Spending bills for the fiscal year starting on Oct. 1 are only inching along on Capitol Hill, making a stopgap “continuing resolution” or an omnibus appropriations package increasingly likely. If that happens, it will mean continued headaches for states and contractors trying to plan for the next construction season—let alone beyond then. As of July 13, none of the 12 appropriations bills for fiscal 2011 even had cleared committee in the House or Senate, although the Senate panel had scheduled July 15 votes on three of the measures. Five spending bills had moved through House subcommittees and further subcommittee action
A construction coalition, including the Associated Builders and Contractors and Painting and Decorating Contractors of America, said on July 6 the EPA has limited authority to expand its rule covering renovation and other work involving lead paint. EPA said on May 6 it would decide by the end of 2011 whether to propose a rule to widen its lead-paint requirements to apply to public and commercial buildings.
In the latest intense competition for Dept. of Transportation funds, the agency awarded $293 million for 53 streetcar and bus projects around the country. Some of the aid will go for construction. DOT Secretary Ray LaHood, announcing the winners on July 8, said the grants are part of the Obama Administration’s community “livability” initiative, which links transportation planning and funding with housing and economic development. Awards included $130 million in Urban Circulator funds and $163 million in Bus and Bus Livability aid. The federal grants will be supplemented by local funds. Streetcar projects in St. Louis, Charlotte, N.C., Cincinnati, Fort
Critics contend that the new emissions targets in a proposed Environmental Protection Agency rule for sulfur dioxides and nitrogen oxides carried downwind from powerplants in 31 eastern states and the District of Columbia could be difficult to achieve, but environmental advocates say the new proposal will result in cleaner air. EPA says the proposed rule, which EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson signed on July 6, would cut SO2 emissions by 2014 by 70% from 2005 levels and trim NOx emissions by 52%. Gina McCarthy, EPA’s assistant administrator for air and radiation, says the proposal is a “large and important step in
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued an immediate recall of more than 2,500 stadium light poles, after confirming reports that 11 of the steel poles fell over. Most of of those incidents occurred in Texas, CPSC says. Photo: Hays ISD The commission says that the poles range from about 70 to 135 feet tall, weigh one to four tons and are located near school stadiums and gyms. CPSC says the manufacturer was Whitco Co. LLP, Fort Worth, which the commission says is out of business. It says that the recall does not affect Whitco Pole products. CPSC says
In its latest hotly contested competition for federal aid, the Dept. of Transportation has awarded $293 million for 53 streetcar and bus projects around the country. Some of the funds will go for construction. Related Links: Complete list of winners The grants were in two categories: Six projects, including five streetcar lines, shared $130 million in Urban Circulator funds; and 47 projects divided $163 million in Bus and Bus Livability aid. DOT Secretary Ray LaHood, announcing the winners on July 8, said the grants are part of the Obama administration's community "livability" initiative, which links transportation planning and funding with
The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a regulation that aims to cut sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides emissions that are carried downwind from powerplants in 31 eastern states and the District of Columbia, posing harm in other parts of the country. EPA says that the proposed rule, which EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson signed on July 6, would cut SO2 emissions by 2014 by 71% from 2005 levels and trim NOx emissions by 52%. McCarthy says the first phase of the reductions would take place in 2012, assuming that the rule becomes final in 2011. Gina McCarthy, EPA's assistant administrator for
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued an immediate recall of more than 2,500 stadium light poles, after confirming reports that 11 of the steel poles fell over. Most of of those incidents occurred in Texas, CPSC says. Related Links: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Release The commission says that the poles range from about 70 to 135 feet tall, weigh one to four tons and are located near school stadiums and gyms. CPSC says the manufacturer was Whitco Co. LLP, Fort Worth, which the commission says is out of business. It says that the recall does not affect
The Justice Dept. has filed a lawsuit seeking to bar Arizona's new immigration law from taking effect, contending that the state statute is unconstitutional and will "undermine" federal immigration enforcement. Related Links: Arizona's Immigration Law Troubles State's Contractors Justice Dept. Complaint Statement by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) Statement by Arizona Senators McCain (R) and Kyl (R) At issue is Arizona Senate Bill 1070, which Gov. Jan Brewer (R) signed into law on April 23. The measure, which is to take effect on July 29, directs police, while stopping an individual, to try to determine that person's immigration status when
In a troubling sign for construction, the industry's unemployment rate showed no improvement in June after three straight months in which the rate declined, as the industry lost 22,000 jobs during the month, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. The bureau's employment report for June, released on July 2, showed that construction's jobless rate for the month was 20.1%, the same as May's level, but worse than the June 2009 mark of 17.4%. Anirban Basu, the Associated Builders and Contractors' chief economist, says that for construction, "it is clear that this represents another disappointing jobs report." The Associated General Contractors'
