m. MST What They're Looking For: 🔹 High-quality, net-zero or passive affordable housing 🔹 Clean transportation, including affordable public transit solutions 🔹 Innovative projects for a clean, resilient grid benefiting ratepayers 🔹 Cool/Smart rooftops, heat management, and cooling centers 🔹 Energy-efficient water-treatment and other water-energy infrastructure projects Why This Matters: “Through state coordination and leveraging historic levels of federal financing, we seek to provide the necessary resources to develop and complete these projects successfully. Together, we can invest in a robust, clean energy economy, strengthen our electric grid, and increase energy, housing, and transportation options," said OOR Director Maren Mahoney. Key Goals: - Invest in a robust, clean energy economy - Strengthen our electric grid - Increase energy, housing, and transportation options For full details, take a look at the Request for Information. #CleanEnergy #Sustainability #Arizona #FederalFunding #GreenInitiatives #CommunityDevelopment #Innovation #Resiliency https://lnkd.in/gjVcvuwS

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When getting more funding for projects or the implementation of innovation, it is important that elected officials hear from state departments of transportation on their needs. State DOT CEOs do not set policy or appropriate money. That is the job of elected officials. In this episode of the InfraTalk Podcast, Secretary of the Washington State Department of Transportation, Roger Millar, discusses the important role innovation plays in making our nation's infrastructure safer, resilient, and more efficient. He also touches on the need for elected officials to hear from the DOTs and their partners in the industry when it comes to decisions being made about funding and policy. Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/eiX7VkZ2 #Transportation #Infrastructure #Innovation #StateDOTs #Funding #Policy #InfraTalkontheRoad #InfraTalkAmerica #Podcast

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Since 2010, E3 has regularly created and released formal public databases and calculations of levelized costs, which has supported a variety of public planning processes (such as the WECC Transmission Expansion Planning and Policy Committee and the California Public Utilities Commission, along with numerous utility IRPs). This analysis is conducted with E3’s in-house analytical tool Recost, and we’re excited to announce the tool is now available for purchase. It includes all inputs, assumptions, and calculations, and can be configured as needed. Given a set of technology- or project-specific assumptions for system performance and operations, upfront and ongoing costs, and financing parameters, Recost computes levelized cost metrics, such as the levelized fixed cost and levelized cost of electricity. We also combine fixed cost calculations with resource-specific capacity contribution assumptions to develop a levelized cost of capacity metric, also known as gross cost of new entry. It’s used in a wide array of electricity system planning models, like capacity expansion modeling and procurement strategy and bid evaluation. To see this tool in action, we’re offering a free public outlook that summarizes E3’s forecasts and perspectives on the resources critical to the energy transition. Find links to both, and more information, here: https://lnkd.in/gVcE2U6A

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I work with SUCH smart people! 🤩 Our Advanced Analytics & Evaluation team did phenomenal work with the State Water Resources Control Board's Division of Drinking Water to improve their tool to proactively identify community water systems in need of mitigations to avoid shortages. The California Office of Data and Innovation team improved the model so it moved from too-broadly flagging 18% of all community systems as at-risk for drought, to the true 4% that actually experience drought effects each year. 4% is much more easily monitored and mitigated than 18%! 🙌 Not a data wonk? Check out our case study, which provides a laymen's overview of the project: https://lnkd.in/g-hnt-XJ Or, if phrases like "The model plots all the data not on a two- or three-dimensional plot, but a 15-dimensional hyperspace" mean something to you (English major here 👋 😅 ), check out our technical paper for all the nitty gritty details! https://lnkd.in/gTTib3jQ

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It’s #NationalRiversMonth, a time to highlight projects helping to keep rivers healthy, mitigate flooding, and deliver the clean, reliable water communities need to thrive. Case in point: a $1.7 billion project by the Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District (Regional San) to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant. Regional San named the upgrade “EchoWater” to help “bring back” #WaterQuality in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta while meeting state-mandated requirements in its discharge permit. The delta is a critical water resource – supplying communities and businesses across Central and Southern California while supporting a vast and fragile ecosystem as well as recreational opportunities enjoyed by millions. A primary feature of the EchoWater project is its biological nutrient removal (#BNR) complex designed by Black & Veatch. Nutrient pollution is a major issue for waterways and watersheds nationwide. The EchoWater BNR treatment complex solves the issue in the delta by producing a stable effluent with nearly all ammonia and most nitrate removed yet with low aeration and carbon requirements.

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