Welcome to the January issue of the BTEA FAST FOUR. This month’s construction industry brief offers important information about New York State’s reopening and moving the construction industry forward.

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Infrastructure NOW!

On December 14, BTEA New York hosted an important webinar entitled Infrastructure NOW!, the first in the Association's Business Builder Breakfast Series. Industry professionals from the private and public sector joined to discuss the $1 trillion dollar infrastructure bill that passed in Washington and its impact on New York State and New York City capital budgets. Panelists provided an in-depth analysis of the bill, identified what funding will be at play, what companies should think about and how MWBEs should prepare for the influx of projects.

Watch Discussion

Governor Hochul Launches New

Infrastructure Initiatives

Over the past month, Governor Kathy Hochul launched several exciting new infrastructure projects that will soon break ground. Projects are expected to stimulate job growth as well as put much-needed focus on New York State’s infrastructure upgrades.

Major Flood Risk Management Project on

Long Island

The launch of a major coastal storm risk management project was announced on December 17. This $1.7 billion project, led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District and in partnership with New York State, will reduce flood risk along 83 miles of coastline in Suffolk County, New York.

Port Authority’s JFK Transformation Project

On December 15, Governor Kathy Hochul and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) Executive Director, Rick Cotton, joined Delta Air Lines CEO, Ed Bastian, and JFK International Airport Terminal (JFKIAT) CEO, Roel Huinink, to kick-off the construction of a $1.5 billion expansion of JFK’s Terminal 4. This project is expected to create over 1,500 new jobs, including over 1,000 union construction jobs.

OSHA ETS on Vaccination and Testing

The 6th Circuit Federal Appeals Court ended a previous injunction that had paused the national regulations set to cover about 80 million American workers on December 17. The appeals court ruled the Biden Administration’s vaccine or test mandate for companies with 100 or more employees is valid and no longer suspended. OSHA announced employers will need to comply with the Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) by Monday, January 10, 2022 and implement testing provisions of the ETS by Wednesday, February 9, 2022.

Governor Hochul Signs Construction Industry Advisory Council Bill

Recently, Governor Kathy Hochul signed the Construction Industry Advisory Council Bill into law as Chapter 782. The bill, drafted by New York Electrical Contractors Association of New York (NYECA), has been met with heavy support from the industry, with BTEA New York and its members being one of its top supporters. The new law creates a 23-member temporary Advisory Council on Public Contracting Reform, with four members representing subcontractors, four representing MWBE contractors and three representing general contractors. The council will be the construction industry’s voice on many public contracting issues and provide recommendations to resolve them.

Building Trades Employers Association of New York (BTEA New York) is the construction contractor's unified advocate for construction safety standards, professional development, government affairs, public relations and fostering communication between public officials, public and private owners, labor and the general public. Realizing that a construction industry is essential to the vibrant future of New York City, its activities are dedicated to a building environment meeting the highest of environmental standards, integrity, cost efficiency, productivity and value that contributes to improving the quality of life in New York City. BTEA New York represents 26 Construction Manager, General Contractor, Subcontractor and Specialty Trade contractor associations with over 1,200 individual contractor members.

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