Related Links: U.S. Court of Appeals for D.C. Circuit Aug. 21 ruling In a long-awaited decision, a divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has struck down an Environmental Protection Agency rule that aimed to cut powerplants' emissions or air pollutants that move across state lines. The cross-state air pollution regulation (CSAPR) would have required 28 states in the East, Midwest and South to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide that cross state lines and cause air-quality problems in downwind states. EPA finalized the rule in July 2011, but the court blocked
The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in a 5-4 ruling that was a blow to business groups and is certain to become part of the election-year debate.
Related Links: Text of court's opinion in Arizona v. U.S. The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down three key provisions of Arizona’s tough immigration law but upheld one of its most controversial sections, which requires police to check the legal status of anyone they detain whom they suspect is in the United States unlawfully.In the court's opinion, handed down on June 25, the three provisions were invalidated on a 5-3 vote and the fourth provision was upheld unanimously.Arizona companies in construction and other industries now will be watching how the state begins to implement the parts of the law left
Image courtesy Fla. Dept. of Transportation Odebrecht Construction states that the new law would prevent the firm from further pursuing the $2.1-billion Interstate 4 reconstruction project planned for Orlando. Photo courtesy Odebrecht USA Odebrecht says the final completion for its $1.1-billion North Terminal contract at Miami International Airport is set for February 2013. Related Links: Florida's Anti-Cuba Law Could Be Trouble for Odebrecht Gov. Scott's Signing of Anti-Cuba Legislation Ends With Curious Twists Odebrecht Construction on June 5 filed a federal lawsuit against the state of Florida over its new law that bars the awarding of public contracts to firms
Courtesy of U.S. Supreme Court The U.S. Supreme Court may review Jacobs v. Minnesota. Related Links: Jacobs' petition to the U.S. Supreme Court (via Scotusblog.com) Friend of the court brief filed by AGC, ACEC, ASCE, CIRT (via Scotusblog.com) The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a challenge by Jacobs Engineering Group to Minnesota’s attempt to collect millions of dollars from the company to fund payouts made to victims of the 2007 I-35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis.The case, Jacobs Engineering Group v. Minnesota, was one of more than 150 on the high court's May 29 "order list" that it decided
Related Links: Text of Judge James Boasberg's May 14 opinion Business Groups Challenge New Rule NLRB Members Vote in Favor of Streamlining Union Election Process A federal judge has invalidated a new National Labor Relations Board rule that advocates say simplifies the process for workplace unionization elections, but opponents contend makes it harder for employers to prepare for those contests.In his May 14 decision, Judge James E. Boasberg of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia concluded that the NLRB did not have the necessary three-member quorum when it voted in December to approve the regulation. Boasberg did
Related Links: Odebrecht Helps Reopen Haiti Airport A new law signed on May 1 by Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) banning state and local governments from hiring firms with business activity in Cuba or Syria has put Odebrecht in the spotlight over its work in the Caribbean nation.Set to take effect on July 1, the law faces potential legal action. Though Scott has since said the state would enforce the law, he also issued a signing statement that indicated congressional action would be required first. The governor cited the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Crosby v. National Federal Trade Council,
Related Links: Engineering News Record The U.S. Supreme Court justices seemed to be skeptical of the federal government's view during the April 25 oral arguments in a closely watched case, Arizona v. United States.Although the case is limited to an examination of four provisions of an Arizona law granting state police broad powers to detain and arrest suspected illegal aliens, the ramifications of a ruling in favor of the state are broad, says Ana Avendaño, assistant to the president and director of immigration and community action at the AFL-CIO. A ruling upholding the provisions would give employers greater ability to
Trained as an accountant, Ed Littleton started his career with Arthur Andersen & Co. After a stint at an industrial contractor, he joined the big brokerage Willis, where he held various positions. Later, he became vice president of risk management for Skanska and then construction practice leader for Wachovia Insurance Services, Atlanta. With Balfour Beatty, where he has worked since 2006, Littleton is based in Dallas. We talked with him about his career, the trust between a client and a broker, and how Balfour Beatty manages its risks.What is your background, and how did you begin working as a risk
Related Links: Link to Supreme Court website with Sackett v. EPA ruling The U.S. Supreme Court, in a unanimous March 21 ruling, said that an Idaho couple could legally challenge an Environmental Protection Agency compliance order that told them to restore wetlands on property they had purchased to build a new home.Construction industry groups say the case is not only a win for landowners, but also for developers and construction firms. “It’s a victory for all people who develop land, not just the small mom and pops” says Tom Ward, vice president of legal advocacy for the National Association of