Construction Owners & Builders Law Blog

On April 21, new lead paint rules applicable to housing and certain child care schools and facilities built prior to 1978 go into effect.  Lead exposure can cause brain damage; exposure prior to age six is especially dangerous.

Contractors and owners can find the EPA's regulations on lead paint in Title 40, Part 745 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Visit The Illinois Construction Law Blog for a great summary of these new rules.

The Federal Contracting Law Blog reports that  in January  President Obama signed a presidential memorandum instructing the IRS to audit all federal contractors.  The audit will prevent companies that owe back taxes from obtaining more federal work.

A California appellate court decision banning "binding mediation" is discussed over at May It Please the Court.

Make the arbitration clause one-sided and give yourself, but not the other party, a way to opt out and the clause is unenforceable according to a recent ruling by the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

I've joined the debate over the wisdom of the paperless office over at The Illinois Trial Practice Weblog.

The National Home Builders Association believes a recent decision by the Supreme Court confirms the E.P.A. is exceeding its authority in requiring builders to secure water discharge permits

How FEMA's new elevation requirements and Biloxi's politicians ran the New Urban architects hired to plan the City's re-construction out of town is described in the New York Times Magazine (free subscription rerquired).

Point of Law Forum points to an article indicating other states are unlikely to follow Rhode Island's lead.

Here's the link to Andrew Cohen's Bench Conference

That's what the Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Terrorism-Resistant Buildings (TRB) of the International Code Council suggested at a recent Washington meeting reports ENR.com

Mike Wallace's unqualified rating took me by surprise. He is a fine man and an outstanding lawyer, and I say that though politically we come from different places.