Each year, ÃÛ½ÛÖ±²¥ seeks nominations for qualified and motivated individuals from the ÃÛ½ÛÖ±²¥ Environmental Forum to serve on the steering committee for the forum. Would you like to play a leadership role in ÃÛ½ÛÖ±²¥ of America’s environmental advocacy, education and outreach efforts?
For the eleventh year in a row, ÃÛ½ÛÖ±²¥ of America has been named as one of the nation’s top lobbying operations by Capitol Hill newspaper The Hill. The publication’s annual ranking of top lobbyists lists ÃÛ½ÛÖ±²¥ CEO Steve Sandherr as a top lobbyist. Sandherr said the listing is a really an acknowledgement of the quality of the association’s government relations team, noting that the team secured $7.6 billion in federal highway funding that Congress had planned to cut, a disaster aid package with billions of dollars dedicated to rebuilding impacted communities, and regulatory reforms to lower the bureaucratic burden on the industry, among other accomplishments this year.
Guest Article by Anthony Kane, ISI - Resilience is a key component of sustainability where as an industry we have made significant advancements in recent years. In 2015 when the decision was made to begin work on a new version of Envision—the sustainable infrastructure framework—the primary driver was the industry’s expanding and evolving understanding of resilience. In April 2018, after three years of development, the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure released Envision v3 with a significantly expanded focus on how infrastructure should address both short-term shocks (hurricanes, wildfires, etc.) and long-term stressors (sea level rise, aging infrastructure, aging populations, etc.).
Having a resilient jobsite is an important part of mitigating the daily risks of weather events, but what happens when a natural disaster occurs? ÃÛ½ÛÖ±²¥â€™s ConstructorCast new two-part series explores just this question. Tune in this December (part 1) and January (part 2) for three experts in claims management, litigation, and restoration. Find out how they have worked through the tough issues of pre-loss planning for your project sites, lessons in mitigating losses, restoration challenges, as well as insurance and claims.
USGBC’s Center for Resilience Showcases Practical Resources
Save the Date for July 14-16, 2020, in Louisville, KY
<p>On Nov. 15, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized an ÃÛ½ÛÖ±²¥-supported <a href="https://www.epa.gov/hw/increasing-recycling-adding-aerosol-cans-universal-waste-regulations">rule</a> that expands universal waste regulations to include aerosol cans and streamlines the management of this waste. This measure should help construction firms maintain a lower-tier generator category, as aerosol cans are often the only hazardous waste stream produced on a construction site. This rule also promotes safe puncturing practices and recycling. EPA estimates it will reduce annual regulatory cost between $5.3 million to $47.8 million.</p>
As the U.S. House may consider a suite of bills to spur action on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—a large and diverse group of chemicals—ÃÛ½ÛÖ±²¥ and industry allies urged policymakers to rely on sound science before enacting a one-size-fits-all approach for properly dealing with the chemicals. Treating all PFAS substances the same, without any regard to science, would lead to unnecessary liability for contractors and result in wide-spread and possibly unnecessary remediation of soil and water. ÃÛ½ÛÖ±²¥ urges that any federal actions on this subject address specific PFASs and take a consistent approach to establish risk-based standards.
As the U.S. House of Representatives considers a suite of bills to spur action on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), ÃÛ½ÛÖ±²¥ and industry allies urged policymakers to rely on the science and support the federal agencies in their efforts to research and set protective risk-based standards. PFAS are a large and diverse group of chemicals and a one-size-fits-all approach would not be appropriate.
On Nov. 15, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized an ÃÛ½ÛÖ±²¥-supported rule expanding the universal waste regulations to include aerosol cans and streamlining the management of this waste. It should help construction firms maintain a lower-tier generator category, because aerosol cans are often the only hazardous waste stream produced on a construction site. The also rule promotes safe puncturing practices and recycling. EPA estimates it will reduce the regulatory cost between $5.3 million to $47.8 million annually.