On October 26-27, members of the AGC Environmental Network Steering Committee and AGC environmental staff met with the Department of Energy and senior staff from several U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) program offices, including Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Policy, Economics and Innovation and Water.  AGC members also held meetings with representatives from the Clean Air Task Force and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Throughout 2009, AGC and the media have extensively covered the debate and policy developments related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing suspected climate change effects from those emissions.  The U.S. Congress and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have been actively pursuing legislative and regulatory options to control greenhouse gas emissions from stationary and mobile sources.  This article provides a summary of the major developments this year.

Webinar looks at the new LEED system and the differences from Version 2.2 for contractors

Ms. Esther H. Vassar has been appointed National Ombudsman and assistant administrator for Regulatory Enforcement Fairness for the U.S. Small Business Administration.  The Office of the National Ombudsman helps small businesses when they experience excessive or unfair federal regulatory enforcement actions, such as repetitive audits or excessive fines by a federal agency. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined its Federal Register Web site contains duplicative information that can be found on the Regulations.gov Web site. In an effort to comply with a 2003 E-Government initiative that directs federal agencies to remove duplicative projects, EPA is now directing the public to Regulations.gov for all Federal Register information.  The Federal Register is the official daily publication that federal agencies, such as EPA,  use to notify the public of final rules, proposed rules, public hearings and other notices and actions; it also includes executive orders and other presidential documents. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released guidance for contractors and maintenance personnel working in older buildings, constructed or renovated between 1950 and 1978, that may contain PCB-contaminated (Polychlorinated Biphenyls) caulk and masonry materials.  EPA is currently conducting new research to better understand the risks posed by caulk containing PCBs.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host an online training webinar on December 2 (1-3 PM EST) to address cutting-edge best practices and emerging issues concerning the use of Spray Polyurethane Foam.  To register for this event, click here.

On December 2, 2009 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. ET, our experts, who were also on the ConsensusDOCS drafting committee, will discuss the unique issues and risks associated with building green projects.  Using the new ConsensusDOCS 310 Green Building Addendum as a base, they will help you to identify project participants and their respective roles and responsibilities, as well as provide contractual best practices for building green projects.

On November 10, 2009, ConsensusDOCS released the construction industry's first and only comprehensive standard contract document addressing the unique risks and responsibilities associated with building green projects - the ConsensusDOCS 310 Green Building Addendum.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that it will propose and take final action by Nov. 2012 on a first-time national rule that would restrict stormwater discharges from newly developed and redeveloped sites.  Currently, EPA is requesting the construction industry's feedback on a draft questionnaire that will inform and guide the new stormwater runoff rulemaking.  The final industry questionnaire would require certain general contractors to provide detailed technical information for up to 10 projects completed in 2009 - including project type/size, stormwater management controls and associated costs, discharge permit forms - as well as company-wide financial information spanning the last five years.