Related Links: Senate Appropriations Committee press release on military construction-VA bill Senate Appropriations Committee release on energy-water programs bill In its first action on fiscal 2016 spending bills, the Senate Appropriations Committee has recommended large boosts for Dept. of Defense construction and Dept. of Veterans Affairs major projects. It gave a tiny increase to the Army Corps of Engineers civil-works program.The committee on May 21 cleared a measure that would provide $8.1 billion for FY16 DOD construction, up $1.5 billion, or 23%, from this year's appropriations. The same bill includes $1 billion for VA major projects, an 83% boost from
Related Links: Text of two-month transportation bill Congress again has extended authorizations for federal highway and transit programs, but only through July 31, failing to produce the long-term measure with strong funding increases that construction industry and state transportation officials have long been pushing for.Final congressional action on the measure came early in the morning of May 23, when the Senate passed it on a voice vote. The new stopgap is the 33rd extension in six years.The House had approved the bill on May 19. Congress needed to act before its Memorial Day break because the current stopgap was set
Related Links: Text of two-month transportation bill The House has approved yet another short extension for federal highway and transit programs, which would keep them going for a brief two-month period at current funding levels.But the measure, which the House passed overwhelmingly on May 19 by a 387-35 vote, also would be the 33rd stopgap in six years, continuing the protracted stalemate over how to find the revenue for what construction industry and state transportation officials most want: a six-year transportation bill with increased funding. The Senate is expected to clear the latest extension by May 22. The White House
Related Links: Information on House bill ENR Blog on House-Senate hearing on Waters of U.S. Construction industry groups are hopeful that Congress will pass legislation to require the Environmental Protection Agency to revise a not-yet-finalized rule defining which bodies of water fall under federal jurisdiction and thus require an Army Corps of Engineers permit authorizing construction or dredging to begin nearby.SHUSTERBut environmental advocates expect that President Obama would veto any measure that seeks to delay implementing the joint EPA-Corps regulation. They say that the bills, introduced by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) and Sen. John Barrasso
Related Links: Statement from bill sponsor, Sen. Rob Portman; other comments Letter from groups that support the bill, including list Legislation to expedite permitting for a wide range of infrastructure projects has advanced in the Senate. The bill, which the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee cleared on May 6, is based in part on the 2012 MAP-21 highway-transit law's project-review provisions, says sponsor Rob Portman (R-Ohio).The bill goes beyond roads and transit to cover energy, aviation, broadband and other projects, too. It would apply generally to projects exceeding $200 million, up from $25 million in an earlier version.Among the
Related Links: House Appropriations Committee release on military construction-VA bill passage, with links to bill text floor amendments Committee's release on energy-water programs bill passage with links to bill text, floor amendments The House, approving its first two fiscal 2016 appropriations bills, has called for increases in military construction and the Army Corps of Engineers' civil-works program. But the House also froze the Dept. of Veterans Affairs' account for large projects and cut VA's minor-projects budget.By a 255-163 vote, the House on April 30 cleared a bill that would boost Dept. of Defense construction 13%, to $6.8 billion. The measure
Related Links: California Releases Full Bay Delta Plan California Bay Delta Plan Undergoes More Changes California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) unveiled a significantly down- sized plan to restore his state's Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a major water resource for both agricultural and urban users. A revised environmental impact report will be circulated in June."Bold action is imperative. We've listened to the public and carefully studied the science. This revised plan is the absolute best path forward," says Brown.The previous $25-billion Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) faced difficulty in permitting some 110,000 acres of habitat restoration over 50 years. Under the new
Enlarge Image Courtesy OSHA Crane operators repeatedly checked the "Repair" box for cables and resulted to using exclamation points to alert superiors of the need for repairs. They continued to operate it until the boom cable broke more than a month after this daily report. (Click to enlarge) A federal administrative law judge has upheld “willful violation” of workplace safety laws at a Tennessee construction site and increased the fine against Mountain States Contractors LLC to $60,000.The Occupational Safety and Health Administration initially levied a $56,000 fine after a crane collapsed after its main boom cable broke at bridge replacement
Photo courtesy of Export-Import Bank of the U.S. ExIm Chairman Hochberg says bank's aid can help U.S. companies that face tough foreign competition for export sales. Related Links: Prepared text of ExIm Bank Chairman Hochberg's speech to bank's annual conference Press release on Sen. Kirk's ExIm reauthorization bill A tussle is likely to heat up on Capitol Hill in coming weeks over reauthorizing the U.S. Export-Import Bank.Conservative groups and lawmakers want to shut the 81-year-old institution; businesses—including engineering and construction-equipment companies—and their congressional allies favor extending the bank's charter for several more years.The debate should intensify in coming weeks because
Related Links: Text of House-passed bill Portman-Shaheen press release outlining bill (04/21/15) Congress has approved a narrowly focused measure that aims to encourage—but not require—commercial-building owners and tenants to improve their facilities’ energy efficiency.Final congressional action on the bill came on April 21, when the House passed it under suspension of the chamber's rules. The Senate approved the legislation on March 27. It next goes to the White House for President Obama’s expected signature.The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), termed it “good for the economy and good for the environment.”Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), who teamed with Portman in drafting
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