A trade squabble has broken out between the U.S. and China over government assistance for solar and wind power and other “green” technologies. The U.S. made the first move with the Oct. 15 announcement by U.S. Trade Rep. Ron Kirk that his office is launching an investigation into whether China engaged in unfair practices regarding its support to renewable-energy programs. Kirk’s action, under Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act, came in response to a petition filed by the United Steelworkers (USW) union on Sept. 9. The USW contends that China has carried out a range of actions that run

With the control of the House and possibly the Senate at stake, construction unions and industry groups say their members are highly engaged in the 2010 mid-term congressional elections and are on track to equal, if not exceed, their political contributions for 2006, the last mid-term election year. Photo: Wilfredo Lee/AP Florida Senator Charlie Crist is getting more construction dollars than any other candidate. Contributions from construction industry associations and companies reached $40.7 million as of Sept. 13, according to their filings with the Federal Election Commission, says the Center for Responsive Politics. Construction donors gave a little more than

President Obama continues to stump for transportation infrastructure. In remarks on Oct. 11, he repeated his call for higher federal spending to rebuild highways, rails and airport runways. Construction officials welcome Obama’s attention to public works, though they still seek more details, including how much total spending he wants. But the White House is not likely to provide many specifics before 2011, when a new Congress convenes. Photo: AP/WideWorld Obama, with current and former Cabinet officials, governors and a mayor, calls for increased transportation infrastructure spending. Obama said, “Our infrastructure is woefully inefficient, and it is outdated.” Noting that the

Construction contractors are in a quandary as a result of a recent action by a federal appellate court. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has refused to grant an Environmental Protection Agency request to vacate the numeric limit in effluent limitation guidelines (ELG) for construction stormwater, which took effect in December 2009. In August, EPA asked the court to vacate the numeric limit and remand parts of the regulation back to the agency so it could develop a new limit. In its brief, EPA said the data it had used to arrive at a limit of 280 nephelometric turbidity

The House has approved the “Cash for Caulkers” bill, which seeks to stimulate construction and manufacturing jobs and boost energy efficiency in homes. The two-year, $5.6-billion Home Star Energy Retrofit Act, which the House passed on May 6, would provide up to $3,000 in rebates to homeowners who install insulation or energy-efficient windows, doors and other products. The Senate has not acted yet on the measure. The bill’s supporters include the National Association of Home Builders, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, labor unions and environmental groups. But 154 Republicans voted against the legislation. The Associated Builders and Contractors also opposes

The U.S. Dept. of Transportation has proposed changes to its requirements for disadvantaged-business enterprises (DBEs), which include firms owned by women and minorities. DOT’s longstanding goal is to have at least 10% of highway and other construction funds go to DBEs. DOT says its plan, published in the Federal Register on May 10, would make it easier for a firm to be certified a DBE in more than one state. The proposal aims to make state agencies more accountable by requiring those that do not meet DBE targets to examine why that happened and come up with ways to achieve

As they start work on a new Water Resources Development Act, Senate Environment and Public Works Committee leaders have asked colleagues to submit by May 18 Corps of Engineers projects to be included in the bill. House Republicans have taken a no-earmark pledge, which includes WRDA. But the Senate panel’s top GOP member, James Inhofe (Okla.), supports including projects in authorization bills, such as WRDA.

As a flurry of new American Recovery and Reinvestment Act updates makes clear, opportunities for construction firms seeking to win ARRA-funded work are waning. Some agencies, such as the General Services Administration, still have substantial stimulus work to award, but in sectors such as highways, the funding window is nearly closed. Source:House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, DOE, National Park Service.. ARRA Progress Reports Ken Simonson, the Associated General Contractors’ chief economist, says, “It appears that there is now more stimulus-funded construction activity in more sectors of the industry than at any point since last February. … The bad news is

A series of fierce contests for federal transportation dollars is starting to reshape how funds for rail, transit and other projects are distributed. So far this year, the U.S. Dept. of Transportation has awarded nearly $10.6 billion successful bidders and is expected to announce soon winners of $2.9 billion more in funding. Cash-strapped state and local agencies are seeking far more aid than DOT has available. Congress set criteria for some of the grants, but DOT decides who wins—to some observers, that’s the rub. Industry officials wonder whether DOT will seek to expand the use of such “discretionary” grants. Key

Marking the New Madrid earthquake’s 200th anniversary, officials are planning two big preparedness exercises. On Sept. 30, James M. Wilkinson, executive director of the Central U.S. Earthquake Consortium, Memphis, told a Senate hearing his group will hold the Great Central U.S. ShakeOut on April 28. Then, in May, the Federal Emergency Management Agency will simulate and study a quake in the New Madrid zone.