A timetable has been established to finalize the new regulations, with a proposed rule published in the Federal Register by mid-year 2007, followed by a public comment period, hearings, and internal review. The EPA expects to have a final noise-reduction regulation in place by the end of 2007, with an effective date a few years later to allow manufacturers to retest their products and print new packaging.

IEC National Celebrates
50^th Anniversary in 2007
Alexandria, Va.-based Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC) National will celebrate its 50^th anniversary as the trade association for America's independent electrical and systems contractors in 2007. IEC National began in October 1957 when delegates from seven southwestern associations attended a meeting in Dallas to form a national association representing independent electrical contractors throughout the nation. Currently, IEC comprises 3,600 member companies in more then 70 chapters throughout the United States.

Survey Reveals Best Facilities Relocation Sites
New York-based Penton Media, Inc.'s Expansion Management, a business magazine for executives of companies actively looking to expand or relocate their facilities, recently published its ninth annual "America's 50 Hottest Cities" list. This year, Florida and Texas each placed five cities, while North Carolina and Tennessee each placed four cities. Four states -- Alabama, Arizona, South Carolina and Virginia -- each boasted three cities.

The list is based on a survey of prominent industry site location consultants conducted by Expansion Management. The consultants were asked to identify which cities, out of the nation's 362 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs), their clients find most attractive when actually selecting an expansion or relocation site and why these cities are appealing. The respondents selected their top city choices for relocating and expanding manufacturing companies, taking into consideration such factors as the business climate, work force quality, operating costs, incentive programs, and the ease of working with local political and economic development officials. To view the entire list, visit the magazine's Web site.

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ILSCO Pigtail Adaptors
Popular Again
With the recent increased use of aluminum conductors, ILSCO's ACM, ACO-90, CPM, and CPML pigtail adaptors are in high demand. The pigtails give contractors the flexibility of using a less-expensive aluminum conductor and then converting the conductor so that it can be installed into a copper connector. Pigtails also reduce the size of the conductor to allow installation of the conductor into smaller panel board connectors that may have been supplied. Go to www.ilsco.com and click on Compression Products to learn more.

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New Flip Clip From Cooper B-Line
The fastest, most inexpensive way to securely hang and level wire basket tray, saving installers time and money. The Flip Clip^™ can be used with 1/4-inch and 3/8-inch threaded rods, eliminating the need for multiple hanger sizes. The Flip Clip requires only one nut and one tool for installation. www.cooperbline.com/flipclip

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Globalcon 2007
Atlanta-based Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) will present Globalcon 2007 April 4-5 in Atlantic City, N.J. This year's multi-track conference includes topics such as HVAC and smart building systems, renewable and alternative energy, lighting efficiency, and plant and facilities management. For more information and to register, visit Globalcon's Web site.


BICSI Spring Conference
Tampa, Fla.-based Building Industry Consulting Service International, Inc.'s (BICSI) Spring Conference, scheduled for April 15-18 in Dallas, includes specialty exams, standards committee meetings, and an exhibition floor. Seminars at the conference will cover a variety of topics, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) regulation, fiber selection, wiring for CE applications, mitigating thermal loads in data cabinets, and reducing data center energy costs. For more information and to register, visit the BICSI Web site.



Visit the EC&M E-Tradeshow and Learn About Claim Litigation
Don't miss the live conference Claim Litigation: Bolstering Your Case presented by John DeDad, senior director, Editorial and EC&M Development, scheduled for March 15th. Learn how to retrieve costs resulting from undesirable and/or unplanned working conditions that are beyond your control. Find out how to document various claim categories such as acceleration and resulting decreased productivity, additional engineering costs for change-order work, additional financing expenses, and joint occupancy with other work forces. Visit http://ecmweb.com/etradeshow for information on accessing the EC&M e-Tradeshow, a virtual online exhibition and live conference center.