On July 26, top OSHA officials—including OSHA head Douglas Parker—met with ԹϺ in conjunction with the association’s Construction Safety, Health & Environmental Conference in Washington, D.C. George Palko, ԹϺ’s Highway and Transportation Division Chair, represented the group at this meeting. Robust conversations were held on the regulatory landscape facing construction contractors, including a future OSHA rulemaking on establishing a national heat standard. ԹϺ contractors had the opportunity to impart real-world impacts of OSHA’s National Emphasis Program on Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards, including the 80 degree trigger, reduced work days to allow acclimatization for new workers and those returning from vacation, and body temperature and heart rate monitoring.
On July 27, the Department of Transportation (USDOT) published a Request for Information on the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA) requirements included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that specified a new category of construction materials used for projects be produced in the United States. Specifically, they are asking:
On April 28, the Department of Transportation (DOT) published a request for comment on proposing to issue a transitional waiver to comply with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s new Buy America requirements. Here’s what to know:
The $1.2 trillion bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs Act (IIJA) included the “Build America, Buy America Act” which applies a domestic preference to all taxpayer-funded infrastructure projects. The Office of Management and Budget released new guidance on these rules on April 18th, 2022. The new guidelines are meant to assist federal agencies in the application of “Buy America” requirements and the waiver processes for all federally funded infrastructure projects and not just those funded by the IIJA. The requirements are currently set to be in effect starting May 14th.
Construction Official Says New Guidance will Undermine New Bipartisan Infrastructure Measure’s Benefits, Adds the Kind of Red Tape that Betrays Americans’ Confidence in Federal Spending
Joins the Growing Chorus of Bipartisan Opposition to the Memo
Earmarks Also Set to Return after a Decade Hiatus
Full-year Bill Would Include Funding for New Infrastructure Programs
On February 22, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced nearly $450 million in newly available grant funding for port-related infrastructure projects through the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP).
ԹϺ Continues to Push Back on “Fix-it-First” False Narrative