GUCA Blog

Help Us Support The Sustainable Water Infrastructure Investment Act

gucablog — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 19:29:37 +0000

Georgia is in dire need of jobs and money. Georgia Utility Contractor members are in dire need of work and money. With private investors leery of lending for risky projects, government contracts seem to be the only place to turn for work. With no other options, vying for local, state or federally funded projects is becoming increasingly competitive. Is there no solution to this growing problem? GUCA says there is; H.R. 1802.

What is H.R. 1802 you ask? It represents the bill entitled the Sustainable Water Infrastructure Investment Act. The Act, if approved, will provide much needed funds for updating and repairing water infrastructure, including wastewater systems, through out the nation through private capital investment. Currently there is a cap on how much a private investor can put into a public works job. This bill will remove the cap and allow municipalities to contract with private investors to fund these types of projects. If this bill were passed, it could generate an estimated $5 billion in private capital nation-wide.

As of today, the bill has 50 co-sponsors and will hopefully reach the House floor after November 23.

How do we make this happen you ask? Be proactive! Write your representatives! GUCA along with other GUCA associate members have already been sending letters to our senators and house representatives to encourage them to sponsor this bill when it comes to a vote. While every effort helps, GUCA can only do so much. We need you, the constituents, to write your congressmen to tell them how important this is to you and toGeorgia. Creating more privately funded projects could help alleviate the work-woes that many of us are facing. It could also create thousands of jobs inGeorgia.

If you aren’t sure what to write or who to send a letter to, give us a call. We know what to say and where your letter needs to go. Remember, this letter may take 30 minutes of your time, but it could mean the difference in being in business or not over the next few years.

Raising Awareness About Work Zone Safety: Georgia Struck By Alliance

gucablog — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 13:19:49 +0000

On August 30, GUCA staff members Scott Brumbelow and Megan Murren attended a committee meeting for Georgia Struck By Alliance (GSBA). For those of you who are unfamiliar with GSBA, the purpose of the effort is to reduce, mitigate, and eliminate work zone fatalities, and to raise cognizance of the dangers in work zones. Specifically, roadway work zones where risks and dangers are greatest to both workers and motorists. The alliance is a collaborative effort with many organizations including GUCA, Georgia Power, Associated General Contractors, OSHA, 3M Protective Apparel and Footwear Market Center, and the Georgia DOT, just to name a few. One of the biggest topics of the meeting was, what is the greatest threat to people in the work zone? Is it workers who are either uneducated about safety practices, or unwilling to follow safety practices; or is the greatest danger, and the cause of the majority of fatalities, distracted motorists? The committee talked at length specifically about young drivers who present a unique danger because their inexperience is often mixed with distracted driving; whether it is texting, playing with the I-pod, or just trying to manage teenage hormones! With such a dangerous problem, the committee brainstormed about solutions. As many of you with teenagers know, driver’s education has been widely eliminated from high school curriculums. One committee member commented that although the DMV administers a driving test; it is only sufficient to test knowledge of the driving rules and not necessarily care and skill. The same member suggested that GSBA initiate some sort of “Incident-Free Day.” The initiative would go something like this; GSBA would pick an arbitrary date, for example May 7, 2012. That day would be designated as “Incident Free Day in Atlanta.” The purpose of the day is to raise awareness about the dangers of work zones to both workers and motorists, all while trying to accomplish an incident-free, meaning no work zone injuries or fatalities, day in the metro-Atlanta area. If Atlanta can go one day incident free, then the hope is that it can go a string of consecutive days with out a work zone-related incidents. However, hype leading up to the Incident Free Day is a crucial aspect as they hype raises awareness. So GUCA wants to know, do you think Atlanta can do it? Can motorists stop texting and driving in order to protect our workers? On a smaller scale, could you make your morning commute tomorrow without sending one text or checking one email while driving (it’s illegal, you know)? For you on the jobsite, can you go one whole day with your workers doing everything by the book; wearing safety vests, following proper flagging techniques and observing other OSHA standards? Or, is there a better way to raise awareness and to educate both motorists and workers about work zone safety? Let us know your thoughts!

