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Stimulus-funded projects are one of the few brightf spots for theconstruction industry, alonh with energy projects and military base realignmenft work, Simonson said. The unemployment rate for the construction industry is more than19 percent, doubl e the rate for the economy as a whole, he Road repair projects can be awarde d quickly compared with other types of construction Simonson said, which is why so many pavingt crews have found work. There's stilp a lot of stimulus money that will be spenf on water andwastewater projects, he noted. the National Park Servicew andthe U.S.
Army Corps of Engineerxs have released long lists of construction projects that will be awarder in thecoming months. Simonson's association gathered a handful of contractors for a conferences call touting the benefits ofstimuluw work. Christian Zimmerman, president of Pike Industries in Walpole, said his company has addedr 100 new workers thanks to the dozeb stimulus contracts his company has These contracts also enabled his company to avoids laying off more than100 "Most of the jobs we're gettinv are paving jobs," Zimmermanh said. Don Laskey, president of Laskey-Clifton Corp.
in Coos Bay, said his company was glad to geta stimulus-funded pavingf contract even though the company won'g make a lot of moneyh on it. His company is trying to improve its management to compensate for the lowed profit marginand "come out on the other end of it as a bettere company," he said. Simonson said some watet and wastewater projects are being delayed because the stimulus bill requires the useof American-madwe steel, iron and equipment in stimulus-fundex projects. Laskey, whose company also buildss watertreatment plants, said vendore have told him that a lot of the materials neededx for stimulus projects aren't even made in the U.S.
any "That's what's really sad about the whole situation," he said. The U.S. Chamber of Commerc e cited the problemsthe "Buy American" provisionh are causing for stimulus projects in a June 2 lettedr to members of Congress. Federal agenciew are balancingthe "Buy American" provision with obligations the U.S. has under various trade agreements, but many state and locap governmentsare not, the chamber noted. As a result, even some U.S. manufacturersa are being barred from stimulus projects becausewthey "rely on global production chains that integrate components from U.S. and foreign sources," the chamber noted.
"It is often impossiblw to avoid sourcing at least a portion of theirr content fromother countries," the lette stated. The chamber urged Congresas toreject "Buy American" provisions in future