The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is asking for comments from the construction industry in response to two surveys on the potential use of a project labor agreement (PLA) for projects in New York, N.Y. and Radford, Va.

ABC filed an appeal May 27 with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit challenging the U.S. District Court’s March 2014 ruling against ABC. At the District Court level ABC argued that an Aug. 27 rule from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) that drastically alters federal contractors’ existing affirmative action and nondiscrimination obligations for individuals with disabilities exceeded the scope of the agency’s statutory authority, and altered longstanding precedent.

According to OSHA’s latest semiannual regulatory agenda, released May 23, the agency plans to issue a final rule on confined spaces in 2014. The regulatory agenda lists the priorities of the administration and the rulemakings they expect to release this year; however, OSHA is not required to adhere to the timeline.

In an informal public hearing May 19, Steve Wiltshire, vice president and director of corporate safety at ABC member company, ECS Corporate Services, LLC, testified on behalf of ABC on the issue of a proposed rulemaking to extend the compliance date for the crane operator certification requirement by three years to Nov. 10, 2017.

Associated Builders and Contractors, along with more than 40 other leading business organizations, sent a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) requesting they extend the public comment period on a proposed rule that aims to clarify the definition of “Waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act (CWA). The organizations are asking for 90 days beyond the current deadline or 90 days after the EPA releases the final connectivity report, whichever date comes later.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Department of Treasury recently issued frequently asked questions on provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).   

The New England district of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is soliciting responses from the construction industry for a survey issued on the potential use of a project labor agreement (PLA) on renovation and repair projects throughout six New England states. Those states include Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.

A health care alert from Washington Council Ernst & Young regarding health care law provisions that impact employers is available for ABC members on ABC’s Employer Health Care Law Toolkit.

ABC's quarterly Regulatory Alert provides an overview of the federally mandated rules, regulations and enforcement actions from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and other federal agencies. Below are brief summaries of current issues, as well as links to more detailed information and guidance. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers April 21 published a proposed rule that aims to clarify the definition of "waters of the U.S." under the Clean Water Act which would significantly expand federal control of land and water resources across the nation—creating additional permitting and regulatory requirements. The public has until July 21 to submit written comments on the proposed rule.