AGC provided comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) on its proposal to reissue and modify its nationwide permits (NWPs), general conditions and definitions. Obtaining these federal “general” permits, which are required for construction activities in “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS), is critical to the completion of the private and public infrastructure that forms the literal foundation of the nation’s economy. AGC’s comments stressed that any changes to the nationwide permit program should maintain an efficient and streamlined process for authorizing activities that propose minimal impacts on WOTUS.

AGC, Industry Partners Ask Agency for More Time to Comment

As news reports of the human and infrastructure tolls of natural disasters become ever more prevalent, so to do discussions on how to make our buildings and other infrastructure more resilient to those forces. Several key players in land use and development, including buildings’ research and standards organizations, have been looking at going beyond the minimum thresholds currently in use to further address disaster preparedness, safety, and climate mitigation in buildings. In Part 1 of this series, we looked at ongoing efforts within Federal agencies and local communities on general resilience, Part 2 looks at specific resilience initiatives related to buildings.

Adapted with permission from Environment Reporter, 47 ER 1933 (June 24, 2016). Copyright 2016 by The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc. (800-372-1033) <http://www.bna.com> A programmatic biological opinion recently signed by the federal transportation agencies and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) completes a novel process to address potential transportation project impacts to two endangered bat species. It will streamline the consultation process for common surface transportation projects and improve conservation for the two bat species across 37 states and the District of Columbia, according to federal officials.

Contractor ‘Generators’ Would Face Pass-Through Costs

Join Us Oct. 5-6 in Washington, DC to Learn from Your Peers, Industry Experts and Regulators

OSHA, EPA and FWS Finalize New Maximum Civil Penalties

Register now and tune in on July 19, 2016, from 2p.m. to 3p.m. Eastern Time.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery recently released two documents to support the beneficial use of industrial non-hazardous secondary materials-a methodology for evaluating beneficial use and a compendium of resources. These documents are part of an ongoing EPA effort to provide resources on evaluating beneficial use following the issuance of its rule on the disposal of coal combustion residuals (CCR), including fly ash (see related Observer article, Jan. 2015).

On June 22, 2016, President Obama signed into law the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act, providing significant new authority for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to govern both new and existing chemicals. This bipartisan effort amends the 40-year old Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), and marks the first major update to an environmental statute in 20 years.