On April 18, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) issued its final rule reducing exposure levels to respirable crystalline silica for all mines in the U.S. and is applicable to the contractors who work in these mines. MSHA jurisdiction is broad and includes construction work, and its rule is vastly different from the OSHA counterpart. While the same 50 ug/m3 PEL is adopted, there is no Table 1 to rely upon, no worker rotation, and compliance with the OSHA rule is not a defense to an MSHA citation of up to $324,000.
With almost every state authorizing the recreational and/or medical use of marijuana or cannabidiol (CBD), employers nationwide face a maze of legal changes.
Join us on June 5, 1PM – 2PM EST for the next virtual quarterly town hall. The purpose of these meetings is to communicate key safety and health issues and challenges, as well as discuss enforcement, regulatory, and outreach activities at the national and local levels.
The White House Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) final rule, “National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Implementing Regulations Revisions Phase 2” (published May 1), earned swift rebuke from the Congressional leaders behind the permitting reforms in the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA). AGC echoes their concern that the rule will only exacerbate the permitting process, lead to more lawsuits, and delay projects further. The rule is likely to face action under the Congressional Review Act.
On Friday, April 26, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) once and for all denied a 2014 petition filed by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) to list discarded polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as a hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). AGC has previously reported on this issue when AGC submitted comments to the EPA, and when there was a tentative ruling from EPA siding with AGC. This win comes in a large part thanks to the nearly 2,000 AGC members who took action and encouraged EPA not to move forward with regulating PVC.
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Newly final rule expected to trigger third-party lawsuits
On Apr. 22, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Council published a new rule requiring federal agencies to procure “sustainable products and services” to the maximum extent practicable effective May 22, 2024.
TRIP has issued a news release highlighting the importance of safety, reliability, and condition of the nation’s freight transportation network following the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge.