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Newsline Washington
APRIL 15, 2013
Work Zone Awareness Week Kicks Off Today “Roadway Work Zone Safety: We’re All in This Together.” That’s the theme for this year’s National Work Zone Awareness Week, which begins today and runs through Friday. Often overlooked by the news media, safety in roadway construction zones is a serious public health issue. An average of 600 people are killed and 40,000 are injured each year in accidents at these sites. Although most of
Obama’s FY 2014 Budget: Big on Transportation, But Revenues Still a Mystery
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Senate Panel Studies Impact of Panama Canal Expansion Witnesses at an April 10 hearing told members of the Senate Commerce Committee about the challenges to U.S. freight shipments that will result from the ongoing expansion of the Panama Canal slated for completion in 2015. Committee Chairman Senator John Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) emphasized the need for America to prepare its ports and waterways for Continued on page 4
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President Obama April 10 released his administration’s budget proposal for FY 2014 which begins October 1. In keeping with previous budgets and recent speeches, the President proposed a massive increase in infrastructure investment across all modes of transportation. Specifically the plan includes full funding of MAP-21 federal highway investment ($40.995 billion), $10.91 billion for public
transportation (a roughly $200 million increase over MAP21 levels), an immediate $40 billion “Fix-it-First” repair and maintenance program, $10 billion to spur state and local innovation, a $10 billion National Infrastructure Bank, and $40 billion for rail development over five years. The budget does propose cutting Airport Improvement Program capital grants from $3.35 billion to $2.9 billion, but would allow
large airports to increase their non-federal passenger facility charges to raise additional revenues for improvements. What is lacking is a detailed plan to pay for these worthwhile investments. The Congressional Budget Office calculates that revenues in FY 2015 would allow no more than $100 million of new highway Continued on page 2
ARTBA Washington Newsline
Presidential Budget Continued from page 1
investment that year, in effect wiping out the federal highway program. The transit program would also support no new spending. The Obama Administration’s budget proposes to use savings from the winding down of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan—sometimes called a “Peace Dividend”—and transfer $214 billion of these so-called savings over six years into a new Transportation Trust Fund supporting highway, transit, and rail investments. Based on ARTBA’s analysis of available information, the proposal would mean inflationary increases in the federal highway and transit programs and a big increase in the federal rail (passenger and freight) program over the period. House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) met the “Peace Dividend” approach with skepticism—“The Peace Dividend is not a real thing, it’s still deficit spending. And he hasn’t laid out how we pay for it and be fiscally responsible.”
Check out this one minute video about ARTBA’s upcoming events. Visit www.artba.org/events to learn more about each event and sponsorship opportunities.
Upcoming Events
2013
Visit our Events Page for more information. Federal Issues Program & TCC Fly-In June 3-5 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
Young Executive Development Program June 3-6 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
5th Annual Transportation Construction Law & Regulatory Forum June 5 Washington, D.C.
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ART BA Washington Newsline
25th Annual ARTBA P3 Conference July 24-26 Washington, D.C. [Add to Calendar]
ARTBA National Convention September 8-10 Milwaukee, Wis. [Add to Calendar]
Dr. J. Don Brock TransOvationTM Workshop & Awards Program October 28-30 San Jose, Calif.
Local Transportation Management Virtual Conference & Innovation Showcase (LoTransTM 2013) November 19-20
Regional Meetings
Western: December 2-3, Austin, Texas Central: December 4-5, St. Louis, Mo. Southern: December 9-10, Charlotte, N.C. Northeastern: December 11-12, Baltimore, Md.
Work Zone Awareness Week Continued from page 1
the fatalities are motorists, more than 100 of them are construction workers. The ARTBA Foundation-managed National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse is one of the sponsors of the week’s activities, along with other key industry organizations including FHWA, AASHTO and ATSSA. The national media kickoff, designed to increase public awareness of the hazards for motorists and workers, takes place Tuesday, April 16, in a work zone near ARTBA’s Headquarters in Washington, D.C. ARTBA staff and leaders will participate; our VIP representative is Manuel Rodrigues, vice president of Metro Paving Corp.
The National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse (www.workzonesafety.org) logo is featured on this billboard in southern Florida.
