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Calling all safety and environmental professionals to join us at this year’s conference

In this episode, we cover the steps the Biden Administration has taken related to construction and the environment. �鶹��ý’s Director of Environmental Services Melinda Tomaino walks you through the environmental highlights and headlines on WOTUS (waters of the United States), species-related issues, climate change policy developments and implications for projects, and environmental review and approvals. Find out how �鶹��ý is making timely decisions and setting priorities, the important role �鶹��ý plays in policymaking, and how you can get involved.

Video Includes Details of association’s new climate change toolkit

�鶹��ý filed a joint April 18 “friend-of-the-court” brief in the case Sackett v. Environmental Protection Agency at the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court will take a fresh look at what are “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act (CWA), which may limit federal agencies’ permitting and enforcement authority over construction work in isolated wetlands and ephemeral streams. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (Corps) will need to factor the Court’s decision into their planned WOTUS rulemakings.

�鶹��ý helps construction firms prepare for ripple effect

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On March 30, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) issued new carbon standards under its Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service (P-100) to require the use of lower carbon concrete products and asphalt paving practices for all GSA design and construction contracts that involve at least 10 cubic yards of those materials. The general contractor now must source concrete that meet specific carbon requirements; collect and maintain documentation associated with both materials; and, in the case of asphalt, employ carbon reduction practices such as recycled content or reduced mix temperatures.

�鶹��ý is pleased to announce the appointment of new members to serve on its Environmental Forum Steering Committee. Members of the steering committee have direct access to federal regulatory officials, influence over �鶹��ý’s environmental agenda, and a means to exchange valuable information with one another and industry peers. Join us in welcoming the new members.

On Feb. 17, the newly revised 2022 construction general permit (CGP) for stormwater discharges from construction activities took effect. The CGP applies to operators of construction sites in a few areas where the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is the NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permitting authority. More importantly, NPDES authorized states that oversee their own stormwater permitting programs use it as a model for their permits. �鶹��ý supports the use of general permits as an effective tool to streamline the permit process and reduce administrative burdens for those projects with minimal impact. (Individual permits are available for larger-scale impacts.) �鶹��ý engaged in significant outreach with the agency to discuss ways to improve the permit. And although the permit has new requirements that can add cost for permittees, such as turbidity “benchmark” monitoring for dewatering discharges to sensitive waters, the agency sought to provide clarity on several points where �鶹��ý members have demonstrated to them confusion with the previous permit.

Agencies are working on the fourth and fifth versions in play since 2015