The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) today released a final rule restoring and strengthening the regulations that implement the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, which set a wage floor—or “prevailing wage”—for publicly-funded construction projects. The final rule clarifies the types of projects subject to the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, including solar panel, wind turbine, and electric vehicle charging installations. It also updates the methodology for determining the “prevailing wage” and strengthening enforcement mechanisms.

In response to the release of the DOL rule, the BlueGreen Alliance released the following statement from Vice President of Legislation and Federal Affairs Jessica Eckdish:

“This new rule will help end the race to the bottom for construction employers bidding on public projects, giving good actors paying fair wages a leg up. Prevailing wage standards have a proven track-record of guaranteeing fair wages, workers’ health and safety, and pathways into the middle-class. Clarifying how these rules apply to clean energy projects will also help ensure that the jobs created in the clean economy are good-paying jobs and result in the best project outcomes and environmental benefits. We thank DOL for finalizing a strong rule and look forward to working with them as the rule is implemented and enforced.”