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Monthly Archives: October 2018

Construction Employment Rises in 278 Metros Between September 2017 & 2018 as Firms Expand to Keep Pace with Growing Demand for New Projects

October 30, 2018

Construction employment increased in 278 out of 358 metro areas between September 2017 and September 2018, declined in 42 and was unchanged in 38, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials noted that construction employment is growing in most parts of the country as firms expand to keep pace with growing demand for construction.

AGC Invited to EPA Administrator Roundtable to Celebrate 'Smart Sectors' Partnership

October 31, 2018

AGC recently participated in a roundtable discussion with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the Smart Sectors Partnership and highlight initial successes.  AGC took the opportunity to express support of EPA’s efforts to improve the clarity and speed of the permits it issues.  AGC understands that state agencies issue most environmental permits; however, states use EPA’s permits/programs as a model.  Improvements EPA makes can have a positive impact on state-issued permits.  To this end, EPA is working on a policy for how the agency assesses the adequacy of state pollution control programs.  Click here to see EPA’s priority goals and latest action plan.

Volunteers Needed To Serve on Association's Environmental Steering Committee

October 31, 2018

Each year, AGC seeks nominations for qualified and motivated individuals from the AGC Environmental Forum to serve on the steering committee for the forum. Would you like to play a leadership role in AGC of America’s environmental advocacy, education and outreach efforts?

Fall 2018 Regulatory Agenda Unveils Priorities of Federal Labor Agencies

October 18, 2018

On October 17, 2018, the Trump Administration unveiled its Fall 2018 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions mapping out federal agency priorities for the coming months.  This bi-annual publication informs the public of regulations under consideration or planned by federal agencies. The present agenda includes several submissions by labor agencies.

The Fall Unified Agenda Continues to Advance Multiple Environmental Policy Terms

October 18, 2018

Over the last year and a half, the Federal Government has initiated a fast-paced agenda for reviewing and revising environmental policies.  AGC has tracked and responded to relevant changes through the pre-proposal and proposal processes.  The Fall Unified Agenda, released this week, signals that the agencies have no plans to slow their pace.

White House Launches Performance, Accountability System to Track Environmental Approvals for Major Infrastructure Projects

October 18, 2018

The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently released a new memorandum (Memorandum M-18-25), in coordination with the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council, establishing a brand new “accountability system” to track and score federal agencies performance in meeting the President Trump’s two-year timeline for completing environmental reviews and authorization decisions on “major infrastructure projects.” The memo requires, and outlines the procedures by which, all agencies that have a role in environmental approvals for infrastructure must regularly track and measure their performance in meeting a list of goals that aim to expedite and improve infrastructure permitting.  Agencies must submit tracking information to OMB and the Federal Agency Portal of the “Federal Infrastructure Permitting Dashboard.” OMB will score each agency’s performance, issue reports, and “consider each agency's performance during budget formulation and determine whether appropriate penalties... must or should be imposed.”

AGC Asks for Construction Exemption from Trucker HOS Rules

October 15, 2018

AGC submitted comments this week, individually and as part of a construction coalition, to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requesting that construction industry drivers be exempted from hours of service (HOS) rules.

Construction Material Costs Increase 7.4 Percent, As Contractors Continue to be Squeezed by Tariffs and Rising Fuel Prices

October 10, 2018

The cost of many products used in construction climbed 7.4 percent over the past year due to double digit increases in commonly-used construction materials, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new Labor Department data.

Construction Employment Rises by 23,000 Jobs in September and 315,000 for the Year; Hourly Pay Exceeds $30 in an Increasingly Tight Labor Market

October 5, 2018

Construction employment increased by 23,000 jobs in September and by 315,000 jobs over the past year, reaching a 10-year high, while the industry’s unemployment rate decreased more than half-a-percentage point to 4.1 percent from a year earlier, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America.

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