Related Links: Commerce Dept. description of trade mission AIA release discussing trade mission U.S. Mideast Trade Mission Focuses on Infrastructure The Commerce Dept. is seeking applications from U.S. design firms for a planned mid-November trade mission to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which will focus on the potentially large opportunities for buildings projects in those countries.Commerce says a maximum of 20 firms can take part in the visit to Doha, Qatar, scheduled for Nov. 17-19. As many as 10 also can go to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where a visit is slated for Nov. 16-17.Applications are due by Sept. 15.Firms can send

Related Links: Fix VAs Building Woes, Too Project Delivery Spat Puts Hospital Job on Critical List The Dept. of Veterans Affairs is expected to overhaul operations under new legislation aimed to provide billions of dollars to improve the besieged agency's operations. Some of those funds could go for upgrades to VA's extensive network of health-care facilities.The measure, signed on Aug. 7 by President Obama after congressional approval in late July, also calls for sweeping studies of VA's programs, including its construction program.The agency has been under fire on Capitol Hill for problems that include veterans enduring long wait times before

Photo courtesy of Colorado Mining Association Opponents of the proposal protested at the Denver EPA hearings on July 29-30. Related Links: EPA Proposes Emissions Rule for Existing Powerplants EPA page on Clean Power Plan The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's proposal to reduce carbon emissions from existing powerplants continues to generate controversy as states grapple with tight deadlines to develop plans to meet aggressive targets that begin in 2020.But environmental groups and congressional supporters say the plan, released in June, could be strengthened to adequately address the challenge of climate change."When you look at the science of global warming, we need

Related Links: Devastated by Tornado, Joplin, Mo., Learning Lessons From Rubble Communities Ramp up Tornado Defenses Home Depot, the Atlanta-based building supply giant, faces a wrongful death lawsuit over eight people dying inside its store when a 200-mph tornado carved a path estimated as a mile wide and six miles long through Joplin, Mo., in 2011.The storm lifted the steel-truss roof from Home Depot, at 3110 E. 20th St., causing 63 concrete tilt-up building panels to topple.Russell T. Howard, a 29-year-old electrician, his 5-year-old daughter, Harli, and his 19-month-old son, Hayze, were crushed to death.On May 23, Howard's widow filed

Related Links: Carper-Corker-Boxer release, with summary of Highway Trust Fund bill amendment House OKs $10.8B Highway Trust Fund 'Fix' (enr.com 7/15/2014) [subscription] Pushing right up to the verge of an Aug. 1 deadline, the Senate has agreed to a House-passed $10.8-billion rescue plan for the ailing Highway Trust Fund, sending the measure to President Obama for his expected signature.The Senate's 81-13 vote late on July 31 ended a struggle between the two chambers and averted a slowdown in federal road aid and, potentially, in highway and bridge projects.The $10.8-billion bill, which the House had approved on July 15, provides enough

Related Links: Text of July 31 executive order Link to Senator Harkin's investigation findings President Obama has signed an executive order that will require federal contractors, including those in the construction industry, to disclose previous labor-law violations and give agencies more guidance on how to weigh that information when awarding contracts.At the White House signing ceremony on July 31, Obama said, “Our tax dollars shouldn’t be going to companies that violate workplace laws, violate workers’ rights." He added, "If a company is going to receive taxpayer money, it should have safe workplaces … and should not discriminate against workers.”The executive

Related Links: President Obama's and Vice President Biden's remarks at signing of Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Construction industry groups praised a new law that they say will make it easier for more employers to provide training to their workers. President Obama on July 22 signed into law the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which aims particularly to provide lower-  and middle-income workers better access to job training.The new law makes a number of changes to the Workforce Investment Act, which dates back to 1998.Some groups say they would like to see further reforms enacted to truly address the growing

Related Links: White House Report: The Cost of Delaying Action to Stem Climate Change A delay in curbing carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse-gas emissions could lead to a 40% increase in costs associated with climate change per decade delayed, according to a July 29 report by the White House Council of Economic Advisers.The White House also projects $150 billion in damage per year to the U.S. economy in 10 years if no action is taken.Both estimates are contingent on a projected 3°C increase over pre-industrial temperatures.The report’s data was gathered from 16 different studies of more than 100 pairs

Courtesy NTSB Crash in 2012 cost insurer $1 million. Courtesy NTSB The runway slope was improperly made by contractor, claims insurer for crashed jet. An insurer that reportedly paid out $1 million to the owner of a small private jet that crashed on a Georgia airport runway in 2012 is suing the airport and a contractor that reconstructed the runway. The insurer claims the runway was improperly built.To win its case, the insurer, Old Republic Insurance, will apparently have to disprove part or all of a National Transportation Safety Board investigation of the crash at Macon Downtown Airport. The investigation

Related Links: Link to the National Research Council Report page A new National Research Council report calls for a national risk assessment to identify coastal areas that face the greatest threats from natural disasters and should be high priorities for risk-reduction efforts.The report, released on July 23, says the U.S. lacks a unified national vision for reducing the impacts of natural disasters along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.The risk assessment is needed because the current framework for addressing natural disasters and sea-level rise is disconnected and fragmented, the report's authors say.To achieve a national vision, the report says the federal