January 2002
U.S.
Bankcorp Piper Jaffray
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State by State
Alabama
BIRMINGHAM—Vulcan Materials Co. announced that Sherrod B. Clarke, Jr. has been appointed president of the company’s Midsouth Division, which has its headquarters in Knoxville, Tenn. Clarke, who joined Vulcan in 1979, most recently served as vice president and general manager of western Tennessee. The appointment was effective Dec. 1, 2001. Clarke succeeds Daniel J. Leemon, who will serve as chairman of Vulcan’s Midsouth and Midwest Divisions.
Alaska
FAIRBANKS (AP)—A 115,000-lb. hydraulic excavator operated by the Alaska Railroad rolled over at the Fairbanks rail yard and flattened a 5,000-lb. pickup truck. No one was injured in the accident that occurred when Alaska Railroad workers were attempting to load the excavator onto a flatcar. A driver was attempting to center the excavator onto the flatcar when it fell.
Arizona
tucson—A maintenance truck operator was killed at B&R Materials Corp.’s Harrison Escalante Plant on Oct. 4, according to a preliminary accident report from MSHA. Bamadino Shephard, 39, was operating a service truck enroute to service a loader in the pit when he lost control of the truck near the bottom of the pit. The truck ran into an asphalt refuse pile, causing it to overturn. The victim was found outside the vehicle between the truck and the asphalt pile embankment. He had eight weeks of mining experience.
Arkansas
LITTLE ROCK—The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) held a public hearing on Dec. 4, on the proposed widening of Highway 63B in Jonesboro. The project generally consists of widening 2.7 miles of U.S. Highway 63B from Culberhouse Road to U.S. Highway 49.
California
Fresno (AP)—The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District passed a dust regulation in mid-November. The board voted unanimously to adopt a controversial rule aimed at curbing dust from dirt roads. The plan needs to be approved by the EPA by April 8 or the region could lose $2 billion in federal highway funds. The rules take effect in May, but could face further changes. The EPA could suggest revisions and a landmark study on air pollution and sources of dust could force the district to make improvements.
colorado
steamboat springs (AP)—Routt County officials are weighing the need for a gravel quarry in the rapidly growing area against efforts to preserve a local scenic area. Lafarge Corp. has proposed a 105-acre pit that would be visible from overlooks on Rabbit Ears Pass. Lafarge has said the site represents the best available location in the area and would be reclaimed as a lake and wetlands.
Connecticut
canton village—Canton Village Construction Co., Inc., is suing the town’s planning and zoning commission, according to The Hartford Courant. The newspaper reports that the lawsuit, being heard in Litchfield Superior Court, asks that the company be allowed to operate a gravel pit on Farmington River Turnpike. According to the report, the lawsuit claims that the commission’s chairman and vice chairman improperly compared the company’s proposal to other gravel pit hauling operations that were not similar.
Delaware
REHOBOTH BEACH (AP)—State officials are assuring mayors of Delaware’s beach communities that planned beach replenishment projects will move forward, even without an expected $3.5 million in federal funds. Congress recently appropriated $100,000 for the widening of Rehoboth and Dewey beaches, far less than state officials were expecting. The Rehoboth-Dewey project would be the first federally funded beach replenishment project in Delaware. But it cannot begin without an agreement to shield the Army Corps of Engineers from damage claims if something goes wrong. Construction is now expected to begin sometime in 2003.
Florida
palm beach—The state has proposed set of uniform state standards to regulate blasting at rock mining quarries, according to The Palm Beach Post. At press time, the new rules—established by the office of the state fire marshall—were awaiting a judge’s ruling. According to the newspaper, the new rules would cap seismographic readings from blasts within two miles of homes at .5 in. per second. The state guidelines are part of an effort by Florida’s limerock mining industry.
milton—A dredge operator was killed at WPR, Inc.’s Russell Sand Mine, according to a preliminary accident report from MSHA. When the dredge was observed only pumping water, an employee went to the dredge and couldn’t locate the dredge operator, Ernest Holley, Jr. Divers located the victim under the dredge. He had 18 weeks of mining experience.
Georgia
coweta county—A group of Coweta County homeowners has sidelined Vulcan Material Co.’s expansion plans, according to the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. The county commissioners voted to grant the company a rezoning of a 20-acre tract for mining, considerably less than the 67-acre expansion Vulcan requested. A spokesman for the company told the newspaper that the decision would not affect its presence at the site, but it may affect how it moves forward with its expansion plans.
