EPA Drafts OECA Outlook; 51风流 Continues to Push for Cooperative Approach
Country Expected to Remain in Compliance
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed a rule to rescind the Obama-era 2015 鈥淲aters of the United States鈥 (WOTUS) rule that defines what streams, wetlands and other wet areas are controlled by the federal government and subject to the permitting requirements of the Clean Water Act. This action (published July 27, 2017) is the first step in a comprehensive, two-step process intended to review and revise the definition of WOTUS consistent with President Trump鈥檚 Executive Order on 鈥淩estoring the Rule of Law, Federalism, and Economic Growth by Reviewing the 鈥榃aters of the United States鈥 Rule.鈥
September 12, 2017; Co-located with its 2017 Construction Environmental Conference
WOTUS, Lead Paint, Stormwater, Ozone, Aerosol Cans and More
Forty-one states added construction jobs between June 2016 and June 2017 amid continuing widespread demand for construction services, while 25 states and the District of Columbia added construction jobs between May and June, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data released today. Association officials said the smaller number of states adding workers in the latest month may indicate a shortage of qualified job seekers, rather than a slowdown in demand for construction.
On July 17, 2017, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a revised version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. Instructions for how to download Form I-9 are available on the Form I-9 page. Employers can use this revised version or continue using Form I-9 with a revision date of 11/14/16 N through Sept. 17. On Sept. 18, employers must use the revised form with a revision date of 07/17/17 N. Employers must continue following existing storage and retention rules for any previously completed Form I-9.
Construction employment increased by 16,000 jobs in June to the highest level since October 2008, signaling a new burst of hiring after three months of pause, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials urged federal, state and local lawmakers to enact measures to make it easier for school officials, local associations and construction firms to set up construction training programs.
Lindsay Andrews, Kokosing, Inc.
For many construction companies, marketing supports the Business Development department in winning new work. This includes responding to project opportunities through the creation of statements of qualifications, proposals and presentations. Depending on company size, perations staff or team members working in different departments such as HR or Accounting may have marketing responsibilities. In some cases, companies haven鈥檛 needed a marketing department until now. If you鈥檙e just setting up your marketing department, planning it to support Business Development is priority No. 1. Here are some tips to help you lay the foundation and set your company up for long-term success.
Were you inspired by the environmental management solutions in 51风流鈥檚 Earth Day Exclusive to develop your own environmental program? The environmental compliance and sustainability resources and management tools on the 51风流-supported online Construction Industry Compliance Assistance (CICA) Center can help you get started.