Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/85637
by Therese Dunphy FEBRUARY 2012 VOL. 17, NO. 2 EDITORIAL Therese Dunphy, (Silver Lake, OH) • Editor-in-Chief Tel: 330-920-9737, E-mail: therese@aggman.com Marcia Gruver Doyle • Editorial Director E-mail: mgruver@randallreilly.com Kerry Clines, (Dallas, TX) • Senior Editor Tel: 214-324-0596, E-mail: kerry@aggman.com Tina Grady Barbaccia, (Des Plaines, IL) News and Digital Editor Tel: 630-364-2306, E-mail: tina@aggman.com DESIGN Sandy Turner, Jr. • Art Director Tel: 205-248-1122, E-mail: sturner@randallreilly.com PRODUCTION Linda Hapner, (Des Plaines, IL) • Production Manager Tel: 847-636-5067, E-mail: lhapner@randallreilly.com Mary Springer • Senior Production Director E-mail: mspringer@randallreilly.com Leah Boyd • Production Director E-mail: lboyd@randallreilly.com Diane Klischer • Production Director E-mail: dklischer@randallreilly.com PUBLISHING/ADMINISTRATIVE Mike Porcaro, Executive Publisher Joe Donald, Executive Publisher Paige Thompson Fair, Controller Stacy A. Stiglic, Circulation Director Ginger Love, Research Director Dan Tidwell, Senior VP/Construction Division ADVERTISING SALES See listings on page 47 DES PLAINES, IL OFFICE Aggregates Manager 2340 S. River Rd., Suite 202 • Des Plaines, IL 60018 Phone: 847-636-5060, Fax: 847-636-5077 For all subscription inquiries please call: 800-517-4979 Or on line: www.submag.com/sub/af POSTMASTER Please send all address corrections to: Aggregates Manager P.O. Box 2060 • Skokie, IL 60076 ettlements on alleged Clean Air Act (CAA) and Clean Water Act (CWA) violations are cleaning the pockets of a growing number of construction materials producers. In recent months, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) have reached big money agreements with several producers. Although cement producers have been hardest hit, stormwater violations spell concerns for aggregate operators. S A CLEANSweep by Kerry L. Clines, Senior Editor The first large settlement was announced on Nov. 29, 2011, when Lafarge North Amer- ica Inc. agreed to resolve alleged CWA violations at 21 stone, sand, gravel, asphalt, and ready-mixed concrete facilities in five states. The company will implement a nationwide evaluation and compliance program at 189 sites, pay a $740,000 penalty, and implement two supplemental environmental projects to resolve the issue. According to the EPA, the evaluation system will include a compliance review of each facility's permit, an inventory of all discharges to U.S. waters, and identification of all best management practices in place. The company must also identify an environmental vice president, a minimum of two environmental directors, and an onsite operations manager at each facility. The EPA believes Lafarge will spend an estimated $8 million over the next five years to develop and maintain this program. The supplemental projects involve completing conservation ease- ments to protect 166 acres in two states, with the land value estimated at $2.95 million. In mid-December, CalPortland Co. agreed to pay a $1.425 million penalty to resolve alleged CAA violations at its cement plant in Mojave, Calif. The company will also invest approximately $1.3 million in pollution controls to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2 at $500,000. ) emissions. The annual operating cost of the equipment is estimated As 2011 came to a close, Essroc Cement Co. agreed to a $1.7 million penalty, as well as an investment of approximately $33 million in pollution control technology to resolve al- leged CAA violations at six of its Portland cement plants. The company also agreed to pay an additional $745,000 to mitigate the effects of past excess emissions. Those funds will be used to replace old engines in several off-road vehicles at its plant sites. According to the latest U.S. Geological Survey estimates, cement production is down 45 percent from 2005, and overall production is at the lowest level since 1982. Similarly, aggregate production fell nearly 40 percent in the last five years. Environmental stew- ardship is important, but the EPA and DOJ should focus on operational improvements rather than penalties. To these hard hit industries, additional punitive measures could be the proverbial straw that breaks their back. 3200 Rice Mine Road N.E. • Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 800-633-5953 • www.rrpub.com Mike Reilly, Chairman, President / CEO David Wright, COO / Vice President Shane Elmore, CFO / Treasurer Brent Reilly, Executive Vice President Linda Longton, Senior VP/Editorial and Research Nick Reid, Vice President Interactive Media 1 2 3 3 Frac sand producers are finding success with newer classifying and dewatering sys- tems, page 23. Hard surfacing can return equipment to like-new con- dition for 25 to 75 percent less than the cost of re- placement parts, page 30. things I learned from this issue: Each MSHA district can determine when it will implement pre-assessment con- ferences, page 40. AGGREGATES MANAGER February 2012 3