Industry Watch

• Constructing green buildings poses new liability risk
  Property/casualty insurers are refusing to cover a potential liability that may arise from constructing new buildings and other properties that do not comply with environmental efficiency standards. "There is certainly going to be litigation coming out soon around this issue, and insurance companies are waiting to see" the outcome before offering any coverage, an industry executive said. Business Insurance (11/2)

• Rock slide closes North Carolina interstate
  A rock slide that occurred last week will keep North Carolina's Interstate 40 closed for the next four months, officials say. Local leaders raised concerns about building the route through a gorge when it was first proposed. Completed in 1968, it has been shut down by landslides 10 times since 1972. Engineers have attempted to solve the problem by scaling back the slopes of the terrain, but the landslides persist because of "wedge failure" spots where planes of rock come together. Asheville Citizen-Times (N.C.) (11/1)

• Small airports projects receive earmark funding
  Airports that cater mainly to private planes have received $1.1 billion in funding for construction projects since 2001, according to a recent analysis. Lawmakers added the projects, known as earmarks, to annual spending bills. Airports have used the funds to extend runways to attract more corporate jets and renovate terminals used mostly by private pilots. Meanwhile, critics say some earmark projects are receiving funding instead of higher-priority projects. USA TODAY (11/2)

• 2 utilities hope to build Nevada power lines
  NV Energy and LS Power hope to build north-south electricity transmission lines in Nevada. A north-south line would give the owner the ability to secure contracts with renewable energy developers who will eventually build solar arrays, wind farms and geothermal plants across the state. LS Power has already secured the permits it needs to build a line and says it will start construction next summer. NV Energy will present its plan to regulators next month. Meanwhile, some observers say two lines are not necessary and could result in higher costs for consumers. Las Vegas Sun (11/1)

• Other News

• National Park Service issues building permits for Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
  Google/The Associated Press (10/30)

• Delaware attempts to stop Corps dredging project
  The News Journal (Wilmington, Del.) (10/30)

• Complex under construction collapses in India
  The Times of India (11/2)

Market Update

• Stimulus creates work for Oregon contractors, official says
  Doug Tindall, deputy director of Oregon's Department of Transportation's Highway Division, has overseen the infusion of $250 million in stimulus funds for infrastructure repair projects. In this Q-and-A, Tindall discusses the effect of the stimulus on contractors and the future of infrastructure funding in the state. He notes that funding from the stimulus package allowed the state to spend an additional $45 million for work on infrastructure projects in July and August. Statesman-Journal (Salem, Ore.) (free registration) (11/1)

• Column: Grants may cover 30% of renewable energy projects
  The stimulus package includes cash grants of up to 30% for certain renewable energy projects, writes Michael Williamson, chairman of the real estate group in the Los Angeles office of Buchalter Nemer. In this article, Williamson explains the application process as well as how to determine if a project qualifies for a grant. He notes that some projects that started construction in 2008 may be eligible for grant funds. GlobeSt.com (10/30)

• Report: Transportation funding creates green jobs
  A recent report found that each $1 billion invested in public transportation supports an average of 36,000 jobs that, in turn, generate $3.6 billion in business sales. The American Public Transportation Association report noted that federal funding for transportation projects has the potential to create green jobs that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Oregonian (Portland) (10/30)

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Product Innovation & Technology

• Husqvarna debuts demolition robot in U.S.
  Sweden's Husqvarna unveiled the DXR 310 demolition robot for the U.S. market. Concrete-removal company Bluegrass used the robot to demolish two industrial kilns at a Georgia paper-manufacturing plant. "The DXR ran great, we had zero downtime," said Bluegrass service manager Curt Ryals. "Every function operated like you thought it would." Demolition & Recycling International online (10/30)

• Online plan rooms may help contractors cut costs
  Combining online plan rooms with back-office software has the potential to help contractors and subcontractors share information, save time and reduce expenses, experts say. One recent release is American Reprographics' PlanWell DataBridge, an online plan room that allows PlanWell Enterprise plan rooms and Meridian Systems' Prolog software to exchange information. ConstrucTech (free registration) (10/30)

• European satellite will track water movement
  A Russian Rockot launcher lifted a satellite that will track the impact of climate change on the movement of water into space. European Space Agency officials say the satellite will provide the first measures of Earth's surface soil moisture and ocean salinity from space. They also say the satellite will help scientists predict extreme weather events and calculate Earth's carbon cycle. Google/Agence France-Presse (11/1)

Featured Content

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by AGC SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• Rare crane will arrive in Missouri this week (The Kansas City Star (Mo.))

• Cracks in ramps at Yankee Stadium raise concerns (San Jose Mercury News (Calif.))

• California's Bay Bridge closes after cable snaps (Google)

• California officials probe Bay Bridge incident (The Wall Street Journal)

• Construction will decline by 14% in 2009, consulting firm says (Building Design + Construction)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

SmartPulse

• Poll: Which of the following do you think will have the most effect on your business in 2010?
  Look out for the AGC SmartBrief Year-End Report on Dec. 8 and 15. The results of this poll will appear in Part 2 on Dec. 15.

	The economy/credit problems
	Health care legislation
	The climate-change / cap-and-trade bill
	Unemployment

News From Washington

• More challenges await climate-change measure in Senate
  The Senate's climate-change legislation is expected to face more problems as the measure has deeply divided Democrats and provoked opposition from key Republicans, dimming the prospects for its approval. This comes even as Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., supported the bill, which was co-written by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. The senators are scheduled Wednesday to talk with Energy Secretary Steven Chu, White House climate adviser Carol Browner and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar for a possible compromise on the proposal. The Washington Post (11/2)

• Other News

• EPA: American Electric must test coal-ash site
  Google/The Associated Press (10/31)

Association News

• Excavation & Trenching Package
  The Excavation & Trenching Training Manual & CD-ROM work very nicely in combination with "In the Trenches: Excavation Safety for Workers" DVD and "Construction Standards for Excavation." Whether you are training to become an Excavation Competent Person or providing jobsite excavation & trenching training, these products work together to provide a complete experience. To purchase copies, visit www.agc.org/bookstore, keyword "Excavation."

• Build your skills with AGC's Project Management Course
  In the competitive construction industry, it pays in loyalty and quality when you invest in the professional development of your people. Years of experience and on-the-job training can provide crucial knowledge to perform tasks at hand, but the best professionals constantly seek to learn about new technologies and techniques to improve their overall output on site and in the office. The AGC Construction Project Manager Course (PMC) provides you and your project managers the chance to hone the skills necessary to work more efficiently, increase productivity and propel your construction business to the next level. Learn more.

SmartQuote

Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory." --George S. Patton Jr., World War II general