AGC of America estimates that as many as 32 states are closely following California's controversial effort to implement and enforce first-time emission limits for in-use "fleets" of off-road diesel (ORD) equipment.  If these states adopt identical rules, construction companies across the nation will be forced to pay the high cost of installing aftermarket pollution controls on equipment that is currently out in the field, or face replacement and retirement as their only alternatives.  Interested states admit their goal is to reduce off-road emissions of nitrogen oxide (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) at a much faster rate than what is required by federal "Tier 1-4 standards," which set pollution limits for newly-manufactured off-road diesel engines and fuel — but do not mandate any reductions from existing engines.

(more…)

Trey Pebley (center), Vice President of McAllen Construction, Inc., of McAllen, Texas, testified Wednesday before the House Small Business Committee on the impact of federal regulation over water and wetlands on small businesses and family farmers.

(more…)

On June 9, AGC submitted comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on a proposed rule that would require thousands of facilities to monitor their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions starting in January 2010 and report those emissions to EPA in 2011.  All facilities that produce Portland cement or manufacture lime would be required to report.  Additionally, thousands of small emitters would be scrambling to determine whether their emissions fall within the threshold for reporting or face the risk of high penalties for noncompliance. 

(more…)

Last week, the U.S. House passed H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act, by a vote of 219 to 212 (8 Republicans supported the bill, and 44 Democrats voted against it).  While elements of the legislation could create jobs by inducing demand for energy efficiency improvements to buildings and alternative energy generation, no one is certain of the true impact on the economy.  AGC believes that the bill goes too far too fast and that Congress has not adequately mitigated the impacts.

(more…)

AGC of America urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to not issue a final endangerment finding that current concentrations of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the atmosphere endanger public health and welfare and that new motor vehicles (and engines) contribute to this endangerment.  An endangerment finding under the Clean Air Act (CAA) would open the door for EPA to control GHG emissions under the Act.  (more…)

AGC's new online recycling toolkit will help contractors recycle construction and demolition (C&D) debris and reuse industrial materials in new construction projects.  AGC worked with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Industrial Resources Council (IRC) to make this tool available.

(more…)