【疫情之下】新冠疫情对美国景观行业的影响
疫情下,美国景观行业能否继续营业
随着疫情在美国的逐渐肆虐,美国不少州都颁布了自己的“禁足令”(Stay-at-home Order),这也对各行各业的从业人员产生了不同程度的影响。
为确保关键基础设施(Essential Critical Infrastructure)不受影响,美国网络安全及基础设施安全局(Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency,简称CISA)于2020年3月19日颁布了第一版《关于COVID-19应急处置期间关键基础设施从业人员的识别备忘录》(Memorandum on Identification of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers During COVID-19 Response)。1备忘按照公共健康(Public Health)、食品农业(Food and Agriculture)、能源(Energy)及交通物流(Transportation and Logistics)等16个大行业分类列明了能够划分为关键基础设施从业人员(Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers)类型。但第一版备忘录里并没有将景观从业人员(Landscaper)明确包含在公共工程及基础设施支持服务(Public Works and Infrastructure Support Services)类型里。
为此,美国景观专业人员协会(National Association of Landscape Professionals,简称NALP)与国土安全部进行了积极沟通与协作,成功在2020年3月28日颁布的第二版备忘录中将景观从业人员明确列到公共工程及基础设施支持服务类型中。2
但是,CISA的备忘录原则上仅对各州制定本州政策起到建议(Advisory)作用,因此,判断各州景观从业人员能否继续营业还要看各州颁布的规定。为帮助各州景观从业者判断能否继续营业,NALP追踪了各州在CISA备忘录的基础上颁布的本州政策,目前已经明确将景观服务列为“关键行业”(Essential Business)的州包括加利福尼亚(California)亚利桑那(Arizona)、特拉华州(Delaware)、伊利诺伊州(Illinois)、马里兰州(Maryland)等,南达科塔(South Dakota)、犹他州(Utah)得克萨斯州(Texas)等暂无明确禁令禁止景观行业继续营业。但南卡罗来纳州(South Carolina)、得克萨斯州奥斯汀市(Austin)是目前少数将景观行业排除在“关键行业”之列的地区。CISA将继续保持与各州的沟通与协作,并在其官网中持续更新各州的最新规定。3
[1] Memorandum on Identification of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers During COVID-19 Response, dated March 19, 2020, https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/CISA-Guidance-on-Essential-Critical-Infrastructure-Workers-1-20-508c.pdf.
[2] Advisory Memorandum on Identification of Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers During COVID-19 Response, dated March 28, 2020, https://www.cisa.gov/publication/guidance-essential-critical-infrastructure-workforce.
[3] State by State COVID-19 Guidance, https://www.landscapeprofessionals.org/Coronavirus/State_by_State_COVID_Guidance.aspx.