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President Bush requests $19.8 billion for hurricane recovery
President Bush
asked Congress for $19.8 billion in new emergency spending for
rebuilding in the hurricane-damaged Gulf Coast. The new money comes
on top of the more than $100 billion in prior appropriations, tax
relief, and flood-insurance payments approved by Congress. Among the
major new expenditures are $9.4 billion for FEMA disaster relief,
which in part will support the rebuilding of local public
facilities. The emergency request also includes an additional $4.2
billion for Community Development Block Grants to help ease the
housing crisis in Louisiana and $1.36 billion to strengthen and
improve hurricane and storm protection for greater New Orleans and
the surrounding areas.
Contact
Robert L. Sullivan.
Officials begin work on plan to protect Louisiana coastline
According to the Times-Picayune (New Orleans), efforts are under way
in Louisiana to put together a solid plan to protect the coastal
regions of the state from a Category 5 hurricane. Public officials,
and business and environmental leaders are working on the plan, and
the Army Corp of Engineers must submit a draft of the plan to
Congress by June 1.
more
Louisiana Governor proposes rebuilding plan
CNN reports that Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco has unveiled a
$7.5 billion proposal as the state's first comprehensive plan to
rebuild many damaged regions of the state and buy out thousands of
residents whose homes were damaged by last year's hurricanes.
more
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Illinois seminar to present disaster-resistant
construction
Disaster-resistant construction, including
added protection from high winds and freezing weather, will be the focus
of a free seminar and lunch sponsored by the American Red Cross of
Greater Chicago and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA).
This is the first event of a multi-year project to increase awareness of
wind damage mitigation techniques in Illinois. The project is being
developed in association with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),
the Institute for Business & Home Safety, the Portland Cement
Association, the Precast/Prestress Concrete Institute, Simpson
Strong-Tie, Dukane Precast Inc, and Prestress Engineering Corporation.
The seminar is scheduled for Thursday, March 9, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00
p.m., in Chicago. To register visit
www.safehomeillinois.org or call (312) 729-6100.
Gulf Coast hurricane workshops
scheduled
Several concrete industry associations have
joined together to offer three 1-day seminars titled
Storm-Resistant
Concrete Building Systems
in the Gulf Coast region:
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April 11 Hattiesburg,
Mississippi (MCIA)
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April 12 Baton Rouge,
Louisiana (CAAL)
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April 13 Mobile,
Alabama (ACIA)
Topics covered during the
seminar include hurricane forces and hurricane resistant construction,
building code requirements for hurricane zones, concrete masonry
construction, precast concrete systems, tilt-up concrete construction,
removable forming systems, Insulating concrete forms. Builders,
architects, engineers, contractors, building officials, and product
suppliers are invited to attend. The general public is also welcome.
Attendees will receive 7 Professional Development Hours. The
registration fee is only $49 and includes continental breakfast and
lunch. Visit
www.nrmca.org/seminars to register for a seminar or contact Jennifer
Leonard at (240) 485-1156.
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Mississippi code coalition plans Capitol Day on March 7
The
Coalition to Build a Safer and Stronger Mississippi
has been building awareness of
the need for a statewide building code in front of the Conservative Coalition, the
Legislative Black Caucus, and more recently the House Ways
and Means Committee. However, to increase awareness the
coalition has scheduled a Capitol Day so that members of the
coalition can let Representatives know that their
constituents think its important for Mississippi to have
a statewide building code. Capitol
Day is scheduled for 10:15 on March 7. All members
of the coalition and are encouraged to participate.
Click here to download a registration form. Contact
Robert
Varner of the Mississippi Concrete Industries
Association.
Transportation
Construction Coalition fly-in scheduled
North American Concrete Alliance (NACA) urge members and affiliates
to attend the NACA Legislative Conference on May 16, as well as the
Transportation Construction Coalition (TCC) fly-in May 17-18.
Participants are encouraged to reserve their hotel rooms as soon as
possible. To reserve rooms, please contact the J.W. Marriott Hotel
at 202-393-2000. Room rates are $279 per night single/double. The
cut-off date for the room block is April 14 (or until the room block
is sold). Be sure to mention the Transportation Construction
Coalition Fly-in to receive the discounted room rate. Full TCC
Fly-in registration information will be available soon. Contact
Kevin Voelte or
Robb Jolly.
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