Related Links: Transcript of 12/1/14 oral arguments Supreme Court's New Term Includes Two Key Cases The U.S. Supreme Court justices asked tough questions of both sides during Dec. 1 oral arguments in a case that centers on the government’s authority to issue interpretations of its own regulations without public input.The case could have significant implications for construction employers and small businesses that face real costs to comply with federal regulations.The case stems from an interpretive rule, issued by the Labor Dept. in 2010, that requires mortgage banks to pay loan officers overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act.The Mortgage Bankers
Related Links: EPA proposed regulation for ground-level ozone (signed 11/26/14 EPA press release on proposed ground-level ozone (smog) standard The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a tougher standard for levels of ground-level ozone, or smog, contending that the change will prevent hundreds of premature deaths and tens of thousands of asthma attacks.Environmental groups and their congressional allies praised the proposal, but leading Republican lawmakers strongly criticized the plan.The proposal, which EPA Administration Gina McCarthy signed on Nov. 26, would trim the ozone limit to a range of 65 to 70 parts per billion (ppb), from the current level of 75
Related Links: EPA announcement Private Sector Taps Federal Funds to Jumpstart Biofuels Infrastructure The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to postpone the release of its 2014 renewable fuel standard regulations will create uncertainty within the biofuels market and may cause investors to scuttle plans to build refineries in the U.S., biofuel advocates told reporters at a Nov. 24 briefing. The standards—known as renewable volume obligations—set requirements for blending biofuels, such as ethanol, into gasoline at gasoline pumping stations.EPA announced on Nov. 21 that it would not issue its 2014 renewable percentage standards until sometime in 2015. In addition, EPA will
Related Links: White House transcript of Obama's address on immigration executive order President Obama has announced that he will issue an executive order that would prevent millions of immigrants now in the U.S. illegally from being deported, but only temporarily and if they meet certain conditions, including registering with the government, passing a background check and paying what he termed their “fair share of taxes.”The directive, which Obama announced on Nov. 20 in an evening address to the nation, also provides deportation protection only to those who have been in the U.S. for more than five years and those who
Related Links: NASBO State Expenditure Report for FY 2014 (see chapter 8 for capital spending) States hiked their total spending on infrastructure, equipment and other capital-budget items by an estimated 2.4% in fiscal year 2014, to a total of $91.8 billion, a new National Association of State Budget Officers report says.NASBO’s latest annual state expenditures report, released on Nov. 20, says that transportation accounted for the largest share of overall FY 14 capital spending, with an estimated $56.1 billion, up 3.7% from 2013. Brian Sigritz, NASBO director of fiscal studies, says, “We saw a handful of states that increased gas
Related Links: PBGC FY 2014 annual report Officials Hope Multiemployer Pension Changes Will Be Enacted This Year The federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. has warned that its program to help financially troubled multi-employer plans has weakened dramatically.Multi-employer plans are important in unionized construction, covering nearly four million workers and retirees.In its latest annual report, released on Nov. 17, PBGC said its multi-employer program deficit had widened to a record $42.4 billion in fiscal year 2014, which ended on Sept. 30, from $8.3 billion in 2013.The main reason for the bigger deficit is that more multi-employer plans are expected to become
The Senate has narrowly rejected a proposed extension of TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline, falling one vote short of the 60 needed to end debate on a bill that would authorize the project to proceed.
Related Links: White House summary of U.S. and China plans Sen. McConnell statement on emissions plan President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinpeng have announced aggressive new goals for cutting or capping carbon dioxide emissions over the next 10 to 15 years.But a battle is looming with congressional Republicans over Obama’s part of the plan—that is, sharper U.S. CO2 reductions.Under an agreement which Obama and Xi announced on Nov. 11 in Beijing, the U.S. will aim to trim its net greenhouse-gas emissions 26% to 28% below their 2005 levels by 2025.That amounts to a doubling of the pace of average
Photo by AP Wideworld Obama meets with Hill leaders, including incoming Senate Majority Leader McConnell (far right), House Speaker John Boehner (left). Related Links: After GOP Election Wins, Construction Sees Hope for Infrastructure Bills White House transcript of Obama post-election press conference As construction-industry officials look ahead to a Republican-controlled 114th Congress in January, they are focusing on several bills they would like to see lawmakers pass in the lame-duck session that began on Nov. 12.The measures include an appropriations package to fund federal agencies, including construction programs, past mid-December; extensions for expiring multi-employer pension and terrorism insurance programs, and
Related Links: White House video of Obama 11/5/2014 press conference Election preview: Even If GOP Wins Senate Control, Gridlock May Persist (ENR 11/3/2014 issue) [subscription] As Republicans' wave of Election Day victories propelled them to control of the Senate and an increased House majority, construction industry officials hold out hope for bipartisan infrastructure bills in the new Congress, especially a new surface-transportation measure, and also see encouraging signs for energy legislation.Although the GOP won big on Nov. 4, its new power is far from absolute. If the inter-party fights that tied up the current Congress erupt again, gridlock could return.Republicans