Related Links: Link to U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit opinion EPA page on Mercury and Air Toxics Standards In a blow to industry, a three-judge panel from a federal appeals court has upheld an Environmental Protection Agency’s rule governing air emissions of mercury and other hazardous pollutants.The next step in the case for the energy companies, states and industry groups that challenged the EPA rule could be an appeal for a re-hearing by the full court. According to at least one of the parties in the case, a decision has not yet been made on an appeal.The

Related Links: You Tube video of part of April 10 press conference Boxer Plans Committee Action Soon on New Highway Bill (ENR 4/7/2014 issue) [subscription] Boxer Seeks To Unveil New Transportation Bill in April (enr.com 2/18/2014) [subscription] Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif) and other committee leaders have reached agreement on an outline for the highway-policy portion of a hoped-for new surface-transportation measure.A key element of the framework, which Boxer and her colleagues announced April 10 at a press conference, is to set highway funding at current levels plus a increase to account for annual inflation.Boxer

Related Links: GAO: BRAC Costs Jumped From 2005 Estimates Testimony and Statements from 4-2-14 Senate Hearing A Dept. of Defense fiscal 2015 budget proposal to launch a new base realignment and closure (BRAC) round has run into opposition on Capitol Hill. At an April 2 hearing on DOD's budget, members of the Senate appropriations subcommittee that oversees milcon spending seemed reluctant to back a new BRAC round.Michael McCord, DOD principal deputy undersecretary, told the panel a new BRAC round, to begin in fiscal 2017, could save $2 billion a year. "Delays in approving this request will mean that funds needed

Photo AP/Wideworld Bill that Sen. Wyden's panel cleared includes construction-backed provisions. Related Links: Sen. Wyden's opening statement at bill markup House Ways and Means page on comprehensive tax reform Construction and renewable-energy companies found much to like in a Senate Finance Committee-approved tax bill that would provide a two-year extension for incentives that expired at the end of 2013. But chances are slim that the House will pass a similar measure, industry officials say.Liam Donovan, Associated Builders and Contractors director of legislative and political affairs, says, "Unless something changes, I don't see the House passing something that could be reconciled

Related Links: Text of settlement agreement Dept. of Justice press release In a federal action involving alleged false claims on construction contracts, five California masonry subcontractors have paid the government about $1.9 million to resolve charges that they misrepresented themselves as small disadvantaged businesses on projects for the U.S. military, the Dept. of Justice has said.Parties to the settlement, which Justice announced on April 9, include Frazier Masonry Corp., F-Y Inc., CTI Concrete & Masonry Inc., Masonry Technology Inc., Masonry Works Inc., Russell Frazier and Robert Yowell The settlement document lists Yowell as president of F-Y Inc.The 19-page agreement also

Related Links: Webcast of April 1 Senate subcommittee hearing A Senate subcommittee has turned the spotlight on Caterpillar Inc.'s overseas tax payments, contending that the giant equipment maker shifted billions in profits to a affiliate based in Switzerland, where taxes are lower than in the U.S.The panel's chairman, Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), released a report on March 31 criticizing Caterpillar's Swiss tax plan. The report stated that from 2000 through 2012, the company allocated more than $8 billion in non-U.S. profits to its Swiss unit and deferred paying $2.4 billion in U.S. taxes on those earnings.Levin followed up the next

Related Links: Obama Rolls Out $302-Billion Transportation Bill Proposal (ENR 3/10/2014 issue) [subscription] Boxer Seeks to Unveil New Transportation Bill in April (enr.com 2/18/2014) [subscription] Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) is moving ahead with the highway-policy portion of a draft new surface-transportation legislative package.Boxer said at a March 27 committee hearing on transportation matters that she would discuss the envisioned bill with the rest of the panel's "Big Four" the week of March 31. Those other senators are David Vitter (La.), the committee's top Republican; Thomas Carper (D-Del.), transportation and infrastructure subcommittee chair; and John

Related Links: OSHA Proposes Tougher Limit for Silica-Dust Exposure Contractor Groups Want OSHA to Withdraw Silica Dust Reg Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials are receiving a wide range of views during three weeks of public hearings in Washington, D.C., on OSHA's proposed rule to cut worker exposure to crystalline silica on construction sites.OSHA is holding the public meetings, which began on March 18 and run through April 4, to gather more information and input on its proposal, issued on Sept. 12. "This is an open process, and the input we receive will help us ensure that a final rule

Photo Courtesy of U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Proposal would alter list of what qualifies as "waters of the U.S.," which require federal permits for construction near them. Related Links: Text of EPA-Corps of Engineers proposed rule An Environmental Protection Agency-Army Corps of Engineers proposal to redefine which bodies of water are federally regulated has stirred up a storm of criticism from construction groups that contend the new definition is far too broad.The proposed rule, released on March 25, would have a big impact on construction because it changes when firms must get a Corps Clean Water

Related Links: GSA Blog on New Performance-Based Standards New Version of "Facilities Standard for the PBS" The General Services Administration is taking a new tack in the latest version of its mandatory design standard for new construction and major renovations managed by its Public Buildings Service (PBS).For the first time, the updated version of the "Facilities Standard for the PBS," or P-100, is a performance-based, rather than a solely prescriptive, standard, GSA officials say.P-100, released on March 14, establishes design standards and criteria for new buildings, alterations and work in historic structures for PBS. It contains policy and technical criteria