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December 11, 2007 News for contractors and the construction industry   Industry Watch  Construction boom coming to Minnesota's Iron Range The Iron Range area of Minnesota is preparing for a construction boom. As many as 3,400 construction workers and 1,300 permanent employees will be needed at Minnesota Steel's mill, Mesabi Nugget's iron nugget plant and PolyMet Mining Corp.'s proposed copper, nickel and precious metals mine. South Washington County Bulletin (Cottage Grove, Minn.) (12/10) Plans to demolish asbestos-contaminated buildings gain support At least one environmentalist supports plans to demolish asbestos-contaminated buildings even if the asbestos hasn't been removed. Thousands of contaminated buildings around the country are still standing because demolition standards are too expensive, and Neil Carman, director of the clean air program of the Sierra Club's Lone Star chapter in Austin, Texas, said that's more dangerous than simply demolishing the buildings and that alternative demolition methods could reduce the risk. Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas) (12/11) Work begins on Skyline Drive section rebuild Work has started on a yearlong construction project to rebuilt sections of the 105-mile Skyline Drive in Virginia. The reconstruction project is to take place on a 34-mile section of the scenic road between the Thornton Gap entrance station and the intersection with U.S. 33. Daily Press (Newport News/Hampton, Va.)/Associated Press (12/9) Army Corps to take comment on levee building process The Army Corps of Engineers in New Orleans planned to seek comments Tuesday on environmentally just ways to improve the region's levee system. The meeting was to focus on the impact the construction could have on racial minority and low-income populations. The Times-Picayune (New Orleans) (12/11) Firefighters use mall demolition as training ground In order to make the most of the demolition of the Manassas Mall in Virginia, firefighters were allowed to come in and help with the job to practice rescue techniques. The firefighters approached Dietze Construction Group, which is handling the demolition and renovation, and were permitted to take their whacks at the walls of the vacant mall. The Washington Post (12/9) Commentary: New Orleans haulers can't handle building debris volume Construction debris generated by projects to clean up and rebuild parts of New Orleans ravaged by Hurricane Katrina appears to fall outside of the major garbage contracts. FEMA picked up some of the slack, but many parts of New Orleans are left with inadequate pick-up, according to this editorial. The Times-Picayune (New Orleans) (12/10)   Market Update  Saint-Gobain exec: U.S. construction sector to improve in 2009 The head of building materials group Saint-Gobain says the U.S. construction sector isn't likely to see a turnaround until 2009. In an interview, Piere-Andre de Chalendar said the valuation of companies was being lowered by a combination of factors, including the weak American dollar, the slowdown in the U.S. housing market and the subprime crisis. Reuters (12/10) Commentary: Lack of confidence, not money, hurts economy Dr. Irwin Kellner, chief economist for MarketWatch and North Fork Bank, argues that the trouble with the U.S. economy is not that there isn't enough money, but that the markets lack confidence. Kellner compares the current situation to that of the 1930s, which economist John Maynard Keynes dubbed a "liquidity trap." MarketWatch (12/11)   Product Innovation & Technology  Britain envisions nation powered by offshore wind turbines Britain's Energy Secretary says the country could generate enough energy with offshore wind turbines to provide power to all of the U.K.'s homes by 2020. The country plans 8 gigawatts of offshore wind farms, and another 25 GW could be added, but some are skeptical of the goal. Reuters (12/10) Other News World Bank launches $300 million forest preservation carbon fund AlertNet/Reuters (12/11)   News From Washington  Rangel drops proposal to raise tax on carried interest House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., has agreed to drop a proposed tax increase on carried interest. The measure had been opposed by hedge fund managers and private-equity firms, whose tax bills would have doubled under the proposal. Financial News Online (U.K.)/The New York Times (subscription required) (12/10)   Association News  AGC Audio Conference: Third annual economic forecast On Thursday, Dec. 13, 2-3:30 p.m. ET, AGC offers a glimpse at the "bigger picture" of the economy's direction in 2008. Naturally, what happens in the economy will have a direct impact on what may happen to your company. Find out what factors may impact your bottom line during this annual favorite audio conference. Can the industry keep up the pace in 2008? Will it be dragged down by a slowing economy? What segments and regions are most vulnerable? Join Ken Simonson, Dana Delano and John Cross -- all experts on the economy and construction materials -- as they assess the industry's prospects and take questions from listeners. For more information on the Audio Conference, please visit www.agc.org/EconForecast. For a complete listing of upcoming Audio Conferences and information on previous Audio Conferences, please visit www.agc.org/audioconferences AGC offers safety, risk-management help in Spanish With more than 20 titles offered in Spanish, AGC ensures that everyone in your company understands how to prevent injuries, manage risks and implement the highest safety standards. Visit www.agc.org for more information. 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