Hawaii
HONOLULU (AP)—Hawaii’s gasoline prices have been dropping, but remain the highest in the nation. According to the American Automobile Association’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report, the price of unleaded in Hawaii recently averaged $1.90, down 12¢ from a year ago. The national average price for unleaded is $1.20, down 34¢ from a year ago. Industry analyst Trilby Lundberg said gasoline prices fell nationally because of weak demand and the plunging cost of crude oil. Meanwhile, a hearing resumed in federal court in Honolulu on a motion by Hawaii’s gasoline wholesalers to dismiss the state’s $2 billion antitrust claim that they engaged in fixing prices for years.
Idaho
blackfoot—The Idaho Transportation Department is meeting with resistance from residents here concerning its plans to permit a department-operated pit, crushing operation and asphalt plant. According to the The Post Register, the 80-acre pit is outside Pingree, a rural, unincorporated town with a population of about 40. The newspaper reported that the department thought the location was remote enough to satisfy locals, but 85 people came to the hearings to protest the project.
Illinois
SCHAUMBURG—The massive, two-year, $32.5 million project to improve the intersection of Cicero Avenue (IL 50), 127th Street and the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) in the Village of Alsip was completed on schedule, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced. The project was funded by Governor George H. Ryan’s Illinois FIRST program and was designed to increase traffic safety in this area and improve access to and from the Tri-State Tollway.
Indiana
RICHMOND (AP)—Wayne County, in eastern Indiana, is considering requiring owners of steel-wheeled farm implements to register their vehicles. The initiative comes in response to complaints that the old-style wheels damage roads. Wayne County has a community of Amish farmers. Many use old-style implements with steel-rimmed wheels. The Wayne County Board of Commissioners instructed county roads supervisor Blair Hodowal to explore setting up a system that would allow the county to monitor steel-wheeled equipment.
Iowa
Macedonia—A mechanic was killed on Oct. 17 at Schildberg Construction Co., Inc.’s Plant #6, according to a preliminary accident report from MSHA. Charles Dunn was removing wood cribbing from under a semi-type explosives trailer. A wood crib placed under the permanently-mounted truck jack broke down, allowing the jack to sink into the ground, crushing the victim between the trailer and the ground. He had 12 years of mining experience.
Kansas
WICHITA (AP)—Although the U.S. Census says Wichita drivers have the shortest commute of any in 64 cities in the country, some city officials say the numbers are misleading. The Census 2000 Supplementary Survey found the typical Wichitan’s 16.9-minute commute to be 30 percent shorter than the commute for the average American. The numbers say a typical Wichita worker last year spent 55 hours less driving to and from work than a typical worker in another part of the country. The longest commute in the country is in New York City, with an average of 39 minutes.Wichita probably does not have the shortest commute time in America, said Jamsheed Mehta, chief transportation planner for the Metropolitan Area Planning Department. He said a margin of error in the survey could move the city to a different spot on the list. Mehta also noted that the number doesn’t include commuters who live outside the city limits—a significant portion in the Wichita metropolitan area.
Kentucky
FRANKFORT (AP)—A former U.S. attorney was hired to get to the bottom of alleged scandals within the Transportation Cabinet. Gov. Paul Patton said he gave Joseph L. Famularo “carte blanche to investigate anything he believes should be investigated.” Famularo, 59, was U.S. attorney for eastern Kentucky from 1993 until this year. His title at the Transportation Cabinet is deputy secretary for legal affairs. He is to be the agency’s point man in dealing with law-enforcement officials. Famularo’s immediate concerns presumably would be two sets of allegations—that there was fraud in the awarding of some federal highway contracts to “disadvantaged business enterprises'”—businesses owned by women and minorities—and that some of the cabinet’s bridge inspectors solicited bribes from contractors.
Louisiana
NEW ORLEANS (AP)—The federal government must invest in Louisiana’s transportation infrastructure, state officials and business leaders told the chair of a U.S. Senate transportation subcommittee. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) listened as the officials made their arguments for federal funding of five transportation projects: La. Highway 1 and the Millennium Port in southeast Louisiana; the Interstate 69 and Interstate 49 North extensions in northwest Louisiana; and the Interstate 49 South extension, which would run provide a far-southern loop connecting Lafayette and New Orleans.
Maine
AUGUSTA (AP)—Mainers voters appeared to be in a mood to borrow during recent elections. The largest item on the ballot was $61 million for an array of transportation projects. The transit bond alone will draw $120 million in federal matching money.
