Related Links: EPA Sets Ambitious Goal for Reducing CO2 Emissions from Existing Powerplants EPA's Oct. 28 Notice of Data Availability New information that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released on Oct. 28 could signal changes it might make to a proposed major rule that aims to cut greenhouse-gas emissions from existing powerplants, EPA watchers say.The shape of the final regulation is significant for engineering and construction firms that will help states and electric utilities to implement plans and controls to trim carbon emissions. Some construction-industry groups and labor unions have said the proposal could shutter coal plants and cost jobs

Enlarge Related Links: Cook Political Report Forecasts University of Virginia Center for Politics/Larry Sabato Forecasts As congressional campaigns roll into their final weeks, construction-industry officials are watching to see whether Republicans will take control of the Senate or Democrats will hang on to their majority. A GOP Senate win would put the party in charge of both houses of Congress.But if Republicans do take the Senate, they won't have a clear field. Analysts don't think the GOP will gain enough Senate seats to get a filibuster-proof 60 votes. Nor are Republicans expected to score the two-thirds majorities needed in both

Photo by AP Wide World Obama confers with Senate Majority Leader Reid (left) and Republican Leader McConnell. GOP could gain the Senate in November. Related Links: Even If GOP Wins Senate Control, Gridlock May Persist Construction-industry groups and labor unions are pouring tens of millions of dollars into favored congressional candidates' election campaigns and plan to match or slightly exceed their contributions in 2010, the last midterm election cycle.Officials say one reason for the heavy spending is that party control of the Senate is at stake (see story). They also want to elect candidates who can end the partisan battles

Related Links: Justice Dept. News Release on SAIC Settlement 2010 Federal Appeals Court Decision on SAIC Case Science Applications International Corp.—now Leidos Holdings Inc.—has agreed to pay $1.5 million to resolve a federal False Claims Act, or FCA, lawsuit alleging conflicts of interest related to the company's work for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission more than 10 years ago. The U.S. Dept. of Justice, which announced the agreement on Oct. 21, said the settlement resolves the claims and that there is no determination of liability.SAIC signed contracts in 1992 and 1999 with the NRC to help develop a regulation for the

Related Links: FERC Approves $3-Billion-Plus LNG Export Project in Maryland Environmental Groups' Petition for a FERC Rehearing Environmental groups have asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to rescind its decision approving a new liquefied-natural-gas export terminal in Maryland. The project's cost is estimated at $3.4 billion to $3.8 billion.In a petition filed on Oct. 15, the groups, which include Earthjustice, asked FERC for a rehearing of its Sept. 29 decision to permit the Cove Point project in Lusby, Md., to go forward. They also want FERC to cancel that ruling and halt construction, arguing that the environmental review it issued

Related Links: Green Infrastructure Collaborative Statement of Support White House announcement of Climate and Natural Resources Priority Agenda Several private-sector groups, including the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Society of Landscape Architects, have joined a federal initiative to support development of green infrastructure projects, the White House announced on Oct. 8.The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency launched the Green Infrastructure Collaborative in July, and the departments of Defense, Energy, the Interior and Transportation signed on. The program's new members will help the Obama administration to tap the expertise of the private and non-profit sectors, the White House said.A.

Photo by AP Wideworld Advocates hope work can resume on halted Nevada nuclear waste repository. Related Links: Oct. 16, 2014 NRC Report on Yucca Mountaion NRC Information on the Repository Licensing Process Advocates of a permanent nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain cheered an Oct. 16 Nuclear Regulatory Commission report that concluded the project poses no public-health threat. But the long-stalled Nevada repository still faces many hurdles.The NRC report said the Dept. of Energy's design for a proposed underground high-level-waste facility about 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas meets safety requirements that would apply after its closing for up to

Photo courtesy of ABA construction forum Construction attorneys at American Bar Association Chicago meeting shared strategies for ID'ing untruthful trial participants and covering added risk in teaming arrangements and project delivery, Related Links: American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry Teaming arrangements on many projects are creating new legal hurdles, such as protection of proprietary information, equipment ownership and the departure or termination of team members, according to Dallas attorney Charles E. Hardy."It can get expensive if you're not protected," he said during the fall meeting of the American Bar Association Forum on the Construction Industry.The former counsel for

The Dept. of Defense has released a report that concludes that climate change poses an immediate risk to U.S. national security.Defense Secretary Charles Hagel on Oct. 13 released the report at a conference in Peru of defense ministers from the Americas.From melting glaciers and sea-level rise to extreme hurricanes and extended drought conditions in many parts of the world, the effects of climate change are being felt now and have the potential to exacerbate already-existing challenges, including the spread of infectious diseases and armed insurgencies, Hagel said.“These climate trends will clearly have implications for our militaries. A higher tempo and

Related Links: Is CCS Fossil Fuels' Best Hope (ENR 6/16/2014 issue) [subscription] Text of EPA's proposed January 2014 greenhouse gas regulation, from Federal Register A federal court has dismissed the first lawsuit seeking to block the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed rule to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions from new or modified powerplants.In the Oct. 6 order, the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska's Judge John Gerrard said the state’s lawsuit was premature.“Simply stated, the state cannot sue in federal court to challenge a rule that the EPA has not yet actually made,” Gerrard said, adding, “The state has jumped