Standing with Texas

To the ACEC Community,

Ordinarily, I would begin this post-Independence Day weekend message on a lighthearted note about cookouts and fireworks shows and trips to the pool. But instead, I want to begin with a message to our members and friends in Texas and North Carolina whose communities have been ravaged by catastrophic flooding. We all have watched in horror as nature unleashed its very worst. As the toll of the missing and the lost continues to mount, please know that we grieve with you and hold you in our hearts. Your courage and resilience are an inspiration.

Natural disasters and their human toll also serve as calls to action for our industry. It is in moments like these, when the natural world reminds us of its raw power, that we must push hardest for the resources necessary for lifesaving mitigation projects that must be imagined, designed, and brought to bear to keep people safe. When we push for these resources, it’s not about “project work” or “building backlog.” It's fuel for the important building, mitigation, and lifesaving work we do to help our communities across the nation. We have the skills and when those skills are powered with this "fuel" we can literally change the world. True resilience requires not just talent, but investment—a collective commitment to prioritize preparedness.

Just within the last year, we have witnessed the ferocity of nature in the form of wind, rain, and fire. It is the ingenuity of our industry that equips our nation to face these challenges head on. From levees that protect our cities against flooding to bridges built to endure the strongest winds, to fire-resistant materials that safeguard our homes, engineering is the first line of defense against nature’s fury. But it’s even more than that. Through innovations like renewable energy systems that capture wind and solar and water management systems that optimize our most precious resource, engineering enables us to harness the power of nature rather than simply endure it.

The work we do saves lives, and we have new resources for some of this work in the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) legislation Congress passed last week. OBBB permanently extends key provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that were set to expire at the end of this year. To be sure, there are challenges with OBBB—ones that we will continue working to remedy—but in terms of long-term business tax policy, the new law fully addresses ACEC’s core priorities.

While the tax provisions were a big win for ACEC, we were playing defense on other issues, including protecting policies that promote renewable energy projects. Here, we were also able to achieve some successes. The final version of OBBB dropped a proposed excise tax on wind and solar projects. More importantly, access to a special tax incentive was preserved for wind and solar projects as long as they go to construction within one year of enactment, a major improvement over previous language that would have eliminated support for these renewable energy projects sooner. Incentives for advanced nuclear, geothermal, and hydropower technologies are extended through 2032. Clean hydrogen projects also regain their tax credit if construction starts by January 1, 2028, reversing a previously planned phase-out after 2025. Carbon capture projects qualify for credits if they begin within one year of enactment, with a gradual phase-down until 2032 rather than a 2029 cutoff. The bill also provides more clarity, flexibility and certainty to comply with supply chain requirements. All told, OBBB is a step forward for our industry.

In other news, I wanted to spotlight an upcoming education session that we think will be of broad interest. As the proliferation of AI continues, demand for data centers is booming. In our most recent Engineering Business Sentiment survey, respondents pointed to data centers as the sector about which they were most optimistic. In light of the outsized role data centers are poised to play in our industry, our Market Intelligence Committee recently announced a three-part online briefing focused on the evolving data center landscape from both an economic and technological perspective. The first session is scheduled for August 27 at 1:30PM EST, with subsequent classes on September 24 and October 29. Registration is now open.

Note: If you want to help with the flood recovery and relief effort, several online platforms have been stood up to accept donations. The Kerr County (TX) Flood Relief Fund will direct donations to vetted public relief organizations. The American Red Cross of Central and South Texas is accepting donations specifically for Texas Hill Country, while donations for North Carolina can be made through the Red Cross’ disaster relief platform.

Be safe and well.

Linda Bauer Darr

President & CEO

American Council of Engineering Companies | ACEC

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