Georgia DIG LAW and EDEN

gucablog — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 12:49:28 +0000

As our organization and its members work hard to be the leaders of our industry, we also must strive to be leaders in technology. In the past 40 years, since GUCA’s inception, we have seen many changes in technology, from green screens, to plasma screens; from analog to digital; and cable to fiber optic. Most of us can agree that although advances in technology are often convenient and aid in speeding up work, sometimes advances in technology can be burdensome – like cell phones for example; who knew that such a convenience was going to require the world to be on call 24/7? With that in mind, Georgia 811 has recently updated its technology with the EDEN (Excavation Digging Event Notification). For those of you who are unaware, the EDEN is intended to make the call and locate process smoother for excavators. Excavators are able to check the status of their locate requests with their locate ticket by either dialing 811 or checking online at ga811.com and accessing PRIS (Positive Response Identification System). What GUCA wants to know is; have you been utilizing this technology? If so, who on your job site is using it? Are you calling or using the website? If you are using the website, are you accessing the site wirelessly from the job site? Have you been able to find out the status of your locate requests? Has the information been accurate and up-to-date? Has access to that information sped up the locate process or burdened the process further? As always, your feedback helps GUCA work more efficiently as the voice of the industry. So please, comment away!

What does 2011 bring for the Construction Industry?

gucablog — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 18:55:36 +0000

We have heard the information from Economic Forecaster Dr. Raheev Dhawan about the economy in 2011. It looks bleak. Most utility contractors say we will be flat which means it will not go down but it certainly will not go up. Most think we will not see a recovery until the Summer 2011.

What do you think? What have you seen on the horizon? Do you think it is all tied to the banks that have all the bad loans? Do you think the economy is tied to other factors? We would like to have your input. Tell us what you see out there in the construction industry!

Help Support Full Repeal of New 1099 Reporting

gucablog — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 15:52:24 +0000

As a nonprofit organization we strongly oppose the new 1099 reporting requirements contained in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (P.L. 111-148).

According to the American Society of Association Executives the new requirement, which was included in the healthcare bill without a public hearing or submission of public comments, would pose a major paperwork burden on all small businesses, many of whom have few employees. By requiring an employer to issue a 1099 for every $600 payment, or for any series of payments that cumulates to $600 or more during the tax year will drastically increase the amount of time staff spends on paperwork and compliance.

The provision was included as a way to raise revenue for the health care legislation, but there is no guarantee that it will do so. A July report issued by The Office of the Taxpayer Advocate reiterates that “the new reporting burden, particularly as it falls on small businesses, may turn out to be disproportionate as compared with any resulting improvement in tax compliance.” While the provision may increase correct tax filings, it will certainly increase business costs.

Write your Georgia Senators (Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss) today. There are two repeal amendments that will be considered Monday, November 29 on the food safety bill: SA 4702 and SA 4713

The Johanns Amendment (S.Amdt 4702) which is a full repeal with an offset from unused stimulus funds
The Baucus Amendment (S.Amdt 4713) which is a full repeal with no offset

Davis-Bacon Wage Survey Needs Your Attention

gucablog — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 15:11:10 +0000

It is important that all Georgia contractors respond to the Davis-Bacon Wage Survey that is being sent out. While most construction companies in Georgia have always paid well above the prevailing wage, there are some parts of the State that this would not be the case. During a time when there was plenty of construction work and laborers were far and few many companies were paying premium salaries just to keep employees from leaving. This is not the case today. There are plenty of laborers, if they want to work, and prices for construction projects are low and so are salaries. It would be a shame to be put in a box by the Federal Government to pay a high prevailing wage when the area or need did not justify it.

The form is easy to fill out and can be found by visiting:

http://www.dol.gov/whd/programs/dbra/wd-10.htm

So, let you voice be heard in Washington DC. This is your chance to keep construction salaries in check. Believe me, the unions are being agressive about these surveys. It is time the open shop states stand up and be counted also!

Development Foreclosures

gucablog — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 13:19:00 +0000

Contractors are hired by developers to do sitework and utility systems on their developments. Developers borrow money from the banks for their projects but do not use the money to pay the contractors. Contractors file a lien against the developer/property, and the developers then file for bankruptcy. The bank takes over the property and the liens go away. The bank sells the property and the contractor is STILL NOT PAID and the new owner gets the benefit of the developed property. The contractor needs a way to get paid for these projects as contractors still have to pay for supplies and labor. What do you think about this issue? Considering the current economy and the major hits the construction industry has taken, should the Georgia Utility Contractors Association, Inc. continue pursuing legislative changes to right this wrong being done to contractors who have invested their time and money into these projects and are losing financially to the developers and banks?