Maryland
baltimore—The Baltimore Sun reports that there is a case of musical-chairs development happening in the area. One of the projects in the wave of new developments is the reclamation of Arundel Corp.’s former 255-acre quarry on Greenspring Avenue. According to the newspaper, the quarry will be reclaimed into a lakeside community of 100 single-family homes and 499 condominiums, but formal plans for the project have not been filed with the county.
Massachusetts
cambridge—The public’s appetite for mobility will lead to gridlock and environmental problems, according to a new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Charles River Associates. The “Mobility 2001” study urges nations to improve vehicle fuel economy, curb traffic growth, reinvent public transport and create “a portfolio of mobility options for people and freight,” according to The Smart Growth Network. The first phase of a three-year Sustainable Mobility Project commissioned by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the study reviewed broad ongoing research on “mobility and global warming, transportation networks, transportation technology for 2020 and mobility demand forecasts for 2050.”
Michigan
Detroit—Plans for a mass-transit system in metro Detroit appear to be in for a bumpy ride, according to the Detroit Free-Press. Area leaders disagree on who should control the system and who should pay for it. And, negotiations on a bill that would create a regional transit authority—the first step in developing a mass transit system—have failed to move forward.
Minnesota
HIBBING (AP)—EVTAC Mining Company is discovering a new business in the landscaping arena. More than 16,000 tons of granite boulders excavated from its played-out taconite pit and an abandoned mine dump near Hibbing have been shipped to Twin Cities landscaping firms. In 2001, the Iron Range taconite pellet producer earned about $1.3 million from selling the rocks and other mining byproducts such as taconite concentrate and tailings. “It’s been a good extra business,” said Rick Maki, EVTAC Mining vice president-commercial. “I’m amazed at the demand. It’s a new application of taking an old waste dump and making a product out of it, which is really neat.” The rocks, primarily granite, come from overburden removed from the top of the 100-mile-long taconite formation that spans the Iron Range. Rocks from 30 in. to about 55 in. in diameter are most popular. But also in demand are smaller rocks, from 30 in. in diameter to 1-in. stones.
Mississippi
gautier (AP)—Conrad Yelvington Distributors Inc. abandoned its plans to put a rock plant here. The city planning commission approved the company’s plans last year, but the city council rejected the proposal after a public outcry. The company argued its case in Jackson County Circuit court, saying its plant was an appropriate use of the land. The court, however, ruled in favor of the city which argued that it had the right to deny use of land for such a facility.
Missouri
kansas city—An annexation vote in Lake Lotawana could give the city some control over a local quarry, according to The Kansas City Star. The city administrator told the newspaper that the city isn’t ready to discuss plans for the quarry until annexation is final, which could take months. The annexation still needs approval from a circuit judge and may be opposed by the quarry’s owner.
Montana
THREE FORKS (AP)—A recent agreement between Holnam Inc. and environmental and community health groups is expected to allow the cement company to burn more petroleum coke for fuel at its Trident plant. In June, the state Department of Environmental Quality approved an air quality permit allowing Holnam to increase its use of coke. Montanans Against Toxic Burning, the Montana Environmental Information Center and the Sierra Club appealed. The appeal was scheduled for a hearing with the state Board of Environmental Review in late November, but the parties reached a tentative agreement before that, said David Rusoff, an attorney with the DEQ. The original permit would have allowed the company to increase its consumption of coke from 25 to 50 percent. Opponents questioned the legality of that decision. The groups settled the issue by amending the permit to reflect that concern.
Nebraska
Lincoln—Gov. Mike Johanns addressed infrastructure concerns in a message accompanying the state’s plan for FY2002. “There are approximately 10,000 miles of highways just in our state system. Those roads include 3,487 bridges. With 64 percent of all the vehicle miles of travel in Nebraska being on the state system, we see how important a safe, well-maintained highway is to our quality of life,” said Johanns. “With the Fiscal Year 2002 Highway Construction Improvement Program the Department of Roads continues to provide a safe, efficient and coordinated transportation system for the state of Nebraska… I and the Department of Roads pledge our continued efforts to bring you the best transportation system in the most efficient, effective and responsive manner possible.”
