On Friday, June 5, a bipartisan committee of the Oregon Legislature unanimously made a series of decisions about how to spend $247 million in federal coronavirus relief as part of the CARES Act.
The largest single element of the package
From the Ground Up
Your legal source for development news
From the Ground Up, published by Miller Nash Graham & Dunn LLP, covers legal issues relevant to the construction industry and related sectors. The blog addresses topics such as construction contracts, insurance coverage, liability exposure, regulatory developments, and workforce matters including vaccination policies. It also discusses broader industry trends like renewable energy projects impacting construction, including offshore wind development. The blog provides updates on legislative changes, court decisions, and practical guidance for construction professionals and stakeholders navigating legal challenges in their projects and operations.
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What Does Reopening a Safe and Strong Oregon Mean for Construction?
By Andrew Guess
Governor Kate Brown’s May 15 executive order (No. 20-25), “Reopening a Safe and Strong Oregon,” provides for a phased reopening of recreational and economic activity in Oregon on a county-by-county basis as certain threshold prerequisites are met. All Oregon counties,…
Estimated Corporate Activity Tax Payments and Penalty Waivers
As previously reported, the Oregon Department of Revenue has not extended the filing or payment deadlines for the Oregon Corporate Activity Tax during the ongoing COVID-19 saga, but has been instructed not to impose penalties on taxpayers that can document…
Let’s Get Back to Work! Construction Industry Personnel Considerations and Resources Related to COVID-19
With the recent reopening of Phase 1 construction in Washington and the eagerly awaited resumption of projects throughout the Pacific Northwest, we thought it might be helpful to provide a quick snapshot of the key regulatory guidance and tailored Miller…
Governor Inslee Greenlights Re-Opening of Construction Projects That Meet Social Distancing and Other Required Safety Measures
On April 24, 2020, Governor Inslee signed an order re-opening construction projects that meet detailed safety requirements across all sectors (residential, commercial, public, etc.). Under Governor Inslee’s 30-point plan, work may only be resumed on any given project if they…
Straight Talk for Managing Your Business When “Normal” Disappears
By Jim Yand
With businesses facing a barrage of daily challenges, it becomes important to focus on key decisions that can make a difference. We address three of these key issues in this post: your contractual obligations, keeping in mind added legal obligations…
COVID-19: Modifications to Loans May Have Unintended Tax Consequences
As we previously discussed, on March 22, 2020, federal banking regulators published the Interagency Guidance (“the Guidance”) to encourage lenders to, among other things, enter into short-term loan modifications (if prudent and appropriate) with borrowers impacted by the COVID-19…
Oregon Imposes Statewide Moratorium on Commercial Evictions
By George Kaai
In a recent post discussing strategies for commercial landlords to manage requests for rent relief during the COVID-19 pandemic, we highlighted the Seattle City Council’s resolution urging state and federal legislators to impose an immediate moratorium on commercial rent and…
EPA and States Issue Temporary Policies: Air and Water Permit Compliance During COVID-19
In light of the COVID-19 crisis, federal and state environmental agencies have issued temporary policies that affect regulated entities. This blog post is intended to help summarize these guidelines and highlights pertinent questions.
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Last week, the…
Strategies for Commercial Landlords to Manage Tenants in COVID-19 Distress
By George Kaai
On Monday, the Seattle City Council passed Resolution 31940 calling on Governor Jay Inslee, federal legislators, and the Trump administration to impose an immediate moratorium on residential and commercial rent and mortgage payments. This resolution brings to boil an issue…