In April 2015, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) issued an exclusion order prohibiting the importation of certain foreign-made crawler cranes into the United States for a period of at least 10 years. That order was the result of a 20-month investigation by the ITC, initiated by a Wisconsin-based crane…
Gravel2Gavel Construction & Real Estate Law Blog
Real Estate & Construction News Round-Up (09/28/22) – Virtual Property, ESG Reporting, and Economic Sanctions
This week’s round-up features virtual land marketplaces, proposed sanctions from the European Commission against Russia, ESG reporting and transparency in the real estate industry, and more. The European Commission is expected to announce a new round of sanctions against Russia, including a ban on real estate sales to Russian citizens…
A Court-Side Seat: Clean Air, Clean Water, Citizen Suits and the Summer of 2022
This is a selection of significant environmental and regulatory law cases decided by the federal courts after the Supreme Court’s 2021 Term concluded. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit National Association of Broadcasters v. Federal Communications Commission On July 12, 2022, the DC Circuit held that an…
Connection Corner: Chris Love of Capital City Real Estate
The Real Estate and Construction industry may be huge, but ultimately, as with all industries, it comes down to the people who help make it all come together. From time to time, we like to profile some of those people. Washington, D.C.-native Chris Love has been involved in multifamily real…
Blue Gold: Critical Water for Critical Energy Materials
As demand increases for low-carbon technologies to power the energy transition, the acquisition of critical materials—so-called given their integral role in the transition of energy activities—is becoming increasingly important. As described in our previous post, such critical materials include rare earth elements (REE), lithium, nickel and platinum group metals. In…
Real Estate & Construction News Round-Up (09/21/22) – 3D Printing, Sustainable Design, and the Housing Market Correction
The first 3D-printed home is under construction, construction contractors could face liability for not securing employee data, the housing market correction continues, and more. Sustainable home design has become key focus of builders and homeowners, helping reduce carbon emissions and other environmental impacts. (Kristi Waterworth, U.S.News) Construction contractors could face legal…
Real Estate & Construction News Round-Up (09/14/22) – Smart Contracts, Rising Mortgage Rates, and a Railroad Strike
This week’s round-up examines rising mortgage rates and their effect on the housing market, the long-term impact of the Inflation Reduction Act on commercial real estate, a potential U.S. railroad strike, and more. Mortgage interest rates are expected to continue rising in response to high inflation, which could price many…
Proposed Rule to Designate Two PFAS Chemicals as Hazardous Substances Stands to Up the Ante for Site Remediation
On Friday, August 26, 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a pre-publication notice of a long-awaited proposed rule to designate two of the most-studied per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)—as hazardous substances under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA). In an accompanying statement,…
Real Estate & Construction News Round-Up (09/07/22) – Futuristic Cities, Shifting Housing Demand, and Rent Control
This week’s round-up addresses the shift in housing demand, efforts of apartment complexes to become more eco-friendly, plans for “cities of the future,” and more. Home prices spiked an unprecedented 43% in just over two years since the pandemic began, but the increases in mortgage rates have resulted in a…
Real Estate & Construction News Round-Up (08/31/22) – Proptech, Web3, and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)
This week’s round-up dives into the digitization of the real estate and construction industry, focusing on property technology, Web3 and non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and more. With hybrid occupancy dictating current working patterns, property owners turn to smart technology to optimize digital connectivity and reinvigorate workspaces. (Commercial Observer) Contrary to the…