Nevada
Las Vegas—In mid-November, environmental groups announced that they have filed suit to block new mining rules established in October by Interior Secretary Gale Norton. According to the Las Vegas Sun, the rules overturned regulations put in by the Clinton administration. The Mineral Policy Center, Great Basin Mine Watch and Guardians of Our Rural Environment are suing the federal government to roll back the new mining rules. According to the newspaper, the groups argue that Norton failed “to prevent undue degradation” of public lands. During the change in rules, the mining industry targeted a rule giving the BLM a veto over new mines if they would cause, in the eyes of BLM administrators, substantial environmental harm. Russ Fields, president of the Nevada Mining Association, told the newspaper that the legal challenge was expected.
New Hampshire
concord—Rock of Ages Corp. announced that net income before a non-cash loss on disposal of assets for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, 2001, increased 14 percent to $1.541,000 or 20¢ per diluted share. “Both our quarrying and retailing operations reported solid performance for the third quarter that tracked our growth expectations,” said Kurt Swenson, chairman and chief executive officer. “Operating income in our quarry division was up 25 percent on an 11-percent increase in revenue to $6,693,000.”
New Jersey
prospect park—Campaigning on promises to crack on blasting and dust from a local quarry, three Democrats won control of the Borough Council. Nearly 80 percent of registered voters cast ballots in the election.
New Mexico
albuquerque—Picuris Pueblo members and neighbors blocked trucks leaving the Oglebay Norton Mica Mine in protest of its expansion. According to the Albuquerque Journal, the pueblo’s legal challenge to the state-permitted expansion failed in October when the state Supreme Court refused to hear the case.
New York
LITTLE VALLEY—Promoters of proposed Route 219 highway improvements are looking for a federal decision on an alternative route, according to The Buffalo News. In a status report, the executive board of the Cattaraugus County Route 219 Development Committee learned that the federal government’s choice of routes will be delayed for another six months while concerns about a new alignment are analyzed. A decision by the Federal Highway Administration is expected by mid-2002.
North Carolina
RALEIGH (AP)—More than 400 miles of road will get intense makeovers with $153 million in additional maintenance money for highway repaving projects expected to receive approval. State Transportation Secretary Lyndo Tippett announced the 52 projects that are slated to receive funding through a legislative initiative designed to use money in road-building coffers more efficiently. Tippett said the projects “might not have been done for the next 10 to 20 years” without legislation approved in September. The state has a backlog of maintenance projects worth $300 million, and that is expected to increase in the years ahead.
North Dakota
WASHINGTON (AP)—Reacting to the September terrorist attacks, unemployment rates rose in 33 states in October, with the biggest gains in Nevada and Hawaii. The state with the lowest unemployment rate in the country was North Dakota at 2 percent in October, up from 1.7 percent in September, followed by Delaware and Nebraska, both at 3 percent in October. Economists said the statewide data showed that few sections of the country are being spared the impact of the economic slump. Many economists believe the terrorist attacks have pushed the country into another recession, ending a record 10-year-long period of uninterrupted growth.
Ohio
cleveland—The city of Cleveland and its main contractor reached an agreement to remove 100,000 cu. yds. of slag that was to serve as the base course for a new runway at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. According to the Plain Dealer, the state environmental officials fingered the slag as the source of pollution running into a nearby creek and river. The slag will be removed at an estimated cost of $1.3 million. It will be replaced with limestone at a cost of an additional $2.7 million.
Oklahoma
Edmond—In a recent editorial, the editorial board of The Edmond Sun suggested that the community adopt the principles of smart growth. “The City Council should be encouraged to begin to adopt the tenets of smart growth… The intention is not to stop growth or even to slow growth, but rather to foster more sensible planned growth,” wrote the editorial board. “Let’s not be victims of the sprawl we are starting to see. Let’s plan for it, shape it, control it and make this community stronger. It takes a forward-thinking plan. That’s the point, it takes a plan.”
Oregon
springfield—With its purchase of the 416-acre Springfield Quarry, Morse Bros., Inc. has greatly expanded its Lane County operations. According to The Register Guard, Morse Bros. has tried to expand in the area for years, but the area’s main sand and gravel companies have refused to sell. The acquisition now gives the company a high-profile presence in the area.
Pennsylvania
latrobe (AP)—Latrobe Construction Co., in Westmoreland County, notified the state Department of Labor and Industry that it “has agreed to sell certain assets relating to the ownership and operation” of its quarry. The change in ownership was expected to take place by the end of 2001, but the new owner was not identified in Latrobe’s missive.
