MUNICIPAL UTILITIES SERVICES & ACTIVITIES |
EDUCATIONAL PRESENTATIONS
The Municipal-Utilities Division has taken a leadership role in ongoing educational outreach. The Division has presented on topics such as:
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Construction Safety
- Perspectives on the Design-Build Project Delivery System
- Appropriate Risk Allocation
AGC's risk allocation product line, which includes a booklet Enlightened Risk Allocation: The Twenty-first Century Owner's Guide
to Cost Effectiveness and videotape Managed Risk or Wild Gamble: Enlightened Risk Allocation were developed by M-U Division members
in cooperation with the American Consulting Engineers Council (ACEC).
The Division also presented a satellite videoconference,
"Preventing Excavation Damage: What You Can't See CAN Hurt You" for the American Public Works Association. The four and one half-hour
conference, one of the largest ever produced by APWA, reached over 3000 public works officials at 83 downlink sites across North America.
ACTIVE LOBBYING ON CAPITOL HILL AND WITH FEDERAL REGULATORY AGENCIES
AGC advocates the following issues and programs with the federal government:
- Investment in the Nation's Water and Wastewater Infrastructure
- Stable Annual Funding for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund
- Stable Annual Funding for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
Division representatives have frequently testified before the US Senate and House of Representatives concerning the need
to provide high funding levels for these programs.
APPROPRIATIONS
The Division works with Congress each year during the appropriations process to ensure that funds authorized are provided in the budget. AGC has been Successful in helping to obtain increases in funding levels in the past.
FEDERAL AGENCIES
The Division maintains a working relationship with the US EPA and the Rural Development Administration on their wastewater treatment grant program and state revoiving loan fund programs. AGC works with EPA on regulations that impact contractors, such as stormwater runoff and clean air sanctions.
DIG SAFELY NATIONAL DAMAGE PREVENTION AWARENESS PROGRAM
The Damage Prevention Quality Action Team (DAMQAT), a government and industry team overseen by the Office of Pipeline Safety, produced the Dig Safely one-call awareness program. Dig Safely is available to one-call centers wishing to replace or augment existing programs. Division efforts to enhance the program's appeal to excavators were publicly recognized as instrumental by the US Secretary of Transportation.
US DOT ONE-CALL BEST PRACTICES STUDY EFFORTS
Municipal-Utilities Division contractors and staff represented AGC on the US Department of Transportation's One-Call Best Practices Study and were successful in efforts to protect contractor interests on one-call issues. These Issues covered inclusion of an 18-inch width of locate as a best practice, equity in fines and penalties among stakeholders and avoiding pre-quallfication of contractors. Recognition of "shared responsibility" among all stakeholders in the one call process as opposed to finger pointing at contractors was the biggest achievement to come out of the best practices process.
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228.896.3553 - Gulfport, MS