Related Links: EPA Proposal (June 2) Some key numbers in EPA proposal The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has unveiled a proposal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from existing powerplants by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030. EPA says that the proposed rule, which it released on June 2, could lead to upgrades at fossil-fuel-fired powerplants and has the potential to create thousands of construction and electric-power-transmission jobs.  The ambitious plan would reduce carbon pollution from the power sector by about 730 million metric tons and help mitigate some of climate change's worst effects, EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said at a

Related Links: Information on House milcon/VA spending bill Summary of Senate milcon/VA spending bill It's becoming clearer that the Dept. of Defense construction budget faces deep cuts for 2015. The Senate Appropriations Committee on May 22 approved a measure that slashes DOD construction 33%, to $6.6 billion.That total is roughly the same amount the House approved for DOD in the military construction-veterans affairs bill that it passed on April 30. It also equals President Obama's request.The Senate panel's bill provides $4.3 billion to fund military mission-critical construction projects worldwide, $2.9 billion below 2014 levels. It allocates $1.19 billion for family

Related Links: Text of design-build amendmend added to House DOD bill Text of individual-sureties amendment added to House DOD bill A House-passed Defense Dept. authorization bill has two provisions that would alter federal construction contracting policies.The bill, which the House cleared May 22, includes an amendment that aims to ensure design-build shortlists are short. It requires two-step procurement for federal DB contracts of $1 million or more. Groups including the Design-Build Institute of America and American Institute of Architects backed the provision. They say one-step DB leads to long shortlists, requiring teams to prepare costly proposals while facing long odds

Photo by Billy Birdwell/U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District Among projects authorized in the new WRRDA is Savannah Harbor expansion, including dredging to deepen the entrance channel and inner harbor. Related Links: Text of WRRDA conference report House Transportation and Infrastructure summary of final WRRDA Senate Environment and Public Works Committee summary of legislation The Senate overwhelmingly has approved a major new water-resources measure that would authorize more than $12 billion in new Army Corps of Engineers civil works projects, launch a new federal loan program for Corps and Environmental Protection Agency projects and mandate faster Corps project reviews.The

Related Links: EPA Final regulations on cooling water intake structures at existing facilities A final Environmental Protection Agency rule to protect fish and other aquatic life from cooling-water intake structures at existing powerplants and factories has received lukewarm praise from some industry groups, but environmental advocates say they are deeply disappointed in the rule, released on May 19. The final rule will require existing powerplants to develop design and construction solutions to reduce the impact of large cooling-water intakes on local fish and other aquatic life, ranging from Chinook salmon to sea turtles. Reed Super, principal and founder of the

Photo courtesy of McGraw Hill Financial Senators Bennet (center) and Blunt (right), speaking at conference, discuss their bill to set up a new $50-billion infrastructure fund. Related Links: Standard & Poor's Emerging Trends in Infrastructure Web page Finance Committee Airs Transportation Funding Woes But Finds No Solutions Yet Private financing can help narrow the huge difference between infrastructure’s massive needs and its limited public funding, speakers at a recent conference in Washington, D.C., said. But they also noted that public-private financing vehicles alone won’t close the gap completely.Speaking at the May 14 meeting, sponsored by McGraw Hill Financial (MHFI), the

White House photo by Pete Souza Speaking in Tarrytown, N.Y., President Obama called for Congress to replenish the Highway Trust Fund, which is projected to go into the red in August. New funding would help pay for aging infrastructure, such as the Tappan Zee Bridge, pictured above, which is scheduled to be replaced by a new $5-billion crossing. Related Links: Text of Obama 5/14/2014 Tarrytown, N.Y., speech (White House transcript) Federal infrastructure project permitting "dashboard" list ENR Cover Story: Support for Environmental Review Reform Gains Momentum (3/24/2014 issue) [subscription] With the Highway Trust Fund expected to dip into the red

Related Links: Supreme Court Reverses 9th Circuit in L.A. Water Pollution Case August 2013 opinion by 9th Circuit Court of Appeals  The U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up an appeal to a controversial Clean Water Act case that has pitted the County of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Flood Control District against the Natural Resources Defense Council and Santa Monica Baykeeper.The case, initiated by the environmental groups in 2008, already has been before the nation's high court. In January 2013, the court ruled on a narrow question: whether polluted water pumped from one part to another part

Photo Courtesy U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District Final bill expected to cut trust fund's share of total aid for Olmsted Locks and Dam on Ohio River, freeing money for other projects. In a move that brings a major, long-pending infrastructure bill close to the finish line, House and Senate conferees have agreed on a compromise measure that would authorize funds for new Army Corps of Engineers water projects and also is expected to map out changes in Corps project reviews.The lawmakers so far have released few details about the new bill, titled the Water Resources Reform and Development

Related Links: Link to Page with National Climate Assessment President Obama's Climate Action Plan A new White House-sponsored report concludes that climate change already is having an impact throughout the United States, with infrastructure feeling some of the effects, and says urgent action is needed to ensure that catastrophic results don't materialize.The third U.S. National Climate Assessment (NCA), which the White House released on May 6, says that rising sea levels, heavy downpours and extreme heat are damaging infrastructure of all types—including roads, rail lines and airport runways. It adds that the costs are expected to climb significantly in coming