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Politics & Policy
ABC’s September Regulatory Roundup—Learn About the Latest Developments Affecting the Construction Industry
ABC Disappointed in NLRB’s Cemex Decision
NLRB Revives Controversial 2014 ‘Ambush’ Election Rule; ABC Opposes Again
Safety
Build Health and Safety Engagement Through Leadership Commitment and Metrics Tied to Leading Indicators
Is Your PPE and Mobile Equipment as Safe as You Think It Is?
President Biden Announces Heat Safety Actions, Including DOL Hazard Alert
Events/Products/Programs
Nearly 350 ABC Leaders Gather in Washington for Annual Legislative Conference
ABC Members Rank Among ENR’s Top 400 Contractors
Trades Day: Industry Outreach Opportunity With Meaning
State/Local News
Ed Capodanno Honored by Delaware State Legislature
Election Update: ABC Staff and Members Elected in 2022
California Targets Workplace Cannabis Testing
Awards
Graham Roofing Earns the AQC Credential in September
ABC's Construction Executive Magazine Wins Silver in Publishing Competition
Legislation
ABC-Supported Legislation To Overturn the Northern Long-Eared Bat’s Endangered Species Listing Heads to President Biden’s Desk
ABC Advocates for Solutions to Workforce Shortage at U.S. House Committee Roundtable
Smucker Introduces the ABC-Supported Main Street Tax Certainty Act
Regulations
OSHA Announces Silica-Focused Inspection Initiative in the Engineered Stone Fabrication and Installation Industries
Take the Survey: Input Needed by Oct. 2 on President Biden’s IRA Mandates
Take the Survey: ABC Needs Your Input on President Biden’s IRA Mandates by Oct. 2
Workforce Development
Register Now for ABC’s Construction Inclusion Week Webinar Series
DOL High Road Workforce Development Program Map Snubs Nonunion Programs
LISTEN: How to Design an Effective Technology Adoption Strategy
On Sept. 28, after failing to secure the support of at least 59 of his Senate colleagues, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., requested that his efforts to attach language on federal permitting reform for energy projects be removed from the must-pass continuing resolution, ensuring smooth passage of a government funding bill ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline.
In August, Manchin, chair of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, exacted a promise from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to hold a vote on Manchin’s permitting reform priorities before the government funding deadline for his support of the Democrat’s reconciliation bill, the Inflation Reduction Act. On Sept. 21, Manchin released the text of his Energy Independence and Security Act with the intent of including the language in the continuing resolution. However, on Sept. 27, with the funding deadline looming and support for the proposal lacking, Manchin urged Leader Schumer to remove the proposal from the CR.
Manchin’s proposal would have set target timelines for NEPA reviews and court challenges while creating a rolling list of 25 energy projects that are in the “national interest,” which would require these projects to adhere to prevailing wage requirements, expanding the use of Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements into the private sector.
Republicans have also proposed their own permitting reform bill earlier in the month, on Sept. 12, with Sen. Shelley Capito, R-W.Va., leading 46 of her Republican colleagues in introducing the Simplify Timelines and Assure Regulatory Transparency Act.
On Sept. 27, ABC sent a letter to Capito and the Senate outlining ABC’s support for the START Act, which addresses many of the priorities of the merit shop construction industry in reforming the permitting process for critical energy and natural resource construction projects.
While Congress is set to pass the CR and return to the campaign trail ahead of the November midterm elections, there could be an opportunity to find compromise on a proposal to reform the nation’s permitting process. ABC will continue to advocate for critical reforms that streamline reviews and avoid unnecessary and overly burdensome considerations that cause significant delays to construction projects throughout the country, and will continue to monitor permitting reform legislation in Newsline.