The nation's economy is caught in a tug of war between the U.S. Congress and the Obama Administration on the details surrounding future regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from mobile and stationary sources.  Greenhouse gases are emitted from cars, trucks, equipment, factories, commercial buildings, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, homes and even animals.  Any efforts to reduce emissions from such sources will have a profound impact on the way we generate energy, design and operate buildings and other infrastructure, make land planning decisions and transport goods.  A top concern is whether any resultant greenhouse gas controls will stifle the economy through unwieldy and strict regulations, or strengthen the economy by spurring new markets and innovations and creating jobs.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010 - 1:30 - 3:00pm ET Prepare now for first-time nationwide discharge limits and monitoring requirements for construction site stormwater runoff. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a numeric limit for how clear the stormwater runoff from construction sites must be and "operators" of those sites that are subject to the numeric limit must monitor all of their stormwater discharges to show compliance. Penalties for violating these new federal requirements - called Construction and Development Effluent Limitations Guidelines (C&D ELG) - may reach $37,500 per day per violation.

AGC issued a statement in response to the California Air Resources Board's decision to delay enforcement of its off-road diesel emissions rule, but to proceed with the off-road diesel rule as soon as is legally permissible.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently considering whether or not to expand and strengthen requirements of the 2008 Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule to cover renovations of both the exteriors and the interiors of all public and commercial buildings.  EPA's anticipated action is required by a legal settlement it reached in August 2009 with environmental and health advocacy groups that had challenged the RRP rule.   The current RRP requirements, which will take full effect on April 22, 2010, require paid contractors and maintenance professionals to be trained and certified on certain mandated lead-safe work practices before renovating or repairing housing and facilities for children built before 1978.

As we enter 2010, the Oil Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) amendments finalized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the end of 2008 have finally gone into effect.  Many of these amendments (and other reforms finalized by EPA back in 2006) will ease the compliance burden on construction companies covered by the federal oil spill control regulations.  The amendments respond to many of AGC's main concerns as well as the association's recommendations on how to improve the SPCC program. EPA has set a November 10, 2010, compliance deadline for regulated construction sites to prepare and implement SPCC Plans that meet all of the current requirements; however, the Agency plans to separately propose to extend the deadline because of the uncertainty surrounding the final amendments to the rule and an earlier delay of the effective date.

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R- Alaska) on January 21 introduced a bipartisan disapproval resolution to block the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the Clean Air Act.  Cosponsored by 35 Republicans and three Democrats, the resolution would nullify EPA's December 2009 finding that GHG emissions endanger public health and welfare and thus are subject to federal regulation under the Clean Air Act.

Join us March 17-20 in Orlando for AGC's 91st Annual Convention and Pavilion. As the construction industry continues to battle tough economic conditions and legislative challenges, AGC's Annual Convention provides the only opportunity for contractors to get all the latest information on economic forecasts, rules and regulations, and best practices, and to hear first-hand from others on what they are doing to survive and thrive in this challenging environment.

Attend Building to LEED during the AGC 2010 Annual Convention pre-convention sessions (separate registration) and earn 7.5 GBCI CE towards maintaining your credential. The program will take place on March 16, 2010 in Orlando with the Annual Convention running March 17-21.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Jan. 22 finalized tighter air quality standards for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) gas. The revision marks the first time EPA has updated the national ambient air quality standard (NAAQS) for NO2 in nearly four decades. Significantly, EPA also chose to set new, first-time requirements calling on states to monitor and measure NO2 levels near major roads, despite AGC's objections.

The author of a new publication has requested AGC to assemble a small peer group to review the nearly completed text of a new publication on pre-construction activities associated with green building projects.  The book explores how the green elements of a project may impact estimating, contracts, scheduling and other pre-construction decisions and activities.