Judge orders inspection of privately funded border wall segment

The 3.5-mile section of the wall is built too close to the Rio Grande, has suffered from erosion and could fall into the river, according to experts who have examined it.

By Kim Slowey • July 14, 2020

Readers Respond: Environmental laws are important for construction

While many readers said President Donald Trump's recent rollbacks of environmental regulations will reduce costs and speed up timelines, 71% said there should be no more loosening of these types of laws.

By Jennifer Goodman • July 2, 2020

COVID-19 presents new challenges for minority-owned construction firms

The coronavirus' economic fallout could make it more difficult to find minority-owned companies for public and other projects.

By Kim Slowey • June 30, 2020

Supreme Court denies request to halt border wall construction

In a 5-4 decision, the court refused to stop construction on the U.S.-Mexico border wall.

By Kim Slowey , Zachary Phillips • Updated Aug. 3, 2020

SeaWorld's properties in Central Florida rack up $23M worth of construction liens

GCs and subs including Balfour Beatty and Rocky Mountain Amusements filed the claims after several theme parks were shut down in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Kim Slowey • June 23, 2020

House Democrats introduce $1.5T infrastructure bill

The bill includes $500 billion in green measures at the same time construction industry groups have called for additional streamlining of environmental and permitting reviews.

By Kim Slowey • June 22, 2020

$8B Atlantic Coast Pipeline project canceled due to legal uncertainties

The decision reflects increasing issues surrounding large-scale energy and industrial infrastructure development in the United States, according to Dominion Energy Chairman Thomas Farrell.

By Kim Slowey • Updated July 6, 2020

Court rejects bid for OSHA COVID-19 emergency standard

Construction industry groups applauded the decision regarding a lawsuit from the AFL-CIO requesting a temporary emergency standard to address coronavirus in the workplace.

By Jennifer Goodman • June 12, 2020

Fluor shareholder sues execs, directors, alleging low bids cost firm billions

The derivative lawsuit asks for restitution due to the actions of company directors and executives, as well as for business reforms and greater shareholder input.

By Kim Slowey • June 11, 2020

Construction unions call on Massachusetts governor to strengthen COVID-19 protections

The Massachusetts Building Trades Council wants more worker protections regarding coronavirus, such as the right to stop work and not lose out on pay.

By Kim Slowey • June 9, 2020

White House loosens environmental law to speed up infrastructure projects

Industry groups including the Associated Builders and Contractors praised the Trump administration's updates to the National Environmental Policy Act, which are designed to streamline the project approval process.

By Kim Slowey • Updated July 16, 2020

New York City reopens nonessential construction work

Phase 1 is underway, allowing construction to reboot on almost 32,500 nonessential projects across the city's five boroughs. 

By Kim Slowey • June 8, 2020

Justice Department joins whistleblower lawsuit against AECOM

The lawsuit, originally filed in 2016 but unsealed last week, claims that the contractor and other defendants knowingly inflated repair estimates for post-Hurricane Katrina FEMA work.

By Kim Slowey • June 5, 2020

House Democrats introduce $494B transportation bill

Construction industry officials say comprehensive legislation could generate construction jobs and help with the post-COVID-19 economic recovery. 

By Kim Slowey • June 4, 2020

What new PPP loan guidance means for contractors

The clarifications are intended to make the Paycheck Protection Program more flexible for construction and other businesses while Congress works to expand some of the program's parameters.  

By Kim Slowey • June 2, 2020

Residents near Amazon's $1.5B Kentucky air hub project sue Whiting-Turner Kokosing JV

Homeowners within a mile of the jobsite at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport said the blasting and other earthwork activity has caused damage to their houses. 

By Kim Slowey • June 2, 2020

Who pays for extra time, work to keep construction workers safe?

There's no simple answers to this and other COVID-19 jobsite questions, says one construction attorney.

By Jennifer Goodman • May 29, 2020

OSHA issues new COVID-19 guidance

The agency's latest workplace enforcement guidance for contractors details how to determine if a coronavirus case is work related.

By Kim Slowey • May 29, 2020

Michigan judge rules that state safety violations are not felonies

Judge Christopher Murray ruled that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer exceeded her authority when she set possible felony penalties for contractors and other employers that violate her coronavirus safety orders.

By Kim Slowey • Updated June 10, 2020

What does Maryland's Purple Line project team breakup mean for P3s?

Although one of the country's most-watched public-private partnerships has stalled, the delivery method has advantages for many large civil projects, experts say.

By Kim Slowey • May 27, 2020

The Dotted Line: How will clients approach contracts post-pandemic?

Owners will likely demand more flexibility in future construction contracts so they can easily suspend or stop projects, as well as mitigate their risk.

By Kim Slowey • May 26, 2020

Mechanics liens up 40% as COVID-19 pandemic disrupts industry

The increase in liens filed from January through March indicates that contractors and suppliers took action to protect their payments as projects began to shut down in response to the novel coronavirus.

By Kim Slowey • May 21, 2020

How construction firms can prepare for a potential second wave of COVID-19

Although work is restarting in most jurisdictions, contractors can't let their guard down regarding coronavirus precautions for the future.

By Kim Slowey • May 18, 2020

HVAC worker sues for overtime, PPE

The fired Florida worker alleges that his previous employer did not provide PPE to protect him from COVID-19 and that he was misclassified as a salaried employee.

By Lisa Burden • May 18, 2020

What contractors need to know about the Paycheck Protection Program

Attorneys say the big takeaway for construction firms that use PPP loans is to document everything — from the decisions that led to their applications to how they used the proceeds.

By Kim Slowey • May 13, 2020