News

Fueled partly by an increase in the share of sales to first-time buyers, existing-home sales increased in May to their highest pace in nearly six years, according to the National Association of Realtors®. Led by the Northeast, all major regions experienced sales increases in May.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) today proposed to approve revisions to several electric reliability standards that will strengthen coordinated efforts to plan and reliably operate the bulk electric system under normal and abnormal conditions.

Jeffrey H. Creel, a Consumers Energy electric line worker from Bronson, was struck and killed June 22, 2012 by a passing vehicle while he investigated a downed power line near Jonesville. His death has resulted in an increased effort by his friends, family, Consumers Energy and other utility companies to educate the driving public about roadside worker safety, emphasizing the phrase “slow down and go around.”

The national search is on for IREC’s 2015 3iAwards – the prestigious annual awards for innovative people, projects and programs that promote and accelerate the sustainable growth of clean energy. The IREC 3iAwards honor innovation, ingenuity and inspiration from the nation’s best in both renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The Credit Union National Association (CUNA) asked the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to clarify a discrepancy and to exempt credit unions that make five or fewer mortgages in a calendar year from the Know Before You Owe rule, which includes the Truth-in-Lending Act (TILA) and Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) Integrated Disclosures (TRID) in a letter today

Director Tanya N. Garfield of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Disaster Field Operations Center - West today reminded small, nonfarm businesses in 11 Idaho counties and neighboring counties in Montana, Utah, Washington and Wyoming of the July 20, 2015, deadline to apply for an SBA federal disaster loan for economic injury.

omeowners across the United States will benefit from an innovative public-private partnership announced today to make it easier to find lower-cost loans for home energy efficiency improvements. Leading institutions from the public and private sectors today announced the formation of a national financing platform that will for the first time bring low-cost, large-scale capital to government and utility-sponsored residential energy efficiency loan programs – which can be utilized by homeowners in states that participate.

Preliminary findings indicate that a Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) at the Broad Creek Wastewater Pumping Station at 10315 Livingston Rd. in Ft. Washington exceeded 10,000 gallons. The overflow occurred on Saturday night in the wake of the heavy rainfall and power outages at the pumping station.

The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) International will offer an extensive educational program and unparalleled professional development opportunities at the 2015 BOMA International Annual Conference & Expo, which takes place June 28-30 in Los Angeles.

The grants will allow for more than 44,000 Americans the opportunity to serve through AmeriCorps in 327 organizations across the country. AmeriCorps members will work in communities to strengthen education, provide disaster services, foster economic opportunity, assist veterans and military families, preserve the environment, and expand health services. A complete list of awards can be found here.

After working with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) to streamline the permitting process for public and private development projects in the Virgin Islands earlier this year, Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett has learned the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) has released a biological opinion (BiOp) on the environmental impact of one of those projects

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that USDA is accepting applications for loans and grants to support business expansion, create jobs and increase economic opportunities in rural communities.

“New standards announced by the Commercial Package Air Conditioners and Commercial Warm Air Furnaces Working Group are the most recent example of the capacity for energy efficiency to unify industry representatives, community advocates and diverse political perspectives to create meaningful recommendations with a significant impact.

Congresswoman Stacey Plaskett attended a small roundtable discussion at the White House with select Members of Congress, Administration officials and private sector companies to discuss renewable energy initiatives in low-income communities on June 17

As a part of his back to basics agenda, Mayor Eric Garcetti today announced a new customer service tool from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS), the LADBS Online Building Records system, which will offer users a quick and easy way to research building records and obtain digital images of original documents online.

Mayor Garcetti today announced that the Mayors National Climate Action Agenda, an organization he co-founded in September of 2014, has called on President Obama to fight for the strongest possible climate agreement at the upcoming 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21) in Paris. The Mayors are also urging federal action to establish binding national greenhouse gas emissions reductions in the United States

Thursday, Congresswoman Aumua Amata, “I am always pleased to report on grant funding for our islands,” said Amata. “These essential grant awards will fund important projects that serve our people, including restoring property that was damaged by the 2009 tsunami, and reducing the progression of substance abuse on the islands,” stated Amata.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced yesterday that it will delay the effective date of its Integrated Mortgage Disclosure rule by two months. The rule, which combines disclosure requirements from the Truth in Lending Act and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, was originally scheduled to take effect August 1, 2015.

NMHC/NAA this week joined our real estate partners in urging Congress to reduce the barriers of the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act (FIRPTA) on foreigners investing in U.S. real estate as they consider extending highway funding beyond July. Specifically, because FIRPTA relief would spur billions of dollars in infrastructure spending, it would be a natural fit for legislation designed to finance a long-term reauthorization of highway spending.

The ongoing cleanup of arsenic-contaminated soil in northeastern Everett residential yards and parks is moving forward this summer at 20 homes and American Legion Memorial Park