Construction Adds 19,000 Jobs in March, While Project Spending Rises for 12th Straight Month in February; Officials Warn of Growing Challenges

Construction Adds 19,000 Jobs in March, While Project Spending Rises for 12th Straight Month in February; Officials Warn of Growing Challenges

Construction employment climbed by 19,000 jobs between February and March, while spending on construction projects rose for the 12th month in a row in February, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association leaders warned that further gains may stall unless the supply of workers and…

Equal Pay: How Women Can Benefit From a Career in Construction

Equal Pay: How Women Can Benefit From a Career in Construction

The disruptions of the pandemic led to not only job losses but also the Great Resignation, with many Americans reevaluating their careers and searching for better opportunities. While some areas are recovering, studies from the Pew Research Center, the National Bureau of Economic Research, and others suggest that more women have lost their jobs overall,…

CenterPoint Energy Electric Transmission and Distribution Business Files Distribution Cost Recovery Factor Application

CenterPoint Energy Electric Transmission and Distribution Business Files Distribution Cost Recovery Factor Application

CenterPoint Energy announced recently that its Texas electric transmission and distribution business, CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric, filed an application for a Distribution Cost Recovery Factor (DCRF) adjustment with the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) and the cities in its service area. DCRF is an interim rate adjustment that, if approved, permits an electric utility…

Dallas News: Jenny Barket Joins DART as Chief of Staff

Dallas News: Jenny Barket Joins DART as Chief of Staff

After an extensive nationwide search, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is pleased to announce that Jenny Barket will join the agency on May 15 as the new chief of staff. Serving as a senior advisor to DART president & chief executive officer Nadine Lee, Barket will lead a variety of strategic, tactical, and operational initiatives…

Port Houston Commits to Carbon Neutrality by 2050

Port Houston Commits to Carbon Neutrality by 2050

Port Houston recently announced its goal to be carbon neutral in the next 30 years. Port officials plan to achieve a net-zero GHG footprint by 2050 by upgrading technology, improving infrastructure and equipment, and utilizing alternative fuels and clean energy sources.  “Our goal is ambitious, but we must be practical in how we achieve it….

HCC Continues To Be a Champion for the Small Business Community

HCC Continues To Be a Champion for the Small Business Community

Acclaimed as one of the largest community colleges in the nation, the Houston Community College System (HCC) is also acclaimed for being impactful as a champion for the small business community.  In addition to HCC’s various programs and efforts for small businesses, the Small Business Development Program (SBDP) remains an award-winning program within HCC, driving…

Architecture Department Head Elevated to AIA College of Fellows

Architecture Department Head Elevated to AIA College of Fellows

By Texas A&M Department of Architecture  Exceptional contributions to architecture, design education, and society have elevated Greg Luhan, head of the Texas A&M Department of Architecture, to membership in the prestigious American Institute of Architects’ College of Fellows, a distinction held by only three percent of AIA members. An investiture ceremony for Luhan and this…

Congress Again Works To Meet Government Funding Deadline

Congress Again Works To Meet Government Funding Deadline

After passing a short-term three-week extension of government funding in February, Congress is again faced with an impending deadline to fund the government by March 11. This gives lawmakers a week to finalize and pass a full fiscal year (FY) 2022 funding package that would set new spending levels for the year after multiple continuations…

Construction Industry Adds 60,000 Jobs in February as Hourly Wages Post Steepest Rise Since 1982; Competition for Workers Expected To Intensify   

Construction Industry Adds 60,000 Jobs in February as Hourly Wages Post Steepest Rise Since 1982; Competition for Workers Expected To Intensify   

Construction employment climbed by 60,000 jobs between January and February as hourly pay rose at the steepest pace in nearly 40 years, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released today. Association leaders urged officials in Washington to boost support for career training and education to enable more…

Construction Spending Rose in January From December and January 2021

Construction Spending Rose in January From December and January 2021

Construction spending increased in January compared to both December and a year ago, with strong gains in private nonresidential and residential construction but mixed results for public spending, according to an analysis of federal spending data the Associated General Contractors of America released today. Association leaders urged Washington officials to speed the award of funds…

API Letter Calls on Biden Administration to Support American Energy Leadership

API Letter Calls on Biden Administration to Support American Energy Leadership

Ahead of the State of the Union Address, American Petroleum Institute (API) President and CEO Mike Sommers sent a letter to Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Jennifer Granholm and other administration officials outlining steps key regulatory agencies should take to ensure long-term American energy leadership and security at a time of increased geopolitical volatility.  “Recent…

API Statement on US Ban of Russian Crude Oil and Refined Products

API Statement on US Ban of Russian Crude Oil and Refined Products

By Subcontractors USA News Provider American Petroleum Institute (API) President and CEO Mike Sommers issued the following statement following an announcement from the White House to ban imports of Russian crude oil and refined products into the United States. “We support the US government and our allies in their collective efforts against Russia’s unprovoked invasion…

API Publishes First-Edition Document Enhancing Safety of Onshore Drilling and Production

API Publishes First-Edition Document Enhancing Safety of Onshore Drilling and Production

By Subcontractors USA News Provider Today the American Petroleum Institute (API) published an important first-edition document focused on improving the safety of onshore drilling and production operations. API Bulletin 16H, Automated Safety Instrumented Systems for Onshore Blowout Preventer Actuation, is the first upstream document that provides information on existing and emerging technologies to bring a…

OSHA Publishes Interim Final Rule for Handling Retaliation Complaints Under the Taxpayer First Act

OSHA Publishes Interim Final Rule for Handling Retaliation Complaints Under the Taxpayer First Act

By Subcontractors USA News Provider  The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently published an interim final rule establishing procedures and time frames for handling employee retaliation complaints under the Taxpayer First Act. The Taxpayer First Act, enacted July 1, 2019, protects employees who report underpayment of taxes or other potential federal…