Please also take the time to peruse the Development Foreclosure Survey which has been posted to the blog. GUCA contractor members are encouraged to fill the survey out and return it to the GUCA office so your companies can be part of the statistics.

Healthcare Bill Alert

gucablog — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:03:33 +0000

To say that harmful onerous construction provisions were added to the healthcare bill would be the biggest understatement of the year.

Join the fifteen or so construction groups including the NFIB and Chamber of Commerce in fighting this. Send your letter today! Most Senators did not even know this was secretly put in!

Please refer to the pages on this blog titled Healthcare Press Release and Healthcare Sample Letter!

What to do about that Asbestos Pipe

gucablog — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:37:09 +0000

More and more utility contractors are finding that they are being asked to remove asbestos containing pipe (ACP). We get the question, “Am I allowed to move, cut, or take ACP out of the ground?” The answer would be no, unless you are licensed with EPD as an abatement contractor. You may be tempted to hire a licensed abatement contractor but most are not licensed utility contractors, therefore, cannot get in your trench to move the pipe.

Let’s take a closer look at some parameters. Basically what has brought this to light is that all ACP dating back before 1981 is considered a Class II hazard by OSHA. This means if you don’t have the proper HAZMAT training or, HAZMAT protection in place the fines are pretty hefty. Then, you can also be fined by EPD if you are not a licensed EPD abatement contractor. Another big issue is your business insurance and healthcare coverage for your employees. Most policies have an exclusion for asbestos, which means your company is not covered for this activity. You could even jeopardize your ability to keep your bonding capacity if you are found to be removing asbestos pipe. It was recently discovered to be a problem if your employees are removing ACP and they are covered under the company Health Benefit package in which this practice is not included.

Once ACP has been cut and made friable, meaning it has turned into dust, you have to follow EPA/OSHA guidelines for safe removal.

Why does ACP need to be moved?

The big commotion about removing ACP came to light last year when the Georgia DOT asked cities and counties to remove ACP from their right-of-ways. After some utility contractors were being asked to remove ACP, GUCA Lobbyist Mo Thrash tracked language introduced by Representative John Lunsford to address this issue and to help cities and counties. HB 101 gave them options as the cost of removing ACP may prove to not be in the best interest of the city or county. Following is language we hope you share with cities and counties and especially engineers or the Georgia DOT who may be asking the ACP be removed.

HB 101 SECTION 1.

Title 32 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to highways, bridges, and ferries, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
“32-4-4.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term ‘entity’ means a county, a municipality, a consolidated government, or a local authority.
(b) Whenever existing utility facilities owned and operated by an entity contain asbestos pipe and such pipe exists in the rights of way and of any road, bridge, or other transportation project authorized pursuant to this title, and the entity determines that such pipe should no longer be utilized, the entity that owns and operates the utility facility shall have the discretion to:
(1) Remove and dispose of the asbestos pipe in accordance with federal laws and regulations;
(2) Leave the asbestos pipe in place and fill it with grout or other similar substance designed to harden within the pipe; or
(3) Allow the pipe to remain undisturbed in the ground and take no further action.
(c) At the request of the department or entity, any asbestos pipe left in the right of way as authorized by subsection (b) of this Code section shall be marked so as to be locatable.
(d) Any costs, claims, or other liability associated with the entity’s decision pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code section shall be borne by the entity and may be subject to offset by the department.”

Of course, you are advised to seek legal advice when you see stipulations in your contract to remove ACP. You are urged to report any illegal activity regarding companies removing this pipe without a license to do so.

$144 MILLION FOR GEORGIA INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS

gucablog — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:01:43 +0000

Stimulus Money Is Here

Come and Get It

The Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority (GEFA) board of directors has approved the State Revolving Fund (SRF) for 2009. The Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds for 2009, which includes the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding, totals more than $144 million for Georgia. The funds will go toward improving our State’s water and sewer infrastructure, but will also provide the jobs and cash flow our industry so desperately needs. The GEFA has identified 203 projects as fundable and an estimated disbursement schedule has been approved.

Follow the links below to find out what projects in your area are shovel ready. Get ready to start bidding!

http://www.gefa.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=771 Clean Water SRF
http://www.gefa.org/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=772 Drinking Water SRF