International Union of Operating Engineers Local 825 Business Manager Greg Lalevee joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed projects funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on which his members work.
Local 825 represents about 8,000 operating engineers in New York and New Jersey. Operating engineers drive heavy equipment and their work will be greatly influenced by the infrastructure bill, Lalevee said.
Lavelee spoke about the The Champlain Hudson Power Express project, which was recently approved. The project will bring 1,250 megawatts of hydropower from Quebec, Canada through New York state into a power plant in Queens, he said. The Local looks forward to its construction, which is set to begin this year and continue into 2025, he added.
Lavelee then talked about renovations on the Rondout-West-Branch Tunnel (RWB), a section of the Delaware Aqueduct, which supplies nearly 60 percent of the raw water for New York City. Much of the work takes place 650 feet underground and is similar to coal mining operations, he explained.
Lastly, Lavelee discussed Local 825’s apprenticeship program, which was recently licensed as a technical college. The program now offers an associate degree with two years of college credit. An operating engineer is a great career path, and the expanded program is a great investment in the training required to produce a skilled workforce, he said.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more about these topics: