Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/592194
CPA, Gregg Drilling & Testing Inc., Garden Grove, California; and Todd E. Hunter, CWD/PI, Ground Water Pump Systems, Boulder, Colorado. New Patented Sonic Pile-Anchors Provide Earthquake Protection It's taken more than 50 years for sonic drilling research to come full cir- cle and back to one of its earliest uses as a pile driver, but a Canadian company recently announced the release of a new sonic pile-anchor. Canadian engineer Ray Roussy, PE, who originally patented and success- fully commercialized modern sonic drilling technology, is the inventor of the latest development. In a move that had been anticipated for nearly a year but was kept secret until patents could be filed, Roussy announced his new sonic pile-anchor, which allows a building to rest on top as well as be bolted and anchored to it. Representing a leap forward in secur- ing building foundations, especially in vulnerable seismic areas, Roussy's patented sonic pile-anchors provide exceptional earthquake protection by preventing buildings from shifting or separating from their foundations—a significant cause of damage and death. "In addition to the seismic benefits of sonic pile-anchors, using a sonic drill rig to install them also provides a num- ber of advantages," says Roussy, presi- dent of Sonic Drill Corp. and Sonic Drilling Ltd. "It can be done efficiently, with no pounding, in tight spaces, with minimal noise, and without impacting adjacent structures. "Plus, on larger piling installations, there's no need for cranes or heavy equipment while smaller projects can be quickly and easily completed . . . so there's a lot of opportunity to save on costs," he adds. Roussy received the 2012 Technol- ogy Award from the National Ground Water Association. House Committee Advances Tax Extenders Package T he U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee took the first step in passing a package that would extend expired or expiring tax provisions. The legislation would make bonus depreciation permanent, which would allow purchases of large equipment like geothermal heat pumps to be financed more easily by businesses. It also shows support for tax provisions favorable to small businesses. But the package that was passed did not contain an extension of certain renewable energy tax credits that have expired. The U.S. Senate Finance Committee passed its own package of tax extenders in July, which included a two-year ex- tension of renewable energy, but those credits will likely be fought if and when the Senate package hits the floor later this year. NGWA continues to advocate for an extension of renewable energy incen- tives through its participation in the Investment Tax Credit Coalition. The controversial nature of renew- able energy tax credits is certainly noth- ing new, and the fight in Congress to renew the tax credits for wind and solar in 2015 could be a foreshadowing of what to expect when the geothermal tax credits are set to expire in 2016. WWJ November 2015 15 Twitter @WaterWellJournl NEWS continues on page 16