From the Ground Up
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Having Authority—and Being Responsible—for Another in Construction
Some folks just don’t get it—especially doctors. Classic case: healthcare construction. A doctor happens by the new medical office building you’re constructing for a hospital system to see the new clinic space and immediately starts telling a trade f...
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EPA Issues Historic Proposed Rule to Designate PFOS and PFOA as Hazardous Substances Under CERCLA
On August 26, 2022, EPA issued its long-awaited notice of proposed rulemaking to designate two commonly used per- and polyfluoralkyl substances (PFAS)—i.e., PFOS and PFOA, including their salts and structural isomers—as “hazardous substances” under C...
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The Recent Rise (and Future Fall?) of Environmental Justice
For the past few months, the federal government has emphasized environmental justice issues in legislation and executive actions. Both the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice have established Offices of Environmental...
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Seattle Tunnel Partners’ Bertha Case Sinks as Appeal Hits Dead End
In 2011, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) agreed to pay Seattle Tunnel Partners (STP) $1.35 billion to construct a new tunnel under Seattle under a design-build contract. The project came to an abrupt halt when Bertha, the tu...
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Shared Savings Clauses: Contracting for Cooperation Rather Than Confrontation
More than two years removed from the first reported case of COVID-19 in the United States, the construction industry continues to cope with the pandemic’s lasting effect on the costs of new construction projects. These impacts include soaring constru...
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EPA Issues New HAL for Four Commonly Used PFAS
After months of speculation, on June 15, 2022, EPA issued its drinking water health advisory for four commonly used PFAS: PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and PFBS. EPA’s drinking water health advisories provide information on the levels of a specific contaminant t...
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