Pa. construction workers sidelined amid governor’s life-sustaining business order

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     Pennsylvania, PA (WPMT) — When Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf issued an order on March 19 shuttering all non-life-sustaining business across the commonwealth, it effectively halted work for thousands of construction workers across the state.

There are currently 1,793 PennDOT sponsored road construction projects either currently in progress or planned for 2020. That doesn’t include all smaller construction projects like work on homes which also have been shut down amid the governor’s order.

Since Mr. Wolf’s decision, State House lawmakers have been trying to get the governor to change his course.

“There are things construction companies can do that fall within CDC guidelines and social distancing,” said State Representative Torren Ecker (R-Adams, Cumberland), who wrote a letter to Governor Wolf urging him to reconsider his stance. “They can do certain things that isn’t putting people more at risk than going to the grocery store.”

Ecker’s sentiments were shared by many House Republicans. On Friday, Speaker Mike Turzai issued a memorandum asking for co-sponsors in a bill to force the governor’s hand

FOX43 reached out to the governor’s office asking if there was room to discuss the desires of House Republicans. Rachel Wrigley, the DCED’s deputy director of communications, wrote back. The full statement went as follows:

“The governor’s highest priority remains protecting public health and safety. The governor has taken aggressive steps to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, and other states, including New York, are following our lead — the National Governors Association has reached out to Pennsylvania seeking guidance from us. Although general construction is suspended, limited activities may continue to the extent necessary to stabilize the site, temporarily prevent weather damage and make emergency repairs. Additionally, residential construction projects that are substantially complete may continue to completion. For all other residential construction projects limited activities may continue to the extent necessary to stabilize the site, temporarily prevent weather damage, or make emergency repairs only. Projects that are “substantially completed” are those projects that have been issued a final occupancy permit.

Rep. Ecker called the governor’s decision to ease back on certain restrictions “baby steps,” and wants more clarity on which construction projects are allowed to continue and which cannot.

“I get it. There are 25,000 waivers processed and it’s a time crunch,” Ecker said. “I think publishing those waivers would go a long way to providing transparency and consistency.”

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