U.S. EPA expands enforcement and compliance history online (ECHO) tools
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides public access to industry regulatory compliance and enforcement data online. EPA released a new State Clean Air Act Dashboard (State Air Dashboard) that is available to the public via the Enforcement and Compliance History Online (ECHO) Web page. The dashboard, which is focused on stationary sources only, provides information such as how many inspections were performed, how may violations were identified, and how many enforcement actions were taken. EPA plans to update the RCRA, CWA and SDWA dashboards to this new format over the next 6-8 months.
ÃÛ½ÛÖ±²¥ recently participated in a virtual meeting with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler to discuss the release of the Construction Snapshot, ÃÛ½ÛÖ±²¥â€™s participation in the Smart Sectors Program, and top issues for ÃÛ½ÛÖ±²¥ contractors. Importantly, the Smart Sectors’ Construction Snapshot includes a look at the industry’s environmental as well as economic performance over time, using data from different publicly-available sources. ÃÛ½ÛÖ±²¥ took the opportunity to thank U.S. EPA for its leadership in response to COVID-19 (e.g., list of disinfectants and enforcement discretion policy), and to express support of several recent U.S. EPA deregulatory actions. ÃÛ½ÛÖ±²¥ also provided industry-specific insights on where additional implementation guidance is needed to clarify how certain environmental laws will be applied (and enforced) in the field.
ÃÛ½ÛÖ±²¥ is currently seeking questions and topics for discussion at the Virtual Federal Contractors Conference (FedCon) to be held June 8-12, 2020. Attendees have the unique opportunity to lead the meeting agenda and directly interact with and pose questions to construction leaders in a wide array of federal agencies. These robust discussions offer contractors the opportunity to learn about the latest projects and policies and address problems the industry may face when working directly with a federal agency.
On May 6, the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee unanimously approved two water-related infrastructure bills. The America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 (AWIA), as amended, would invest the nation’s water resources infrastructure and clean water infrastructure and the Drinking Water Infrastructure Act of 2020 (DWIA), as amended, would invest in the nation’s drinking water infrastructure. ÃÛ½ÛÖ±²¥ applauded the Committee’s bipartisan efforts to develop the bills and highlighted provisions that it supports. Last month, ÃÛ½ÛÖ±²¥, along with four other organizations, was invited by EPW to submit a written statement on the discussion drafts. These bills will now go to the full Senate for consideration.
Contains Q&A Section of Common Workplace Questions
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will delay the anticipated opening of the 2019 EEO-1 Component 1 data collection and the 2020 EEO-3 and EEO-5 data collections because of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) public health emergency, the agency announced today in a Federal Register notice.
Treasury Department’s Recent Changes to Paycheck Protection Program Loan Guidance Are Making It Even Harder for Firms to Maintain Jobs Amid Declining Private-Sector Demand for Construction
Laredo, Texas and Lake Charles, La. Have Largest Construction Job Losses While Lewiston, Idaho-Wash. And Dallas-Plano-Irving, Texas Add the Most Jobs; Association Survey Indicates Losses will Spread
Nearly Half of Firms Have Received Loans, But Growing Number of Project Cancellations, Delays and Delivery Problems Imperil Industry; Association Leaders Call for Immediate Infrastructure Funding