Looking ahead to 2012, it is unclear whether Congress will continue to fund the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Clean Diesel Funding Assistance Program. National AGC has helped its interested chapters win millions in federal funds to support AGC members’ voluntary “retrofit” projects.  Most recently, AGC played a key part in the reauthorization of the federal law that governs EPA’s competitive clean-diesel grant program and successfully modified the law to give contractors even greater access to future funding.  The EPA has openly praised AGC for its leadership on clean-diesel over the last decade.  Despite these successes, the current push to remove billions of dollars from next year’s annual budget has landed AGC on the front lines again; this time fighting to ensure that the EPA’s clean-diesel grant program does not lose out in the battle over every appropriations dollar.

A controversial U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule for smog is close to final signature, but the agency said this week that they will not be finished by July 29, as previously expected.  It is the latest delay for the new national ozone standards, which were proposed in January 2010.  This long, drawn out process has prompted intense lobbying from industry and environmental groups that do not see eye to eye on the issue. Other critics on Capitol Hill are actively pushing the White House to scale back the rule, which was submitted for final review earlier this month.

AGC continues to track and weigh in on developments that will decide the future for the beneficial use of coal combustion residuals (e.g., fly ash).  The debate over fly ash continues to heat up on Capitol Hill and within the Administration as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers rules that dictate how it is used and stored.  Currently, fly ash is used in many construction projects —a practice called beneficial use.

Comment Letter Urges EPA to Slow Down and Change Course AGC submitted comprehensive comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on its proposal to mandate drastic changes to the way that construction contractors manage stormwater runoff. EPA intends its new construction general permit (CGP) to replace the one that it adopted just three years ago.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has decided against expanding its Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (LRRP) rule to include lead-dust sampling and clearance testing requirements, the Agency announced on July 15.  AGC played a key role in communicating the construction industry’s concerns with the proposed “clearance testing” requirements.  AGC worked alongside a coalition of real estate and development groups to present a collective industry voice that has led EPA to refrain from straddling contractors with costly and unnecessary dust wipe sampling and laboratory analysis requirements.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) stormwater permit revisions would change the way contractors everywhere manage stormwater runoff.

Contractors now have more time to comment on the proposed “Guidance on Identifying Waters Protected by the Clean Water Act.”  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) extended the comment period by 30 days and will accept comments through July 31, 2011.

On June 22, AGC sent a letter to House Energy and Commerce Committee members in support of legislation to manage coal combustion residuals, e.g., fly ash, as nonhazardous waste. The industry uses these materials, and has for more than 60 years, in the construction of roads, bridges, buildings and other critical infrastructure.  The markup of the bill was originally scheduled for June 23, but was delayed until after the July 4th holiday recess reportedly to allow more time to strengthen bipartisan support.

On June 22, AGC sent a letter to House Energy and Commerce Committee members in support of legislation to manage coal combustion residuals, e.g., fly ash, as nonhazardous waste.

The EPA is extending the public comment period for the draft Construction General Permit (CGP) to regulate stormwater discharges to July 11, 2011, to give AGC and other stakeholders additional time to review the draft permit and provide comments.