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
Related Links: EPA Sets Ambitious Goal for Reducing CO2 Emissions from Existing Powerplants EPA's Oct. 28 Notice of Data Availability New information that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released on Oct. 28 could signal changes it might make to a proposed major rule that aims to cut greenhouse-gas emissions from existing powerplants, EPA watchers say.The shape of the final regulation is significant for engineering and construction firms that will help states and electric utilities to implement plans and controls to trim carbon emissions. Some construction-industry groups and labor unions have said the proposal could shutter coal plants and cost jobs
Enlarge Related Links: Cook Political Report Forecasts University of Virginia Center for Politics/Larry Sabato Forecasts As congressional campaigns roll into their final weeks, construction-industry officials are watching to see whether Republicans will take control of the Senate or Democrats will hang on to their majority. A GOP Senate win would put the party in charge of both houses of Congress.But if Republicans do take the Senate, they won't have a clear field. Analysts don't think the GOP will gain enough Senate seats to get a filibuster-proof 60 votes. Nor are Republicans expected to score the two-thirds majorities needed in both
Photo by AP Wide World Obama confers with Senate Majority Leader Reid (left) and Republican Leader McConnell. GOP could gain the Senate in November. Related Links: Even If GOP Wins Senate Control, Gridlock May Persist Construction-industry groups and labor unions are pouring tens of millions of dollars into favored congressional candidates' election campaigns and plan to match or slightly exceed their contributions in 2010, the last midterm election cycle.Officials say one reason for the heavy spending is that party control of the Senate is at stake (see story). They also want to elect candidates who can end the partisan battles
Related Links: Justice Dept. News Release on SAIC Settlement 2010 Federal Appeals Court Decision on SAIC Case Science Applications International Corp.—now Leidos Holdings Inc.—has agreed to pay $1.5 million to resolve a federal False Claims Act, or FCA, lawsuit alleging conflicts of interest related to the company's work for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission more than 10 years ago. The U.S. Dept. of Justice, which announced the agreement on Oct. 21, said the settlement resolves the claims and that there is no determination of liability.SAIC signed contracts in 1992 and 1999 with the NRC to help develop a regulation for the
Related Links: FERC Approves $3-Billion-Plus LNG Export Project in Maryland Environmental Groups' Petition for a FERC Rehearing Environmental groups have asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to rescind its decision approving a new liquefied-natural-gas export terminal in Maryland. The project's cost is estimated at $3.4 billion to $3.8 billion.In a petition filed on Oct. 15, the groups, which include Earthjustice, asked FERC for a rehearing of its Sept. 29 decision to permit the Cove Point project in Lusby, Md., to go forward. They also want FERC to cancel that ruling and halt construction, arguing that the environmental review it issued
Related Links: Green Infrastructure Collaborative Statement of Support White House announcement of Climate and Natural Resources Priority Agenda Several private-sector groups, including the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Society of Landscape Architects, have joined a federal initiative to support development of green infrastructure projects, the White House announced on Oct. 8.The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched the Green Infrastructure Collaborative in July, and the departments of Defense, Energy, the Interior and Transportation signed on. The program's new members will help the Obama administration to tap the expertise of the private and non-profit sectors, the White House said.A.
Photo by AP Wideworld Advocates hope work can resume on halted Nevada nuclear waste repository. Related Links: Oct. 16, 2014 NRC Report on Yucca Mountaion NRC Information on the Repository Licensing Process Advocates of a permanent nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain cheered an Oct. 16 Nuclear Regulatory Commission report that concluded the project poses no public-health threat. But the long-stalled Nevada repository still faces many hurdles.The NRC report said the Dept. of Energy's design for a proposed underground high-level-waste facility about 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas meets safety requirements that would apply after its closing for up to
Photo courtesy of ABA construction forum Construction attorneys at American Bar Association Chicago meeting shared strategies for ID'ing untruthful trial participants and covering added risk in teaming arrangements and project delivery, Related Links: American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry Teaming arrangements on many projects are creating new legal hurdles, such as protection of proprietary information, equipment ownership and the departure or termination of team members, according to Dallas attorney Charles E. Hardy."It can get expensive if you're not protected," he said during the fall meeting of the American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry.The former counsel for
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