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Politics & Policy
US House Introduces Resolution Opposing DOL’s New Davis-Bacon Rule
ABC Slams OSHA’s Worker Walkaround Rule for Failing to Promote Workplace Health and Safety
State Off-Year Elections Deliver Losses To GOP Heading Into 2024
Safety
Utilize Software To Achieve Your Safety Goals
OSHA Extends Comment Period on OSHA Walkaround Proposed Rule to Nov. 13
ABC Expresses Serious Concerns to Congress About OSHA Worker Walkaround Rule
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
ABC Congratulates 30 Members Awarded DOL’s 2023 HIRE Vets Medallion
ABC Honors 3 New Applicants With the AQC Credential in October
Graham Roofing Earns the AQC Credential in September
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
NLRB Extends Effective Date of the Joint Employer Final Rule to Feb. 26, 2024
DOL’s Unlawful Proposed Overtime Rule Will Disrupt Construction Workers’ Workplace Flexibility
ABC’s November Regulatory Roundup—Learn About the Latest Developments Affecting the Construction Industry
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 June 9, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of the Army announced their intent to revise the definition of “waters of the United States” that are federally regulated under the Clean Water Act and replace the definition under the Trump administration’s 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule, which provided four clear categories of waters under the CWA that businesses and landowners could easily understand.
According to an EPA news release, the NWPR was targeted in President Biden’s Executive Order 13990 on “Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science To Tackle the Climate Crisis.” That E.O. directed federal agencies to review all existing orders, guidance documents, policies and any other similar agency actions promulgated, issued or adopted during the previous administration. Following review of the NWPR, the agencies determined that the rule significantly reduces clean water protections.
As a result of the agencies’ findings, the U.S. Department of Justice is filing a motion requesting remand of the rule. The news release also states that DOJ’s action reflects the agencies’ intent to initiate a new rulemaking process that restores the protections in place prior to the Obama administration’s 2015 WOTUS final rule. It also anticipates developing a new rule that defines WOTUS and is informed by a robust engagement process as well as the experience of implementing the pre-2015 rule, the Obama-era final rule and the NWPR.
Background
ABC has long been a vocal opponent of the Obama-era WOTUS final rule since it was first proposed in April 2014. ABC submitted comments on EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ proposals on step one and step two of the WOTUS rulemaking under President Trump. Additionally, ABC filed comments as a member of the Waters Advocacy Coalition.
Issued in April 2020, the NWPR replaced the 2015 WOTUS rule and clarified key elements related to the scope of CWA jurisdiction by identifying four clear categories of waters that are federally regulated under the CWA:
ABC continues its commitment to work with the EPA and Corps and ensure the clearest possible regulations so that its members have the information needed to comply with the law while also serving as good stewards of the environment.