June 5 ARTBA Legal & Regulatory Forum
Products & Services Support ARTBA’s Foundation & 2013 Work Zone Safety Week
With National Work Zone Awareness Week scheduled starting today, the ARTBA Foundation has two popular products you can purchase to show your commitment to safety and also help support the “Lanford Family Highway Worker Memorial Scholarship Fund.” Work Zone Awareness Safety Ribbons: These one-inch-bythree-inch adhesive ribbons are made from retro-reflective orange tape and are the perfect accessory. Wear them on the jobsite or at meetings. Minimum order 15 ribbons per page for $15. Work Zone Safety Awareness Wristbands: The Livestrong Foundation first made them famous and now their are replicas all over the world. Wear your bright orange wristbands on the jobsite or at meetings to show your support for work zone safety. Minimum order 20 wristbands per bag for $40. To Purchase: www.artbastore.org
Major Obama Administration proposed changes to the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program, “best practices” in alternative dispute resolution, and the impacts of key 2012 legal developments on future infrastructure projects will be among the key topics of discussion during ARTBA’s 5th annual “Transportation Construction Law & Regulatory Forum” June 5 in Washington, D.C. Among the nation’s top construction law attorneys delivering presentations: William Penny, member, Stites & Harbison; Neal Sweeney, partner, Kilpatrick Townsend; Mike Branca, partner, Peckar & Abramson; Lorraine D’Angelo, senior vice president, Ethics and Compliance, Dragados; Chris Anzidei, Law Offices of Christopher Anzidei, PLLC; Matt DeVries, attorney, Stites & Harbison; and Chris Brasco, partner, Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald. For the first time, the forum will coincide with ARTBA’s Federal Issues Program (FIP) and Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) Fly-in, allowing industry professionals to participate in both events. Participants will also have the opportunity to attend a networking reception with the ARTBA Foundation’s Young Executive Development Program fellows and past ARTBA chairmen. Registration is $395 for past attendees, ARTBA committee members and those who register for the ARTBA FIP, $595 for ARTBA members and $750 for non-members. Professional development hours will be available. View the full schedule of events or contact ARTBA’s Sara Jones for more information. ARTBA Washington Newsline
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Overheard Differing Views on Obama’s Transportation Budget Proposal from Senate & House Panel Chairs: “His budget is moving toward balance. Of course he pays for it… he cuts other programs, he’s done cuts to EPA and lot of things I don’t like. But he pays for that infrastructure.” Senate EPW Chair Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), “Politico” April 11. “The peace dividend is not a real thing, it’s still deficit spending. And he hasn’t laid out how we pay for it and be fiscally responsible. I certainly agree that we need to make some of these investments in our infrastructure but it needs to be done in a fiscally responsible way.” House T&I Committee Chair Bill Shuster (R-Pa.), “Politico” April 11.
“Right now, we are the North Korea of fiscal policy. We’re living under the insane sequester that cuts those programs we should be increasing and spares exactly those old-age programs we should be reforming. Both parties should have incentive to get to a new fiscal regime.” April 12 op-ed, “Bold on Both Ends,” by David Brooks. 4
ART BA Washington Newsline
Legislative & Regulatory News Panama Canal Expansion Continued from page 1
vessels that will carry two and a half times the load of current ships. Witnesses called for a sustainable funding source to ensure the nation’s ports are deep enough to handle the next generation vessels and emphasized the need for highways, rail, and intermodal connections to be able to efficiently move goods. ARTBA has long advocated for greater investment in our nation’s ports and waterways and for a comprehensive national freight plan. The association is currently engaged in the federal Water Resources Development Act reauthorization process and is urging members of the House and Senate to boost investment in these vital transportation facilities.
technology on Amtrak trains and bringing rail stations into compliance with various laws. For purposes of overall comparison, the Federal Rail Administration’s (FRA) entire FY 2013 appropriation was only about $1.8 billion. The President proposed $6.6 billion for the FRA in FY 2014. Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo and Amtrak President & CEO Joseph Boardman told the panel that a long-term rail reauthorization is necessary to allow for long-range planning in lieu of a piecemeal approach. Boardman also noted Amtrak’s FY 2014 request was focused more on federal assistance for capital expenses as opposed to subsidizing operating expenses. Former House Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) once again proposed opening passenger rail service to private competition to reduce the need for federal assistance to Amtrak operations.
Rail Committee Kicks Off Reauthorization Process The House Subcommittee on Railroads April 11 informally began the process for reauthorizing the federal rail programs by examining President Obama’s FY 2014 budget request for the Federal Railroad Administration’s support of Amtrak. In FY 2014 the President requests—as part of a five-year, $40 billion rail proposal—$675 million for the Northeast Corridor, $300 million for state corridors, $800 million for Amtrak’s long-distance routes, and $925 million for upgrading “national assets” that include putting Positive Train Control
ARTBA News ARTBA & Allies Push for EPA Reform ARTBA and other industry stakeholders urged greater transparency for U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) activities in a pair of April 10 letters to the agency. In the first letter, ARTBA and more than 180 other associations and businesses urged EPA to cease its practice of using a “sue and settle” method to resolve regulatory disputes. Under “sue and settle,” anti-growth groups file lawsuits against EPA to force regulatory action against a project or its proponents. EPA then settles the suit by agreeing to the anti-growth groups’ request sometimes without giving supporters of a project a chance to defend themselves. ARTBA and more than 25 other industry associations separately urged members of the House Science Committee to approve H.R. 1422, the “EPA Science Advisory Board Reform Act of 2013,” which would increase peer review and participation in the EPA’s
Multimodal News
Fostering Innovation
A service of ARTBA’s multimodal councils, it features current transportation developments making news across all modes and regions. Contact Sara Jones to become a subscriber or visit www.artbamultimodal.org.
TRB Newsletter: April 9
Highlighting new research, technologies, industry best practices and information resources available to the transportation design and construction industry.
