The Gulf Coast Restoration Task Force has released its long-term plan for bringing the Gulf of Mexico back to health. The blueprint, issued on Oct. 5, includes dredging to rebuild the coast and developing state nutrient reduction goals in the Gulf and Mississippi River basin states to reduce dead zones.The plan is available online at http://www.epa.gov/gcertf/pdfs/gcertfenlishver.pdf and open for public comment through Oct. 26.

Galvanized by the Federal Aviation Administration's two-week shutdown this summer—and the 22nd consecutive short-term funding extension—airport advocates are stepping up a campaign calling for both the government and airlines to agree to an increase in airport user fees and a decrease in federal regulations.“Our airports are being held back due to a Nixon-era framework of government regulations,” said Greg Principato, president of Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), in remarks at the association's annual convention in San Diego on Oct. 17. Criticizing airlines for agreeing with the regulations in order to stifle competition, he added, “Let’s tell them to get out

Photo courtesy of Caterpillar Inc./Mike Lavallier, photographer U.S. equipment makers see opportunities in trade deal with Panama, which has major infrastructure plans, including canal expansion. Related Links: U.S. Trade Representative office background material on the agreements U.S. construction equipment makers are expected to be among the industry sectors that stand to benefit from new trade agreements between the U.S. and South Korea, Columbia and Panama, government and industry officials say.The House and Senate approved legislation implementing the three trade pacts on Oct. 12. The House also passed a Trade Adjustment Assistance measure to help workers who lose jobs because of

Related Links: Q & A With Federal Railroad Administration Deputy Administrator Karen Rae Since July, the Federal Railroad Administration has pushed to obligate more than $2 billion for high-speed rail, most of it provided by the 2009 stimulus act and, since then, awarded to states and Amtrak. Obligations are a key milestone. Karen Rae, FRA deputy administrator, says, “It basically clears the way for project delivery, ranging from environmental [studies], preliminary engineering, final design and, in many cases, construction.” Industry firms welcome the new work because markets are tough and nearly all other American Recovery and Reinvestment Act infrastructure aid

PHOTO COURTESY OF FIRST SOLAR / John Morris SEED MONEY Despite controversy over the Solyndra venture, DOE is determine to press forward with loan guarantees for solar-energy start-ups. Despite questions about the Dept. of Energy's loan guarantee program raised by the bankruptcy of solar manufacturer Solyndra, DOE closed all but seven of its 35 conditional loan guarantees before the end of the government's fiscal year and the Sept. 30 end of the stimulus-backed program.With just hours to go, DOE closed four outstanding loan guarantees totaling $4.76 billion: $1.2 billion for SunPower to build a 250-MW photovoltaic solar farm; a $1.4-billion

The U.S. House of Representatives on Oct. 6 approved legislation that would require the Environmental Protection Agency to revisit its cement emissions regulation. The legislation cleared the House by a bipartisan 262-161 vote.The legislation, the Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act (H.R. 2681) would require the EPA to scrap its existing cement emissions regulation, which is set to go into effect in September 2013, and develop new requirements using more realistically achievable technologies over a longer period of time.The current regulation’s goal is to reduce emissions at cement manufacturing plants across the country using maximum achievable technology (MACT). Proponents of the

A deal with Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) that freed a stalled stopgap highway-aviation bill is changing another bill. A two-year highway measure that Environment and Public Works panel leaders are drafting now will give states new flexibility in the transportation enhancements program. Under current law, states must spend 10% of their Surface Transportation Program aid on bike paths and other enhancements. Coburn said that diverts funds from other uses, such as bridge upgrades.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ACEC / Cable Risdon JOBS IMPACT KCI Technologies Neimeyer says the withholding mandate would prevent his company from hiring 100 new engineers. Related Links: Obama, Republicans Clash Over Deficit-Cutting Proposal Senate Bill Will Have Flexibility for Enhancements Program Construction officials' hopes have risen that Congress will repeal what they view as a financially harmful mandate: a requirement that agencies withhold from contractors 3% of each contract's value. The provision, enacted in 2006, is to take effect in January 2013, and industry executives say it would squeeze or even wipe out their profit margins on government projects.The 3%

Related Links: Delayed FEMA Projects, Listed by State Thanks to another near-the-deadline deal in the Senate, Congress seems to be on the way to averting a government-wide shutdown and replenishing the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s nearly empty disaster-aid fund. On Sept. 26, the Senate approved a short-term spending measure that, if the House agrees to it, will keep federal agencies operating through Nov. 18.The new stopgap, which the Senate passed by a strong 79-12 vote, also would provide $2.65 billion for FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund.The Senate action on the continuing resolution, or CR, came just four days before the 2011 federal

President Obama and congressional Republicans are squaring off again in a budget fight, this time over Obama's new plan to slice the deficit by $3.6 trillion over 10 years. The plan, released on Sept. 19, includes tax hikes to get more revenue from wealthy taxpayers and modifications to Medicare and Medicaid. Congressional Republicans blasted the proposal, signaling a deal will be hard to achieve.The legislative package also would cover the $447-billion cost of Obama's Jobs for America Act, unveiled on Sept. 9 (ENR 9/19 p. 9), which includes $105 billion for transportation, schools and other infrastructure.GOP lawmakers have balked at