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The Highway and Utilities Contractors Issues Meeting took place Feb 6 and 7. Over 120 contractors came to La Quinta, Calif., for discussion of the issues that affect their particular markets and to hear presentations from some of the leading experts in the field.Topics included materials prices and availability for asphalt and steel, the national implications of the California Air Resources Board's Off-Road Diesel Emissions limits and the political outlook for the economic stimulus package, SAFETEA-LU reauthorization and the Water Trust Fund. Scott Williams and Don Weaver, chair and vice-chair respectively of the Highway & Transportation Division, presided over the first day of activities, which included sessions on worker visibility standards and public works financing troubles. Brad Barringer and Art Daniels, Municipal & Utilities Division Chair and Vice Chair, presided over the second day, which included sessions on ethics and compliance programs, Florida's success with dispute resolutions boards, and OSHA's crane operator standard.For more information, contact Scott Berry at (703) 837-5368 or berrys@agc.org.

The Water Infrastructure Network (WIN) Coalition sent a letter to Senate leaders today asking for inclusion of additional funding for waste water Infrastructure when the package is considered in the Senate. 

On January 15, the House Democratic Leadership announced details of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Details of the $825 billion package were released by the House Appropriations and Ways and Means Committees. The total package consists of $275 billion in economic recovery tax cuts and $550 billion in targeted investments, coupled with several unprecedented accountability measures. �鶹��ý estimates that approximately $150 billion of the spending proposed in this bill would benefit the construction industry.

An alliance of utility and construction organizations that �鶹��ý helps lead, known as Common Ground Alliance, released new data showing that pipeline safety improved in 2007 over the previous year.  The group noted that there were fewer incidents and less damages over the previous year.  Much of the credit goes to a greater industry-wide commitment to safety as well as strong promotion of the national 811 “Call Before You Dig” number.

The Contractors Association of West Virginia helped sponsor a December 15 broadcast of the groundbreaking PBS documentary Liquid Assets, which highlights the health and safety threats of our nation’s long-neglected water infrastructure.  After the broadcast, local chapter members pulled together representatives from the EPA, the local water authorities and utility owners for a roundtable discussion on the state’s water needs.

The Common Ground Alliance (CGA), an organization focused on protecting underground utility lines and the safety of people who dig near them, recently announced findings from its fourth annual Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) Report, which calculated approximately 256,000 underground utility damages for 2007, which is significantly lower than estimates in previous years.Based on this new figure, there were roughly 700 incidents per day nationwide in 2007, compared to more than 1,200 per day during the first three years of the report, representing a 40 percent decline in underground utility damages that have the potential to cause injury or loss of life. Several factors that likely led to the 2007 reduction in damages include stakeholder support and promotion of 811 – the national call-before-you-dig number that launched in May 2007, of which �鶹��ý was the first national launch partner – Regional CGA efforts, implementation of CGA Best Practices and the use of new and proven technologies by excavators and locators. Click here to view the complete 2007 DIRT Report.CGA will host a teleconference on January 7, 2009 providing highlights of the 2007 DIRT report. Registration is free and this is a great opportunity to learn about what the CGA is doing to promote awareness about damage prevention.For more information and to register for the January 7 teleconference please click here.To learn more about �鶹��ý’s involvement in CGA and how you can be a part of the damage prevention solution contact Perry Fowler at (703) 837-1983 or fowlerp@agc.org

Bob Kipp, executive director of the Common Ground Alliance, and Vic Weston (Tri-State Road Boring in Baton Rouge), former �鶹��ý national treasurer, briefed a federal pipeline safety standards committee and made the case for more effective damage prevention measures.  The committee is working to set the federal government’s pipeline regulatory agenda for 2009, and Misters Kip and Weston made a strong case that states with poor underground infrastructure must make the safety of construction and utility workers a top priority.For more information, contact Perry Fowler at (703) 837-1983 or fowlerp@agc.org.

The national dialogue about infrastructure investment is gaining momentum and one of the challenges our industry faces is educating the public about substantial national and local investment needs.Investment in infrastructure is increasingly viewed as a means of quickly stimulating the economy, and providing good jobs by rehabilitating and replacing aging infrastructure. �鶹��ý of America has been a leader in our Advocacy for the inclusion of major funding for all types of infrastructure in the much discussed 2009 stimulus package.

The nation is focused on getting the economy back on track and an important component of the economic stimulus package is substantial investment in our national water infrastructure. When Congress returns in January one the top issues they will tackle is a stimulus package with a substantial infrastructure component. �鶹��ý has been working to educate Congress and the incoming Administration with the help of our industry allies such as APWA, AWWA , NACWA and the WIN Coalition. �鶹��ý is working with our partners to obtain and share data on water and wastewater projects that are ready to go which will provide much needed jobs in this time of financial uncertainty.

�鶹��ý of America is excited to announce this year's Highway & Utilities Contractors Issues Meeting, to be held from February 5th-7th, 2009 at the La Quinta Resort and Club in Palm Springs, California. This meeting is the premier gathering for contractors and related businesses involved in every aspect of highway and utility construction to hear about and discuss issues and trends in these markets, so mark your calendars now!Some of the Issues on the Agenda:Construction Industry Ethics and Compliance Program: Why You Need One, How to ImplementFlorida's Success with Disputes Resolution Boards for All Sized projectsPreparing Your Company for a Minneapolis Bridge DisasterOutlook on the New Congress and AdministrationSAFETEA-LU Reauthorization and Wastewater Trust FundImpact of Tight Credit Market on Public Works FundingFor more information and to register, visit the �鶹��ý website.