Construction's unemployment rate showed another year-over-year improvement in November, dipping to 18.8% from the November 2009 level of 19.4%, but also was worse than October's 17.3%. The Bureau of Labor Statistics' latest monthly employment report, released on Dec. 3, also shows that construction lost 5,000 jobs in November, on a seasonally adjusted basis, after gaining 3,000 in October. Looking at industry segments, BLS reported that the 6,800 jobs lost in specialty trade contractors last month more than offset gains in the buildings and heavy-civil construction sectors. November was the second-consecutive month in which the construction jobless rate was lower than
Federal programs, including construction accounts, will be funded for 15 more days, thanks to a newly enacted stopgap spending measure. Federal programs, including construction accounts, will be funded for 15 more days, thanks to a newly enacted stopgap spending measure. President Obama signed the new continuing resolution (CR) on Dec. 4. The measure extends funding for departments and agencies through Dec. 18, generally at their fiscal 2010 levels. Final congressional approval came late on Dec. 2, when the Senate passed the measure by unanimous consent. The House had approved the bill one day earlier, on a 239-178 vote. The new
Industry sources say a search is on for candidates to be the 56th Chief of Engineers of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, a presidential nomination requiring Senate confirmation. An Army committee of senior leaders is said to be assembling in secret a short list of candidates. The chief’s post typically carries a four-year appointment. Lt. Gen. Robert L. Van Antwerp has held the position since May 2007. Marc D. Young, a spokesman at Corps headquarters in Washington, D.C., says the Corps does not participate in the nominating process, which is managed by the Army’s chief of staff. “Usually we
States' fiscal pictures are brightening, but many programs, including infrastructure, remain under pressure, according to officials from the National Governors Association and National Association of State Budget Officers. The latest NGA/NASBO Fiscal Survey of States, released on Dec. 1, shows that tax receipts and general-fund spending are projected to climb in fiscal 2011 from 2010 levels. But revenue and spending still will remain below pre-recession fiscal 2008 totals. Raymond C. Scheppach, NGA's executive director, told reporters, "Budget officers and governors are still very concerned about how do they actually get through the next three years--because they've done everything easy and
Glimmers of hope have emerged for a Senate-House agreement on a long-term aviation bill before the lame-duck session ends, but a tight schedule and other hurdles may prove too hard to overcome. If there is no deal on a multiyear measure, yet another extension would be needed. At stake for construction are new authorization levels for FAA’s Airport Improvement Program infrastructure grants and maybe an increase in the $4.50 cap on passenger facility charges (PFCs), which fund airport projects. FAA estimates that 2010 PFC collections will be slightly less than $2.8 billion. There have been promising signs about the FAA
If the stimulus measure is keeping construction workers employed, the months just past represented a new high point--depending on how you add it all up. Related Links: Build America Bonds Volume Jumps as Expiration Looms The White House estimates that the 2009 stimulus act's spending on "public investment," which includes most of the measure's construction outlays, rose sharply in the three months ended Sept. 30, hitting a new quarterly high of $33 billion. In its latest quarterly American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), update, released on Nov. 18, the White House Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) estimates that the statute's
Construction groups cheered when the joint chairmen of a high-profile fiscal policy panel called for a boost in the federal gasoline tax. However, they shouldn’t take the idea—floated by former White House Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles, a Democrat, and ex-U.S. Sen. Alan Simpson (R-Wyo.)—to the bank. Bowles and Simpson, co-chairs of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, released on Nov. 10 a draft proposal that includes the gas-tax provision, but the full commission has until Dec. 1 to vote on a final report. Bowles and Simpson propose hiking the gas tax “gradually” by 15¢ a gallon, starting
Environmental advocates and industry groups have differing views about the newly issued Environmental Protection Agency guidance to state and local agencies to help reduce greenhouse-gas emissions using the best available control technologies. The EPA released the guidance document on Nov. 10, aiming to assist air-permitting authorities in identifying cost-effective options under the Clean Air Act to cut pollution from greenhouse gases. A new federal preconstruction permit program begins on Jan. 2, 2011. Nathan Willcox, Environment America’s federal global warming program director, calls the EPA’s approach “reasonable.” But industry officials have blasted the guidance, saying it could stall construction of new
In its current session, Congress faces deadlines on key appropriations, surface transportation, aviation and tax measures. Construction officials would love to see lawmakers pass multi-year transportation and aviation bills, but they say further stopgaps are likely. The first deadline applies to a continuing resolution (CR) that keeps appropriations flowing through Dec. 3. American Highway Users Alliance President Greg Cohen says an omnibus spending bill is in the works, but adds, “I think that that will be very difficult. … If they have to go to a CR, then it’ll probably be extended … at least until January 31 or later.”
Republicans’ takeover of the House and gains in the Senate could spell bad news for construction’s goal of seeing large funding increases for infrastructure programs in 2011. Graphic: Walter Konefal With some races still unsettled, the GOP projects a net increase of 65 seats, which would total 243 House seats. Democrats did hang on to the Senate, though their majority dwindled to 53 from 59. Among the Democrats’ House casualties were three committee chairs, including Transportation and Infrastructure panel leader James Oberstar (Minn.), a fixture on the committee for more than 30 years. Jeffrey Shoaf, the Associated General Contractors’ senior