Joseph Englot, P.E.
Spring seems to be having a hard time showing itself this year. April temperatures were below normal. Let's hope that May brings warmer weather. With the coming of spring there is new hope. Never was it needed more. The Metropolitan area is still struggling to recover from Sandy, the shore communities are trying to prepare for the summer influx of vacationers, and civil engineers are very busy helping the private and public sector owners to plan, design, and construct their recovery projects. If you noticed that there was no April President's message it was because just like other CEs, I was swamped with priorities related to Sandy recovery. The FEMA funds made available by Congress come with a significant caveat. Construction must be designed and in the ground within a two year window. This is a tremendous challenge on all local engineering, contracting, and material supply resources, since all in the Metropolitan area are scrambling to achieve this goal at the same time.
This past year has seen the Met Section deliver another program of outstanding continuing education courses. Diverse and timely lectures in the areas of structures, forensics, sustainable design, geotechnical practice, engineering mechanics, construction and infrastructure engineering were given throughout the year by top experts in each field. The two-day seminar "Impact of Sandy's Storm Surge on NY/NJ Infrastructure" co-sponsored with the New Jersey Section of ASCE and NYU Poly, was a smashing success with international experts and the Mayor of Hoboken participating, and national press coverage in ENR. YMF members, who are the source of the Sections energy and enthusiasm, sponsored numerous events including Engineer's Week for children and assisting homeowners at Breezy Point to clean up after Sandy.
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ASCE encourages its members, as individuals, to provide pro bono expertise and professional services to charitable causes and those in emergency situations. Members who provide professional services pro bono for ASCE endorsed programs are covered by the Society's professional liability insurance. However, pro bono services provided by an individual in emergency situations are not protected against professional liability claims that may arise as part of furnishing these services. Engineers in emergency situations may be called upon to make recommendations with little or no information. (ASCE Policy Statement 443 Indemnification for Pro Bono Service)
State Senate Bill S. 3942 would protect professional engineers, architects, landscape architects and land surveyors who render voluntary services, without compensation acting reasonably and in good faith at the scene of a natural disaster or catastrophe, from liability for personal injury, wrongful death, property damage or other loss.
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As the Civil Engineering (CE) Body of Knowledge expands and undergraduate credit hours contract, the CE profession approaches a "tipping point" that puts the respect, effectiveness, and credibility of the profession at risk. The Raise the Bar initiative, supported by ASCE, aims to address this issue by advancing the minimum educational standards for civil engineers.
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 ASCE's 2013 Report Card for America's Infrastructure was released on March 19th in a new digital format for both tablets and smart phones with the grades, ASCE's vision for infrastructure, and more content than ever before with 16 infrastructure categories, over 100 infrastructure success stories, and infographics on every state.
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 Here is an opportunity that will enable the Met Section's voice and yours to be heard by State and Congressional legislators. The Met Section is starting an initiative called the Legislative Action Alert, an easy-to-use tool that creates a letter that will be sent to your elected representatives urging them to act on behalf of a specific issue.
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 The Met Section's Infrastructure Group, along with the ASCE New Jersey Section and NYU-Poly will be sponsoring a seminar on the "Impact of Sandy's Storm Surge on NY/NJ Infrastructure" on April 8th and 9th in Brooklyn, NY. The two-day seminar will include presentations on the storm's impact on different types of infrastructure and potential solutions to reduce the impact of storm surge and flooding caused by Sandy.
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 On February 1, 2013, ASCE National President Gregory E. DiLoreto, P.E., P.L.S., D.WRE, F.ASCE dedicated Grand Central Terminal as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. ASCE's dedication ceremony was part of a full day of activities that was planned by MTA Metro-North Railroad to celebrate the Terminal's Centennial, which included speeches, award ceremonies and musical performances.
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May 2013