Science Advisory Board (SAB) activities. Improving the SAB process is important to the transportation sector as SAB is responsible for helping to construct many EPA rules, including Clean Air Act standards, that directly impact the transportation sector. The committee approved the bill 21-16. Both letters can be found in the “regulatory” section of www. artba.org.
Call for Nominations: ARTBA 2013 Women Leaders Awards The ARTBA Women Leaders in Transportation Design and Construction (WLTDC) Council is now accepting nominations for its annual awards program, which honors “extraordinary efforts of individuals, companies and public agencies that have demonstrated leadership and dedication to innovation in the transportation construction field as well as the promotion of women leaders within the industry.” The 2013 awards program includes three categories: •
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The Ethel S. Birchland Lifetime Achievement Award: Named after ARTBA’s executive director from the mid-1920s, it is given to at least one woman who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and long-term service in the industry’s public or private sectors. The Glass Hammer Award: Honors at least one company in the transportation construction industry that has innovative programs and activities directed at successfully promoting women leaders within their organization. Future Industry Spotlight Award: Recognizes two women students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate studies at a U.S. college or university who have achieved an outstanding academic record and demonstrated extraordinary leadership skills within and outside the academic environment.
ARTBA membership is not required. Nominations must be received by close of business July 12. Contact ARTBA’s Holly DiGangi with questions. Winners will be recognized at a special September 7 awards luncheon during ARTBA’s National Convention in Milwaukee, Wis.
2013 ARTBA Federal Issues Program & Transportation Construction Coalition Fly-In Featuring the ARTBA Foundation Awards Dinner
JUNE 3-5 Hyatt Regency Washington
View the 2013 Federal Issues Program schedule of events and sponsorship opportunities. LOCATION: Hyatt Regency Washington Register Online! For sponsorship opportunities, contact Ed Tarrant at 202.289.4434.
Download a PDF copy of the digital “Washington Newsline.” ARTBA Washington Newsline
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BEST-SELLING ARTBA SAFETY PRODUCTS
VIDEOS
Playing it Safe with PPE
Price: $99
Available in English and Spanish in the same download, or on DVD, this 20-minute video contains two segments. The first helps company managers understand what to look for when purchasing personal protective equipment (PPE) and provides tips on motivating workers to wear it. The second—and most valuable—is a “must-see” for your company’s employees. It compares scenes from sporting events to roadway construction work, educating workers about the importance of properly wearing their PPE even if they don’t see the hazards around them.
Flagging Fundamentals: 6 Steps to Safety
Price: $99
This DVD, also available in English and Spanish in the same download, provides the latest information to revitalize your organization’s flagging training programs with information from the most recent federal and industry standards. By focusing on six steps to safe flagging operations, the video is an excellent tool to refresh flaggers who may need to sharpen their skills and remember the basics of flagging operations. The program also includes assessment questions so instructors can ascertain the knowledge gained by their trainees.
Avoiding Runovers & Backovers
Price: $99
This 20-minute training video, aimed at helping managers, operators and workers, is available as a download or on DVD, and offers “common sense” tips and information about safe work procedures to reduce and eliminate the hazards which lead to death and injury for roadway construction workers.
These videos are available for purchase individually, or as a three-pack for $225.
BOOKS The OSHA Answer Book
Price: $85
The OSHA Answer Book, now in its 10 th edition —“The Anniversary Issue”—has been called an “excellent resource for any size business” by the “Washington Post.” According to “Forbes,” “It’s affordable and the author is an excellent writer… it’s worth more than the double the price.” With more than 100,000 copies sold, The OSHA Answer Book is your one-stop resource designed to provide you with quick answers to complicated issues. It includes: a complete listing of all OSHA’s recordkeeping regulations; sample forms to use; tips on what to do when an OSHA inspector shows up; coverage of all OSHA General Industry Regulations (1910) in easy-to-understand language; explanations of the Injury and Illness Prevention Program and how it applies to companies; and details on how the Obama Administration decides which workplaces to inspect.
The Hazard Communication Answer Book
Price: $150
“The Hazard Communication Answer Book,” the book covers the revised Hazard Communication Standard, also known as Hazcom, HCS, 29 CFR 1910.1200 and Right to Know. OSHA is aligning HCS with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), a global hazard communication system developed by the United Nations (UN) that standardizes the classification of chemicals and the communication of hazards via labels and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs). With GHS alignment, the classification of chemicals will include the categorization of hazards based upon severity. Other changes will significantly alter labels and safety data sheets. This book, which also includes a Written Hazard Communication Program companies can customize on a CD, will help you: learn about the New Labels and MSDS Sheets; what the GHS is, and why your understanding of it is crucial; how the New Standard will affect your workplace; what Changes are required in Classification, Labeling, and Employee Training; what are the new pictograms?; and practical tips for compliance that you can implement right away!
Check out the full list of safety products at www.artbastore.org, or contact 6
ART BA Washington ARTBA Sales Newsline Manager Peter Embrey: 202.289.4434, or pembrey@artba.org.
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