Washington Observer.

The article focuses on developments in the U.S. construction industry. The Supreme Court gave the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) a victory on January 21, 2004, ruling that federal regulators may overrule state agencies in some instances. In a 5-4 decision in Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation vs. EPA, the justices said the Clean Air Act allows the agency to block construction of a new pollution-emitting facility that Alaska had approved. Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta opposes extending the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century for one or two years. He wants a multiyear bill near DOT's $247-billion "SAFETEA" bill.