Seemingly Innocuous Requirement is a Sign of More Contractor Mandates to Come

Funds May Help States Struggling to Meet Federal Ozone Standard

Agencies Finalize New Greenhouse Gas and Fuel Efficiency Standards for Heavy-Duty Trucks

Interested AGC members should apply by Wednesday, October 26, 2016!

On July 26, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) announced its final process for improving the way it identifies and prioritizes pending Endangered Species Act status reviews, a process the agency uses to determine whether a species warrants federal protection. The agency is legally bound to undertake year-long reviews during which it uses the “best available science” to determine whether a species meets the definition of threatened or endangered.

Public Companies Will Likely Experience Renewed Focus

In comments filed on Aug. 19, AGC questioned the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) authority to measure greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as part of its proposal for performance measurements as directed by Congress in the MAP-21 and FAST Act legislation. House Transportation Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) and 30 members of the committee also sent a letter telling FHWA that the proposal exceeds its authority for this action.

On Aug. 22, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) proposed updates to its Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands regulations to align with the 2015 Federal Flood Risk Management Standard, which AGC commented on last year. These requirements would expand the floodplain and raise costs for actions involving the use of FEMA Federal Funds for new construction, substantial improvement, or to address substantial damage to a structure or facility.

Court OKs EPA’s Revoking Permit Years after Issuance

On Aug. 2, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) publically released a long-expected, final guidance on incorporating greenhouse gases (GHG) and climate change into agency actions where the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) currently applies. NEPA requires an assessment of the impact on the environment of a proposed Federal action including rulemakings, permitting, overarching programmatic decisions, and specific projects – including some construction projects.