AGC

A federal judge has blocked the Obama administration's controversial rule defining the scope of Clean Water Act protections from going into effect August 28, 2015. The Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule has been challenged in multiple courts across the country.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) recently released an infographic to help veterans determine whether or not they are protected under the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974 (VEVRAA).  Recent changes to VEVRAA regulations require contractors to invite applicants to voluntarily self-identify as protected veterans at both the pre-offer and post-offer phases of the application process

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) recently made available on its website a Checklist for Compliance (link is external) with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, a law requiring that federal contractors take affirmative action and do not discriminate against individuals with disabilities. The new tool was created to help contractors assess their compliance with the regulations that govern the law.

Join us for AGC’s 2015 Contractors Environmental Conference on Sept. 2-3 right outside of the nation’s capital to discuss significant and ongoing developments concerning Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 permits and jurisdictional waters/wetlands, stormwater management permits, electronic reporting requirements, online compliance and enforcement history data, water quality trading and so much more!

AGC will be hosting its first ever Utility Infrastructure Conference (link is external), Sept. 29–Oct. 1 in Louisville, Kentucky. Join other contractors, owners and key industry constituents involved in every aspect of utility infrastructure construction for high-quality education sessions, the premier utility construction equipment expo, and networking opportunities

By a vote of 36-22, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved legislation that would send the administration’s proposed rule redefining federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act back to the drawing board.

On Wednesday, AGC submitted three formal comment letters to the Business Income Tax Working Group, Savings & Investment Working Group, and theCommunity Development & Infrastructure Working Group in response to the Senate Finance Committee’s request for input from stakeholders on how to revamp the tax code. Submissions from stakeholders will be reviewed by the working groups and ideas can be incorporated into the each working group’s final recommendations.

If you’re interested in any aspect of environmental compliance or sustainability on a construction jobsite, this is the conference for you. Learn from industry experts and your peers at AGC’s 2015 Contractors Environmental Conference on September 2-3 in Arlington, Virginia. It’s only six weeks away, so click here(link is external) to reserve your spot today.

Construction employment declined in 25 states between May and June even as 39 states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between June 2014 and June 2015, according to an analysis today of Labor Department data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that the monthly construction employment declines come as Congress continues to search for ways to pay for new highway and transit investments

At AGC of America, we know how important maintaining professional credentials are to those who hold such designations. Therefore, AGC’s Construction HR & Training Professionals Conference will offer opportunities for HR, training and workforce development professionals to earn recertification credits from the HR Certification Institute (HRCI). 

On June 4, 2015, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reissued its Multi-Sector General Permit (link is external) (MSGP) pursuant to the Clean Water Act (CWA) for stormwater discharges associated with industrial activity, replacing the 2008 MSGP. The new MSGP is effective immediately and serves as a national model. EPA will hold a webinar (link is external) on July 8 to provide training on the new electronic reporting requirements in the 2015 MSGP.

On June 4, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released for public comment and peer review a draft of its highly anticipated assessment of the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) on drinking water, Assessment of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing for Oil and Gas on Drinking Water Resources (Draft Assessment). EPA did find instances where hydraulic fracturing activities have the potential to impact drinking water resources, but it also found that such cases were relatively rare, and not “widespread” or “systemic.”

This week, the Congressional Budget Office issued a report (link is external) detailing public spending on transportation and water infrastructure from 1956 to 2014. The report showed that public spending on Transportation and Water Infrastructure has been fairly consistent as a share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at about 2.4 percent, which is below the 3.0 percent peak in 1959. It did recently rise to 2.7 percent of GDP in 2009 and 2010 because of the increase in infrastructure investment under ARRA, which temporarily boosted infrastructure spending by $55 billion.

This week, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) passed their fiscal year 2016 funding bill. The bill includes funding for the Department of Transportation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other related agencies

AGC has celebrated Earth Day (officially April 22) all week long by releasing an article a day exploring how the construction industry contributes to building a green future.  You can help us get the word out by linking to these articles via social media during “Earth Week.”  AGC has explored green buildings, roads, infrastructure, and homes; this final article in the series brings all of these components together and looks at green communities

AGC is celebrating Earth Day (officially April 22) all week long by releasing an article a day exploring how the construction industry contributes to building a green future.  You can help us get the word out by linking to these articles via social media during “Earth Week.”  Today’s article (the fourth in AGC’s five-day series) features some of the available green programs in the multifamily and single family homes markets

Today is Earth Day, April 22, and AGC is celebrating all week long by releasing an article a day exploring how the construction industry contributes to building a green future.  You can help us get the word out by linking to these articles via social media during “Earth Week.”  Today’s article (the third in AGC’s five-day series) explores developments in green infrastructure

North America’s Building Trade Unions (the Building Trades) “will work with whoever will work with us,” said its president Sean McGarvey during a session at AGC of America’s Annual Convention on March 19 in San Juan, PR. “We’re not about political parties. We’re about [construction workers]…Both parties have changed, and we have no permanent friends and no permanent enemies. That’s our approach,” he said

AGC and its industry partners from the Waters Advocacy Coalition met with the Office of Management & Budget (OMB) to discuss the federal water quality standards (WQS) regulation proposed by EPA and its interaction with the proposed change in the definition of “Waters of the United States.” Both proposed rules attempt very significant changes to large portions of the Clean Water Act, and AGC and its industry partners do not believe that the agencies are evaluating the true economic costs of either rule, nor are the costs of the changes in either rule being adequately taken into account by the other rule

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 6, 2015 - (RealEstateRama) -- Construction employers added 39,000 jobs in January and 308,000 over the past year, reaching the highest employment total since February 2009, as the sector's unemployment rate fell to 9.8 percent, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said the job gains come as most construction firms report plans to expand headcount this year, but worry about growing shortages of qualified workers.