On September 20 & 21, 2012, The Seminar Group will present its 17th Annual Oregon Construction Law seminar in Portland, Oregon. I will be speaking at the seminar about frequently negotiated provisions in owner-contractor and owner-architect agreements, including waivers of consequential damages, indemnification, insurance, warranties and claims. Two additional Stoel Rives’ partners will be speaking
Corps of Engineers reissues nationwide permit program
Developers, contractors and designers, take note: the Corps of Engineers has reissued its Section 404 nationwide permit program. Our colleagues in the Environmental Law Group summarize the notable changes in this Legal News Alert.
Owners and developers: keep your eye on Section 106 compliance
A recent federal court decision underscores how a federal agency’s failure to comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act can impact construction projects.
Section 106 is a procedural statute that requires each federal agency to take into account the effect of its “undertakings” on properties listed on or eligible for listing on
Default on Skyscraper Punctuates Dreary Outlook for Commercial Construction in Seattle
It is no secret that the commercial real estate market has been one of the biggest losers of the great recession. Seattle is no exception and as if to belabor the point, it has been reported this week that Beacon Capital Partners, the owner of Seattle’s icon skyscraper, the Columbia Center, missed its $1.65 million
New Standards for NPDES Permits
Owners, contractors and designers should be aware of new requirements for National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for stormwater discharges associated with construction activity. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued final regulations establishing effluent limitations guidelines and new source performance standards for stormwater discharges from construction sites.
Although the final regulations
LEED Decertification
If you think LEED certification of a building is a one-time deal, think again.
USGBC’s latest version of LEED (version 3) establishes several new changes to LEED certification. Two of those changes are particularly significant. First, USGBC now requires building owners to submit operational performance data on a recurring basis as part of the LEED