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At the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) invitation, �������ϲʿ���Ԥ�� attended a “Revolutionize USACE Civil Works (CW) Partner Session” on May 15 at USACE Headquarters. �������ϲʿ���Ԥ�� took the opportunity to provide feedback on the Corps’ initiative to improve our nation’s infrastructure by synchronizing actions, developing new tools, and streamlining activities. USACE will host webinars on June 20 and 28 to outline Revolutionize USACE CW and to provide interested stakeholders with an opportunity to provide input on how the Corps’ can improve upon its goals and objects, as well as its outreach and communication efforts.

Agency Removes ‘Joint and Several Liability’ from the Federal CGP

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will accept public comment until June 10, 2019, on the agency’s draft interim guidance for addressing two per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS) in groundwater. When finalized, the recommendations will provide a starting point for making site-specific cleanup decisions under federal cleanup programs, including the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). What is more, EPA anticipates that its guidance will be used by other federal, state and tribal agencies in carrying out “authorized” cleanup programs (e.g., federal facility cleanup programs and approved state Resource Conservation and Recovery Act corrective action programs).

Join more than 300 construction safety, health and environmental professionals at the first ever �������ϲʿ���Ԥ�� Construction Safety, Health & Environmental Conference taking place July 23 – 25, 2019 in Seattle, WA.

Suggests improvements based on contractor feedback

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public comment on an interpretive statement published April 15, concluding that “releases of pollutants to groundwater are categorically excluded from Clean Water Act’s permitting requirements because Congress explicitly left regulation of discharges to groundwater to the states and to EPA under other statutory authorities.” The full interpretive statement is online – click here. EPA had requested comment on the issue previously; �������ϲʿ���Ԥ�� solicited input from member and submitted comments challenging EPA’s consideration of using the CWA permit program to regulate discharges to groundwater eventually making their way to a jurisdictional surface water. �������ϲʿ���Ԥ�� strongly maintains that the CWA’s point source program does not regulate releases that reach “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) via groundwater.

New Guidance Will Benefit Section 404 Permitting and Project Development

On March 14 and 15, the Trump Administration finalized amendments to resource management plans covering the greater sage grouse habitat in seven states giving greater flexibility to state decisions regarding activities in some of the bird’s habitat. The state plans fall under the Greater Sage Grouse Conservation Plan, finalized in 2015, which had previously set broad reaching land use policies/restrictions within the species’ territory.

July 23-25, 2019 in Seattle, Washington

On March 12, a bipartisan group of senators—led by Tom Carper (D-DE) and John Barrasso (R-WY)—introduced an �������ϲʿ���Ԥ��-backed bill to reauthorize the Diesel Emissions Reductions Act (DERA) program. The bill would provide $100 million annually through fiscal year 2024 for grants and rebates to states and localities to upgrade or replace older diesel engines, including off-road construction equipment. �������ϲʿ���Ԥ�� chapters – working with �������ϲʿ���Ԥ�� of America – have won millions in federal funds to support �������ϲʿ���Ԥ�� members’ voluntary retrofit projects, in addition to leveraging millions more in matching and in-kind contributions to help their members afford the high cost of reducing emissions from construction equipment.