Trades group sues federal government over PLA exemption

Zachary Phillips

A construction union group filed suit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia Wednesday against two federal agencies and their chiefs for ignoring a still-in-effect executive order from former President Joe Biden requiring project labor agreements on some federal jobs.

North America’s Building Trades Unions asked the court to enjoin the Department of Defense and the General Services Administration from foregoing PLA use, as the Biden-era order remains on the books.

Since President Donald Trump took office, he has enacted a flurry of executive orders undoing many Biden-era policies, and in January a judge severely weakened the case for the federal government to use PLAs, but NABTU argues that the original order is still in effect.

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A Feb. 7 notice from the DOD ordered contracting officers to halt the use of PLAs on large-scale construction projects. Then, on Feb. 12, the GSA issued an internal memo claiming a “class exemption” from Biden’s PLA requirement.

Both the GSA and the DOD told Construction Dive they do not comment on ongoing litigation.

NABTU argues no such exemptions could exist while the executive order remains, and that such policies hurt the members of the organization that benefit from PLAs. In addition to the agencies, the suit names DOD Secretary Pete Hegseth and Acting GSA Administrator Stephen Ehikian as defendants. 

Trump has not repealed Executive Order 14063, the one Biden penned requiring PLAs, despite taking action to discourage the use of them and other collective bargaining agreements. Indeed, one Trump order from March 14 targets PLAs in its guidance for federal rulemaking, but does not revoke the rule itself.

In December 2023, the Biden administration announced the implementation of an executive order requiring PLAS on federal construction jobs of $35 million or more. The move, by the self-proclaimed most pro-labor president in history, was decried by employer groups, and faced lawsuits seeking its repeal.

Then in January 2025, a U.S. Court of Federal Claims judge found the implementation of the mandate on seven contract procedures in 2024 ignored federal agencies’ own research indicating PLAs would be anti-competitive and relied on “arbitrary and capricious” presidential policy.

Though that case supplied the means for other employers to file similar motions, it only applied to the seven contracts involved in the original complaint.

Associated Builders and Contractors, which had originally sued the Biden administration seeking to remove Executive Order 14063, released a statement Thursday decrying NABTU’s suit.

“ABC supports the Trump administration’s exemption of projects critical to America’s national security from these rules,” said Kristen Swearingen, ABC vice president of government affairs. “We urge the administration to take a step further and fully rescind former President Joe Biden’s Executive Order 14063 implementing PLA mandates.”

Swearingen said removing the executive order would eliminate the basis for NABTU’s case.

Trump cuts millions in FEMA funding for Bridgeport flood-protection project 

Brian Lockhart

BRIDGEPORT — Over 14 years ago, Superstorm Sandy soaked the city's South End, temporarily turning the diverse lower-income neighborhood into an extension of Long Island Sound.

In the aftermath of the October 2012 disaster, Bridgeport was awarded over $40 million in federal aid about a decade ago. The plan was to better fortify that section of town and its mix of residential and commercial/industrial properties, plus major attractions like Seaside Park and the University of Bridgeport's campus, from future severe weather.

It was not immediately clear Wednesday whether some aspects of the overall flood prevention plan can be salvaged. State officials, particularly with the departments of housing, energy/environment and emergency management have been involved over the years in overseeing Resilient Bridgeport in partnership with the city.

Brenda Bergeron, deputy commissioner for the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, said federal support has essentially disappeared for a variety of projects in the state, including the $47.5 million for completion of the downtown Bridgeport resiliency project; $2.7 million for pump station improvements in Stamford; $675,000 for the Stamford seawall improvements study; and $400,000 for a flood warning project in Danbury.

“This was a fabulous, collaborative project between the city of Bridgeport, the Department of Housing and (Department of Energy and Environmental Protection) and us,” Bergeron said in a joint appearance with Gov. Ned Lamont, DESPP Commissioner Ronnell Higgins and DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes in the State Capitol Thursday afternoon. Previous money for Bridgeport has come from a federal Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant.

Gaudett also lamented all of the time and effort state officials in particular spent thus far only to essentially have it cancelled.

"A lot of the preparation work, meetings with residents and plans to make this happen have all been wasted," he said. "This won't happen for decades now if it ever happens at all. This is a great example of going backwards."

But Himes has previously expressed frustration with the slow pace of Resilient Bridgeport and took the opportunity Wednesday to again vent. He said the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic certainly contributed to delays and while substantial progress has been made, there had earlier on seemed to be a lack of urgency and "way too many cooks stirring the broth."

"These are the wages of taking literally years and years and years to get projects built," the congressman said. "We should own the fact that just the ridiculous amount of time it has taken ... has put (Resilient Bridgeport) at risk in a very serious way."

Asked if he believes the decision to eliminate the $47.5 million in funds can somehow be reversed, Himes noted that since being sworn in in January, the Trump administration has proven "unpredictable," issuing decisions, then rescinding some in the face of public or bipartisan political pressure.

"A lot of these grants are being cancelled in 'red' (Republican) districts," Himes said. "I don't want to raise any unreasonable hopes, but anything could happen, right? There is nothing strategic or consistent about any of this stuff."

Kevin Moore runs the South End Neighborhood Revitalization Zone, one of several such NRZs around town that weigh in on economic development issues in their respective areas. 

"Folks are frustrated with how long the (Resilient Bridgeport) process has already taken," Moore said. "It's the oldest 'old agenda' item on the South End NRZ agenda. It's been there for years. People ask, 'What's the latest?' and generally we never have any good news for them."

Still, Moore said, the initiative needs to move forward, not be canceled.

