• GR Regional Manager Rick Hauffe participated in the FEMA-hosted Mitigation Framework Stakeholders Session in Kansas City, helping to develop a national disaster mitigation strategy that does not run from the top down, but is driven almost entirely on the grassroots level in communities and neighborhoods. Approximately 100 people attended representing the federal government, non-profits, private businesses and local governments. According to Hauffe, ICC was highly respected among all who attended and held a prominent place in the concept of disaster mitigation. The discussions centered around threats and hazards with risk and disaster resilience assessments, planning, public information and warning techniques, community resilience and long-term vulnerability reduction.
• The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), in collaboration with the American Institute of Architects (AIA), completed a resource guide on energy codes for designers. In addition, the new Energy Codes annual report is just out, as well as a series of other energy code resources.
• Mayor Vincent C. Gray announced that the District of Columbia will be introducing new Construction Codes by March 1, 2013. The updated Construction Codes will keep the District at the national forefront of sustainable building practices for all new and renovated residential and commercial buildings. The District’s Construction Codes incorporate most of the model codes issued every three years by the International Code Council (ICC). The District currently uses the 2006 ICC Codes, but will now leapfrog over the 2009 ICC Codes to review and adopt the 2012 ICC Codes.
• Senate Bill 432 references the "International Wildland Urban Interface Code published by the International Code Council" in the definitions section of the bill under the term "National Wildland Fire Code". The bill is sponsored by Senator Boxer of California, and shows Majority Leader Reid as a co-sponsor, which is a positive sign for its chances of reaching the floor this year. The bill is on the GR Legislative Action page, where you can take action to support the bill: http://capwiz.com/iccsafe/issues/bills/?bill=60975081.
• The Office of Government Ethics is currently proposing to further limit federal employees' interactions with outside private-sector institutions by restricting their attendance at trade association conferences and other association-sponsored events. This could prevent federal employees from making appearances at events such as ICC's annual conference, the Building Safety Month reception, or other widely attended ICC-sponsored events. GR submitted a statement, which you can read here: http://www.iccsafe.org/gr/Documents/Statements-Comments/Comments-OGE_FederalEmpExemption.pdf. The GR department will be monitoring this proposal and reporting on further developments.