In a move observers say could have big implications for U.S. climate-change policy, five large electric utilities said on March 16 that they will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a lower-court ruling that subjects them to lawsuits claiming that their carbon-dioxide emissions cause health problems, coastal erosion and other climate-change impacts. The utilities—American Electric Power, Southern Co., Tennessee Valley Authority, Xcel Energy and Cinergy, a unit of Duke Energy—said in court papers obtained by Platt’s (like ENR, a unit of the McGrawHill Cos.) that the high court should hear their case because it presents “substantial constitutional and jurisprudential
Lawmakers on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hope to advance bipartisan legislation this year that aims to cut powerplant emissions of mercury, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. Committee member Tom Carper (D-Del.) introduced the bill, with panel colleague Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) as a co-sponsor. Regina McCarthy, the Environmental Protection Agency’s assistant administrator for air and radiation, said at a March 4 committee hearing that the bill would dovetail with EPA regulations, expected this spring, replacing the Bush administration Clean Air Interstate Rule, and a new EPA mercury rule, expected in March 2011. But John McManus, a vice president
Beating the deadline set by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, all state departments of transportation obligated their full allotments of ARRA highway funds to projects by Feb. 26. Under the stimulus statute, any road funds unobligated by March 2 would have gone back to the Federal Highway Administration to be redistributed. States had put 73% of their total $26.6 billion in ARRA highway money into projects under contract as of Jan. 31, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee reported on March 4. That’s up from 66% on Dec. 31. Maine and Wyoming led the pack, each having 100% of
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is extending the comment period until March 30 on the proposed revision of its Injury and Illness Recordkeeping rule. The proposed rule, published in the Jan. 29 Federal Register, would restore a column to the OSHA 300 Log to record work-related musculoskeletal injuries. It does not change existing requirements about when employers must record ergonomic injuries.
The Army Corps of Engineers is facing bipartisan heat from House lawmakers about how it is carrying out important policy changes called for in the 2007 Water Resources Development Act. Because the Corps and the Army have been slow in meeting WRDA requirements, critical infrastructure projects could be delayed, says Marco Giamberardino, senior director of the Associated General Contractors’ federal and heavy construction division. Assistant Secretary of the Army, Civil Works, Jo-Ellen Darcy says the Army and Corps are making progress on revising key policy document. The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on March 4 held a hearing and
A recent U.S.-Canada trade agreement that attempts to resolve a dispute over the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s “Buy American” provisions will provide some help for water and wastewater companies in both countries, but in many ways it is too little, too late, industry sources say. + Image The agreement, which took effect on Feb. 16, waives the Buy American requirements for ARRA-funded contracts awarded through September 2011 that use components manufactured in Canada. On both sides of the border, the Buy American spat has been of keen interest to water and wastewater firms, which contend the mandate has unnecessarily
AYERS President Obama has picked Stephen T. Ayers, acting head of the office of the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) for the past three years, to serve a full 10-year term as the Capitol Architect. The AOC is responsible for maintaining and operating the Capitol building, Library of Congress, Supreme Court building and other federal facilities on or near Capitol Hill. Ayers, whose nomination was sent to the Senate on Feb. 24, next will go through the confirmation process. The 13-year veteran of the AOC office has been acting Capitol Architect since February 2007, when Alan M. Hantman retired. Ayers
The Associated Builders and Contractors, an Arlington, Va., group that represents non-union construction firms, proposed a five-step plan on March 2 to help create new jobs in a sector in which unemployment has reached 24.7%. ABC is calling on Congress and the Obama administration to focus on what it calls “free-enterprise initiatives,” instead of “anti-business legislative and regulatory proposals.” It also calls for increasing access to capital for new construction projects, reducing the tax burden, enacting a national comprehensive energy plan that includes new construction and upgrades to the nation’s infrastructure, and allowing the “entire construction industry workforce to participate
A battle royal may be brewing as opposition to the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed regulation of greenhouse-gas emissions mounts. Recently, three states, along with several industry groups, filed lawsuits challenging the EPA’s December “endangerment finding,” which said greenhouse gases pose a threat to public health and welfare. Meanwhile, the EPA says it is confident the finding will withstand legal challenge, and 16 states and New York City say they may intervene on behalf of the EPA. On Feb. 16, Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) announced that Texas, which emits more carbon dioxide than any other state, filed suit in the
Industry groups and GOP leaders are critical of President Obama’s health-care proposal, which was unveiled on Feb. 22. But the White House calls the proposal a “starting point” and says it hopes congressional leaders from both parties will make some progress in kick-starting the stalled negotiations at a Feb. 25 summit. The proposal seeks to bridge the gap between the legislation passed by the House in November and the Senate on Dec. 24. Its framework is built on the Senate bill but includes several key changes. Among them, it calls for increasing the penalty—to $2,000 from $750 per worker—for employers
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