TEXTILES.ORG
By Ron Bygness
Special Happy New Year (HNY) greetings are in order for our many readers, contributors, and colleagues involved with geosynthetics and Geosynthetics magazine. And HNY for all of our acronym friends who especially stood out in 2014:
HNY, EPA—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was told by the court to finally issue its ruling on coal ash containment before the end of the year. So promptly on Dec. 19, you told us that coal ash is municipal solid waste … just like our household garbage.
HNY, GMA—The Geosynthetic Materials Association’s executive council and other active members worked hard for liner provisions in the EPA ruling. In 2014 GMA continued its effective lobby days in D.C., as well as productive state and local initiatives with transportation players. They also hit another big 2014 home run with this legislation:
HNY, WRRDA—The new Water Resources Reform & Development Act contained a section titled “Use of innovative materials”… including the use of geosynthetic materials.
HNY, 10ICG—The quadrennial International Conference on Geosynthetics event was precisely organized by the German chapter of the International Geosynthetics Society and wonderfully staged at the Estrel Convention Center in Berlin in September 2014.
HNY, IFAI—The not-for-profit Industrial Fabrics Association International, which includes Geosynthetics and GMA, has organized its biennial geosynthetics conferences since the 1980s, with recent editions 2011 in Dallas, 2013 in Long Beach, 2015 in Portland, and Orlando coming up in 2017. And HNY, IAA—IFAI’s annual International Achievement Awards feature projects that exhibit innovation, technical skills, and design excellence.
HNY to all for a healthy, prosperous, and productive 2015!