The U.S. House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee recently released a set of听memos听from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps or USACE) to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that stated their concerns with the鈥淲aters of the U.S.鈥� rule (WOTUS). The rule dramatically expands the scope of federal authority over water and land uses across the country. 听The rule has been finalized and is set to go into effect on Aug. 28.

OSHA July 29 issued a听proposed rule听clarifying an employer鈥檚 continuing obligation to make and maintain accurate records of reportable injuries and illnesses.

The Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council and the U.S. Department of Labor issued a second听extension for submitting comments听on the proposal implementing President Obama鈥檚 Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order 13673, commonly referred to as the 鈥渂lacklisting鈥� executive order, by 15 days to Aug. 26. The extension comes as a result of听Republican leaders of three congressional committees听requesting an extension of the comment period.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Naval Facilities Engineering Command have issued two surveys soliciting comments from the construction industry on the potential use of project labor agreements (PLA) on projects in Maryland and Kentucky.

ABC听filed a letter听July 23 with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) requesting an extension of the comment period on the department鈥檚 Wage and Hour Division鈥檚 (WHD) Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales and Computer Employees proposed rulemaking. Commonly referred to as 鈥渢he overtime proposal,鈥� the notice of proposed rulemaking was issued June 30.听

President Obama signed a three-month extension of federal highway funding on July 31, less than 24 hours before the funds were set to run out. The short-term extension of the Highway Trust Fund (HTF), which funds safety, highway, transit and other transportation-related programs, is the 34th听short-term, stopgap bill in the past six years.

On Aug. 3,听President Obama听and the听Environmental Protection Agency听(EPA) announced the final Clean Power Plan, which will cut power plant carbon emissions 32 percent below 2005 levels, by 2030. The rule is听among several released by EPA听that will听increase compliance听and听transaction costs听while creating uncertainty for America鈥檚 small businesses.

Contractors looking to enhance their employees鈥� project management skills can enroll them to take part in the听老牛影视Project Management Institute听held at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. The course includes two non-concurrent five-day sessions providing the students with tools to improve profitability and productivity and increase quality and customer satisfaction.