Government Affairs – Concrete Products

National Environmental Policy Act: Same old, same old?

January 13, 2022January 13, 2022 Concrete News

The Associated Builders and Contractors joined a coalition of stakeholders in a response to the White House Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking revising implementation of new National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) provisions. ABC filed comments supporting a streamlined approach to the permitting process under NEPA to reduce delays hindering critical projects, resulting in better infrastructure, a…

Public, private stakeholders pen global standard for embodied carbon

January 13, 2022January 13, 2022 Concrete News

The World Resources Institute in Washington, D.C. has granted preliminary approval of the “Sector Supplement for Measuring and Accounting for Embodied Emissions in the Built Environment” as the document is in process of attaining the Built on GHG Protocol Mark. Once finalized, the Supplement will be available at https://ghgprotocol.org/Guidance-Built-on-GHG-Protocol. Concrete, steel, glass, wood and flooring materials have an impact that…

Iron Workers case shapes New York precast erector’s bargaining unit

January 13, 2022January 13, 2022 Concrete News

National Labor Relations Board Regional Director (RD) Kathy Drew-King has determined a craft unit within the site crew of Kingston, N.Y.-based NYC Crane Hoist Operations LLC, and directed an election for its 27 members to vote on representation by the United Derrickmen & Riggers Association, International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers Local 197. The Long Island…

Labor no longer sees Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Program

January 13, 2022January 13, 2022 Concrete News

The U.S. Department of Labor announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking public comment on a proposal to eliminate the Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Program (IRAP), allowing the agency to direct resources toward expanding access to the established Registered Apprenticeships programs. The proposed rule is the latest action responding to White House Executive Order 14016, including the suspension of review of applications…

Road Gang calculates Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act impact

January 13, 2022January 13, 2022 Francesca Peeples

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is the most important piece of transportation legislation since the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs Michele Stanley noted upon the $1 trillion funding package’s late-2021 passage. “At the core of the legislation is a five-year, $304 billion reauthorization of our…

Producers approve Concrete Masonry Checkoff; Commerce opens Board nominations

January 13, 2022January 13, 2022 Concrete News

Producers voting in a November-December Department of Commerce (DOC) referendum approved formation of a Concrete Masonry Products Board, empowered to fund a Concrete Masonry Checkoff Program through collection of 1 cent per block sold in the U.S. The referendum passed on the strength of two required majorities: 62 percent of voting producers who represent 53 percent of block machine cavities…

Council conveys energy efficiency message to global audience

December 13, 2021December 13, 2021 Concrete News

The International Code Council took the opportunity of the United Nations COP26 Global Climate Change Conference in Glasgow to underscore the role building codes need to play in helping governments and local jurisdictions around the world meet their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to a consensus greenhouse gas emissions reduction target. The We Mean Business Buildings Pavilion organized by the Global…

Justice Department outlines terms for Neenah Enterprises, U.S. Foundry union

December 13, 2021December 13, 2021 Concrete News

The Department of Justice is ordering Neenah Enterprises Inc., U.S. Holdings Inc. and US Foundry and Manufacturing Corp. to divest certain gray iron municipal castings assets in order to proceed with the former company’s proposed acquisition of substantially all US Foundry assets. NEI and US Foundry are two of three significant suppliers of gray iron municipal castings in 11 Eastern…

Wage theft report: Project labor agreements shortchange nonunion workers

December 13, 2021December 13, 2021 Concrete News

The Associated Builders and Contractors is spotlighting a new study highlighting one of the most negative economic impacts on nonunion construction workers, who comprise 87.3 percent of the construction industry workforce. “Government-Mandated Project Labor Agreements Result in Lost and Stolen Wages for Employees and Excessive Costs and Liability Exposure for Employers” finds that the limited number of nonunion craft professionals…

Cemex, Holcim, tech giants charter procurement, supply chain coalition

December 13, 2021December 13, 2021 Concrete News

Cemex S.A.B. de C.V. and Holcim AG are First Movers Coalition (FMC) founding members, joining Amazon, Apple and nearly two dozen other major companies to accelerate development of early-stage decarbonization technologies through procurement and supply chain management practices. FMC will work across eight key sectors, seven of which—cement, steel, aluminum, chemicals, shipping, aviation and trucking—account for more than a third…