Rocky economic times, green infrastructure, lean construction and helping the industry be heard were themes at the Associated General Contractors of America convention in Orlando on March 17-20. AGC has to be about “the industry, not about the politics,” says AGC’s new president, Ted Aadland, CEO of Aadland Evans Construction Inc., Portland, Ore. “We can’t afford to be a partisan organization. We need to work with elected officials in both parties on the issues.” Aadland said AGC is like “the sleeping giant”—members can “wake up” to influence those who make codes and regulations and reach out to other construction associations

After a delay of more than seven months, a two-year, $34.6-billion Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization finally has made it to the Senate floor. For construction, the bill’s key item is the $8.1 billion it would provide for Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants, which finance runway work and other infrastructure projects. Of the bill’s $8.1 billion, $4 billion would be for 2010 and $4.1 billion would be for 2011. Funds would be subject to annual appropriations. This year’s AIP appropriation is $3.5 billion. If the Senate passes the bill, the next step would be a conference with the House, which approved

With the House nearing a critical health-care vote, construction is keeping a watchful eye on whether one controversial provision survives. That provision, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), would require small contractors to provide health coverage or pay a penalty. The language is in the health-care bill the Senate passed. If the House does not remove the provision in an anticipated “corrections” measure, it could become law. House Speaker Pelosi is struggling to garner support for a ‘corrections’ bill. Merkley’s proposal has split the industry. Groups such as the Associated Builders and Contractors and Associated General Contractors want to see

Forest City Ratner Cos., developer of a controversial arena in Brooklyn, N.Y., finally broke ground on the project after years of delay, legal battles by residents fighting New York City’s use of eminent domain, a change of architect—from Frank Gehry to Ellerbe Becket and SHoP Architects—and two redesigns. The Barclays Center complex is planned as the future home of the National Basketball Association’s New Jersey Nets and as the centerpiece of a planned 22-acre sports village, which includes office buildings and housing. Site work has been under way since last fall, with construction set for completion in 2012.

In a move observers say could have big implications for U.S. climate-change policy, five large electric utilities said on March 16 that they will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a lower-court ruling that subjects them to lawsuits claiming that their carbon-dioxide emissions cause health problems, coastal erosion and other climate-change impacts. The utilities—American Electric Power, Southern Co., Tennessee Valley Authority, Xcel Energy and Cinergy, a unit of Duke Energy—said in court papers obtained by Platt’s (like ENR, a unit of the McGrawHill Cos.) that the high court should hear their case because it presents “substantial constitutional and jurisprudential

Lawmakers on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hope to advance bipartisan legislation this year that aims to cut powerplant emissions of mercury, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. Committee member Tom Carper (D-Del.) introduced the bill, with panel colleague Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) as a co-sponsor. Regina McCarthy, the Environmental Protection Agency’s assistant administrator for air and radiation, said at a March 4 committee hearing that the bill would dovetail with EPA regulations, expected this spring, replacing the Bush administration Clean Air Interstate Rule, and a new EPA mercury rule, expected in March 2011. But John McManus, a vice president

Beating the deadline set by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, all state departments of transportation obligated their full allotments of ARRA highway funds to projects by Feb. 26. Under the stimulus statute, any road funds unobligated by March 2 would have gone back to the Federal Highway Administration to be redistributed. States had put 73% of their total $26.6 billion in ARRA highway money into projects under contract as of Jan. 31, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee reported on March 4. That’s up from 66% on Dec. 31. Maine and Wyoming led the pack, each having 100% of

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is extending the comment period until March 30 on the proposed revision of its Injury and Illness Recordkeeping rule. The proposed rule, published in the Jan. 29 Federal Register, would restore a column to the OSHA 300 Log to record work-related musculoskeletal injuries. It does not change existing requirements about when employers must record ergonomic injuries.

The Army Corps of Engineers is facing bipartisan heat from House lawmakers about how it is carrying out important policy changes called for in the 2007 Water Resources Development Act. Because the Corps and the Army have been slow in meeting WRDA requirements, critical infrastructure projects could be delayed, says Marco Giamberardino, senior director of the Associated General Contractors’ federal and heavy construction division. Assistant Secretary of the Army, Civil Works, Jo-Ellen Darcy says the Army and Corps are making progress on revising key policy document. The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on March 4 held a hearing and

A recent U.S.-Canada trade agreement that attempts to resolve a dispute over the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s “Buy American” provisions will provide some help for water and wastewater companies in both countries, but in many ways it is too little, too late, industry sources say. + Image The agreement, which took effect on Feb. 16, waives the Buy American requirements for ARRA-funded contracts awarded through September 2011 that use components manufactured in Canada. On both sides of the border, the Buy American spat has been of keen interest to water and wastewater firms, which contend the mandate has unnecessarily