The Environmental Protection Agency's revision of its March 2011 proposed rule on boiler maximum achievable control technology (MACT), announced on Dec. 2, would offer industry more flexibility in meeting emission targets, the agency says. EPA plans to finalize the rule, which would apply to the 1% of boilers that emit the most pollutants, in spring 2012. The Council of Industrial Boiler Owners says the revision would ease compliance for sources.
Military construction contracting officials touted their efforts to award work to small businesses at an industry conference last month, but attendees noted the procurements are fraught with issues, from slow-moving awards to bait-and-switch tactics by prime contractors.Tracy Pinson, director of small-business programs for the U.S. Army, highlighted its "robust" small-business contracting program to the 1,900 attendees at the Society of Military Engineers event in suburban Washington, D.C. In fiscal 2011, the Army let approximately $90 billion in construction contracts to U.S. firms—close to $24 billion, or about 26%, went to small businesses. Other officials, such as Brig. Gen. Stephen Leisenring,
Some congressional GOP lawmakers and state officials oppose the Environmental Protection Agency's coming proposal to regulate wastewater derived from shale-gas extraction. They fear the new rules could stifle a growing, jobs-producing industry. But EPA and environmental groups say federal effluent standards are needed to ensure the expanding shale-gas extraction business operates safely nationwide.At issue is EPA's October announcement that it will issue a proposal in 2014, under its Clean Water Act authority, to regulate wastewater from shale-gas production and extraction. Such wastewater is not federally regulated now but is regulated by many states. GIBBSThe debate over EPA's plan was evident at
The National Labor Relations Board voted 2-1 on Nov. 30 to move forward with a proposal to amend certain representation election procedures in order to reduce unnecessary litigation in disputed cases.Chairman Mark Gaston Pearce and Craig Becker, both Democrats, voted in favor of the proposal, with Brian Hayes, the lone Republican board member, voting no. The panel will now draft a final rule that the board must vote on and approve before it could go into effect.How the vote would go, and whether Hayes would even participate in the vote, was the subject of much speculation in the press and
At a Nov. 17 congressional hearing characterized by partisan rancor, Energy Secretary Steven Chu disputed Republican allegations that politics played a role in his decision to approve a loan guarantee to Solyndra, the now bankrupt solar firm.E-mails obtained and released by Republican committee members suggest that there was some disagreement within the administration about the economic viability of Solyndra, and some have alleged that the White House pressured the Dept. of Energy to take Herculean steps to save the foundering company, which filed for bankruptcy late this summer.ChuThe decision to offer the $535-million loan guarantee "absolutely … was made only
At a House hearing marked by partisan rancor, Energy Secretary Steven Chu disputed Republicans' allegations that politics played a role in his decision to approve a loan guarantee to now-bankrupt solar energy company Solyndra.E-mails obtained and released by Republican committee members have suggested that there was some disagreement within the Obama administration about Solyndra's economic viability. Some lawmakers have suggested that the White House pressured the Dept. of Energy to take Herculean steps to save the foundering company, which declared bankruptcy late this summer.Chu told the House Energy and Commerce Committee's oversight and investigations subcommittee at a Nov. 17 hearing
In an unusual show of bipartisanship, House lawmakers have unanimously approved legislation that would repeal the requirement that federal, state and local agencies withhold 3% of their payments to contractors beginning in 2013. The bill, which cleared the House 422-0, also includes a provision that would make it easier for businesses to hire veterans. The President has said he will sign the measure, which the Senate had passed on Nov. 10 by a 95-0 vote. The bill’s approval is a victory for construction, engineering and other business groups, who had lobbied heavily for it. Some of the organizations that were
Action is heating up in Congress on transportation spending bills, both for 2012 and the long-delayed multiyear highway-transit measure. However, it is still up in the air how much money Congress will approve.House and Senate negotiations formally began on Nov. 3 on a fiscal 2012 appropriations package for the Depts. of Transportation, Commerce, Justice, Agriculture, and Housing and Urban Development. Construction officials like the Senate's numbers for key DOT programs, including a $41.1-billion highway obligation limit, the same as 2011's; $10.6 billion for mass transit, up 6% from 2011; $550 million for TIGER grants for select projects, up 4%; and
In what will be the most closely watched ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court's term, the justices announced on Nov. 14 that they will take up a case that challenges the constitutionality of the 2010 law that revamps the nation's health-care system.
The Senate on Nov. 10 overwhelmingly approved legislation to repeal a federal mandate that government agencies withhold part of their payments to contractors. Construction industry groups and other business organizations, which had been lobbying heavily for the repeal, applauded the 95-0 vote.The withholding requirement, scheduled to go into effect in 2013 , would have required federal, state and certain local agencies to withhold 3% of the dollars they owe to their contractors.The House had approved a version of the repeal bill on Oct. 27 with bipartisan support.But the Senate added a non-controversial amendment to the bill to provide tax credits
