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Browse by Date - 201405

GSA Updates P100: Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service

Last month, the US General Services Administration (GSA) published its updated P-100: Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service.  The 2014 PBS-P100 establishes design standards for new buildings, major and minor alterations, and work in historic structures for the GSA Public Buildings Service (PBS).  This document contains both performance based standards and prescriptive requirements to be used in the programming, design, and documentation of GSA buildings.  It is a mandatory standard for GSA facilities.

Administration Proposes Changes to Endangered Species Act Critical Habitat Designations and 'Adverse Modification' Definition

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (“FWS”) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service (“NMFS”) (together, the “Services”) recently announced a significant set of proposed regulatory changes and policies relating to critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”).  The proposed rules and policies increase the discretion of the Services to designate broad areas of occupied and unoccupied habitat as critical habitat, and increase the likelihood that federal actions will be determined to adversely modify designated critical habitat.

Follow @AGCEnvironment for Compliance and Sustainability News Relevant to Construction Professionals

On May 14, AGC launched a new Twitter account -- @AGCEnvironment -- as a resource for environmental compliance and sustainability news and information from a broad range of sources.  AGC’s Director of Green Construction will comb the Web and collect information of interest in one easy place for you to access.  Whenever possible, we highlight AGC members that are making the news or blogging about relevant topics.

New Construction Project Manager Course Added: Sept. 28 - Oct. 3

Due to popular demand, AGC has added an additional program to be held September 28-October 3 in Potomac, MD. AGC's Construction Project Manager Course (PMC) participants experience an interactive program that explores the critical areas of project management that seasoned project managers tackle on a daily basis. The course's curriculum builds on itself throughout the week, starting with the impact planning has on the overall project and moving on to cover scheduling, productivity and subcontractor/vendor management as well as legal issues and contract clauses, record-keeping and much more.

Registration Open for Construction HR & Training Professionals Conference

Registration is now open for AGC’s 2014 Construction HR and Training Professionals Conference.  The conference, for HR, training and workforce development professionals in the construction industry, will be held Oct. 15-17 at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel in Phoenix, Ariz.  For more information or to register visit www.agc.org/CHRTPC.

Construction Employment Increases in 220 out of 339 Metro Areas Between April 2013 and 2014

Construction employment expanded in 220 metro areas, declined in 70 and was stagnant in 49 between April 2013 and April 2014, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by AGC of America. Association officials noted that federal spending cutbacks on government facilities and Hurricane Sandy reconstruction were contributing to job losses around Washington, D.C. and New Jersey.

House Committee Approves Transportation Funding Bill

Assumes a HTF Fix in Fiscal Year 2015 This week, by a vote of 28-21, the House Appropriations Committee passed the FY 2015 Transportation and Housing & Urban Development (THUD) spending bill.  The bill, which is the fourth of 12 spending bills to be approved by the committee, would provide $52 billion in funding for highways, transit aviation, rail and housing programs.  No date has been set for consideration of the bill by the full House.