"Just for residents, their basements flood in these high-water events," he said. "And it hampers redevelopment. People aren't going to be investing with the uncertainty of flood risks. It really holds the neighborhood back."

Maisa Tisdale, president of the Mary and Eliza Freeman Center, expressed similar sentiments. She has spent years working to preserve the Soutb End-based Mary and Eliza Freeman houses, remnants of Little Liberia, a 200-year-old community founded by free African Americans and Paugusett Indians.

“The Resilient Bridgeport effort is certainly not what the (Trump) administration categorized it to be," she said. "There was nothing political about it. This was just an effort to keep people's homes and their businesses safe (from) flooding and sea level rise, which is reality."

Staff writer Ken Dixon contributed to this report. 

Plainville paving underway; here’s what roads are being done

Brian M. Johnson

PLAINVILLE — The Town of Plainville has announced its street paving schedule, which began Thursday.

“Milling operations are scheduled to begin on or around April 10, with paving to follow during the week of April 14,” the town said.

The work is weather dependent. The town said they “appreciate residents’ patience” during “this important infrastructure improvement project.”

The following roads are scheduled for this year: Redstone Hill to Townline Road; Pierce Street from Broad Street to W. Main Street; Hultenius Street from Whiting Street to end; Maiden Lane from Cleveland Street to end; Cleveland Street from Farmington Avenue to Maiden Lane; Cleveland Street Extension from Maiden Lane to end; Usher Avenue from Robert Street to Cleveland Street; Robert Street from Farmington Avenue to Usher Avenue; Mel Road from Cooke Street to end; Reliance Road from Cooke Street to end; Norton Park from the entrance by Buildings and Grounds heading to the concession stand. The speed humps will also be replaced.

State to decide aid requests for mall redevelopment, Connecticut River facilities

Don Stacom 

Several months after providing $6.5 million to advance the planned Konover apartment complex in East Hartford, the state is expected to provide $1.5 million on Friday for improvements on the city’s waterfront.

The new funding is part of a concentrated drive in the past few years to revive the once-thriving industrial town as developers look to infuse it with a series of modern apartment and mixed-use projects.

Also on Friday, the Connecticut Bond Commission is scheduled to vote on a key $10 million grant to boost Enfield’s vision of a $250 million redevelopment of its failing mall.

In all, the commission is considering nearly $700 million in grants and loans for education, health, economic development and other initiatives in dozens of towns and cities around the state.

Among the communities that stand to benefit, Enfield might have the most at stake. The state’s Community Investment Fund earlier this year endorsed spending $10 million to prepare most of the 86-acre mall site for a new complex of two hotels, 450 apartments, 165,000 square feet of new anchor retail spaces and up to 9 acres of restaurants and smaller shops and service businesses.

Nebraska-based Woodsonia Real Estate Inc. intends to buy the mall from current owner Namdar Realty Corp., but local officials have made clear that its plan requires state and local financial aid.

In East Hartford, three sets of developers planning ambitious housing initiative are also relying on tax incentives or other state and local aid to make their financial plans work out.

State government has been focusing on East Hartford in recent years because the administration of then-Mayor Mike Walsh advanced a series of high-profile, potentially transformative projects. They inclue the Port Eastside redevelopment of the Founders Plaza office park, which could bring as many as 1,000 apartments along with new retail and potentially an entertainment complex; the Simon Konover Co.’s 150-unit Commerce Center apartment complex along the waterfront; and Jasko Zelman 1 LLC’s plan to build up to 402 apartments at the former Showcase Cinemas site.

In December, the Bond Commission approved $6.5 million in low-interest loans for the Konover project, and the state has already committed about $7 million to Concourse Park.

 The Port Eastside group plans to redevelop the East Hartford side of the Connecticut River, including the conversion of the 111 Founders Plaza office tower to luxury housing. (Aaron Flaum/ Hartford Courant)

East Hartford on Friday is seeking $1,551,577 in state monies for municipal boat ramp facilities along the Connecticut River.

Regional planners have promoted riverfront redevelopment in Hartford for decades, and in the past five years developers have taken a strong interest in using the waterfront as a backdrop for apartment and possibly condo complexes as well as new restaurants along with commercial and retail projects. The Konover project is directly along the river, and a selling point for Port Eastside is its riverfront access.

A particularly important decision will come later this spring when the General Assembly decides whether to authorize a TIF agreement for the Port Eastside deal. The arrangement would direct future tax revenues from the properties into infractructure expenses for the surrounding district.

“East Hartford’s current riverfront has been on the decline for a number of years now. It has suffered from a lack of investment, under-utilization and a lack of overall vision and interest. To make matters worse our levee system and the I-84 Mixmaster challenge the Towns’ ability to gain access back to its waterfront,” Mayor Connor Martin told the General Assembly’s planning committee earlier in the session.

The committee was weighing a TIF agreement for the Port Eastside area at the time.

“However, through the vision of the Port Eastside development, I am optimistic we can overcome those boundaries and regain access to the single most beautiful natural amenity we have in East Hartford being the Connecticut River,” he said.

“The opportunities resulting from the creation of the infrastructure improvement district will result in new and improved roads, utilities, and other infrastructure, providing the backbone for what will be a new, bustling neighborhood in our community,” House Majority Leader Jason Rojas told the committee.

But Hartford-area activist Brigitte Prince opposed the measuring, saying it benefits the rich while hurting ordinary residents.

“The town has a history of favoring wealthy developers while overtaxing property owners, and ignoring the dire needs of the outdated infrastructures of its public work facilities and fire stations,” she told lawmakers.