World Construction Network

Daily Newsletter

08 August 2023

Daily Newsletter

Construction begins on ND ARNG Readiness Center in Dickinson

The project is being financed via a combination of federal and state funding.

Construction has commenced on the new North Dakota Army National Guard (ND ARNG) Readiness Center in Dickinson, North Dakota, US.

The start of construction was marked by a ground-breaking ceremony that saw participation from US senators John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer along with US Army officials.

Occupying an area of 40,000ft², the facility will offer space and infrastructure to support the missions of the ND ARNG across the state.

It will be used for training and operations of the 816th Military Police Company. Activated in September 2017, the unit holds more than 80 soldiers, 40 vehicles, trailers, and authorised equipment.

The readiness centre will replace the current facility located next to the Stark County Sheriff’s Office.

Construction on the project is expected to be completed in June 2025.

The project is being backed by $21m in funding from the federal government and $6m from the state of North Dakota.

Roers Construction, a local construction company, has been selected as the lead contractor for the project, the Dickinson Express reported.

Hoeven said: “This new facility will be a much-needed upgrade for the 816th Military Police, supporting our tremendous guard members and complementing the readiness centre we worked to bring to Fargo.

“Between the $15.5m we’ve already secured for construction and the additional $5.4m we plan to appropriate this year, this new readiness centre is on track to be completed in 2025.

“Time and again, North Dakota’s guard members have served our state and nation with distinction, and through efforts like this, we’re working to ensure they continue having a track record of success in the wide array of missions they take on.”

ESG 2.0 marks a shift towards stricter environmental rules

ESG is moving into a different era, which we call ESG 2.0. While ESG 1.0 was driven by voluntary corporate action, spurred by pressure from activist consumers and investors, ESG 2.0 is being driven by a new wave of government policies. The EU has taken the regulatory lead, with rules introduced or in the pipeline that will price emissions, regulate the use of the terms ‘ESG’ and ‘sustainability’ in marketing materials, and make ESG reporting mandatory. The US has taken a different approach, favoring less regulation and more financial support in the form of tax breaks for clean industry (renewables plus nuclear and hydrogen). China is planning to expand its emissions trading system to more sectors, decarbonize its heavy industry, and ramp up its use of renewables. The new policy direction is mainly motivated by the ambition to hit net zero emissions targets. But on top of this, governments are now competing for clean industry and trying to challenge China’s leadership on the production of the world’s green technologies such as solar panels and batteries, as well as the production and refinement of materials needed for energy transition such as lithium. These driving forces are leading to policy that will impact every sector, not just heavy industry, and will keep ESG near the top of the regulatory agenda over the longer term.