Rhode Island
Providence—The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and the Transportation Enhancement Advisory Committee (TEAC) have issued a call for projects to continue the Transportation Enhancement program funded by the federal Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21). RIDOT is now accepting applications statewide for consideration in the proposal review process. Both the application guide and the project application are available online at the RIDOT web site at http://www.dot.state.ri.us. The application deadline is Feb. 1, 2002.
South Carolina
olympia—Vulcan Materials Co. hosted an open house at its quarry here in early December. Visitors were able to see equipment working in the pit and were treated to a free barbecue lunch and music. Vulcan bought the operation last year from Tarmac America and has been working to improve community relations.
South Dakota
brown county—A local woman has accused the Aberdeen township board of discriminating against her and prohibiting her from selling sand and gravel on her land. According to the Aberdeen American News, Donna Arndt acquired a mining permit for her property a year and a half ago. Shortly afterward, township officials put up signs restricting the weight of trucks on the road to her property. Brown County commissioners told the news agency that they agree that the township board appears to be trying to prevent the sale of gravel on the property, but say they don’t have any authority to intervene.
Tennessee
Nashville—The Tennessee DOT, nearly out of land on which to build roads to ease traffic congestion around Nashville and other major cities, has cast its eye toward technology, according to The Tennessean. The newspaper reports that TDOT is focusing on a conglomeration of computers, digital cameras, highway sensors, high-tech message boards and other devices linked to manage traffic. The Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) is part of a $286.1 million “wish list” the Metropolitan Planning Organization hopes can be implemented over the next 20 years in Davidson and surrounding counties.
Texas
AUSTIN (AP)—Texas lawmakers who campaigned for two successful transportation-related constitutional amendments are looking ahead to their next mission: funding new road projects. “It is very important that the people have spoken,” said state Sen. Florence Shapiro (R-Plano) who hopes the strong vote for Proposition 15 helps her obtain $100 million for the new Texas Mobility Fund. The proposition creating the fund won 68 percent of the vote, allowing Texas for the first time to issue bonds to pay for state roads. Traditionally, Texas has used the pay-as-you go method of road building. Creation of the mobility fund gives Texas its first new mechanism for highway funding in more than a decade.
san antonio—Martin Marietta Materials Southwest Division donated $100,000 to the purchase price of land for the new Bryan McClain Park. The park was dedicated in mid-November to honor McClain, a Texas A&M University student who died along with 11 others in the A&M bonfire stack collapse in 1999.
Utah
salt lake city—After a U.S. district judge rejected their request for a temporary injunction against the controversial Legacy Parkway project in Davis County, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, the Sierra Club and Utahns for Better Transportation, filed an appeal in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals. According to The Smart Growth Network, the groups say that regulators approved the highway without due consideration of other routing and light-rail options.
Vermont
FAIR HAVEN (AP)—The future of a slate quarry that owners hope to reopen may hinge on its history. Catamount Slate Inc. is seeking to demonstrate that a commercial quarry operated on its property before 1970, the year that the Act 250 development review law went into effect. That’s why Andrew Brown found himself testifying recently before the state Environmental Board about how he helped extract five wagon-loads of slate at a quarry in 1954. Quarry owner Fred Reed is appealing a decision that the quarry should come under Act 250 review. Neighboring property owners questioned Brown and other witnesses at the Environmental Board, trying to show there is insufficient proof of previous commercial operations on the site. Brown testified that he earned between $1.10 and $1.25 an hour working for Harry Reed, Fred Reed’s father.
Virginia
blacksburg—Salem Stone’s ACCO Quarry in Blacksburg received one of three awards given statewide by the Virginia Aggregates Association for its community improvement activities. The “Community Impact Award” recognizes mineral mining companies that have demonstrated positive impacts on their local communities. “In the last decade, there has been increased focus on short-term profits by American businesses,” said Peter Easter, executive director of the association. “Therefore, special efforts need to be placed on community service projects and being a good corporate citizen.”
Washington
seattle—Environmentalists are suing over the Bush administration’s new rules governing hard-rock mining on public lands, according to The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. While the Bush administration had no comment, the mining industry said it stands ready to defend the new rules because they are backed up by a National Academy of Sciences study. At issue are regulations issued in November to amend a last-minute rulemaking from the Clinton administration. The Clinton administration prescribed a nationwide set of environmental standards to govern mining on federal lands. The Clinton rules also gave the government the right to reject mines that would cause “substantial irreparable harm.” National Mining Association spokeswoman Karen Batra pointed to the 1999 National Academy of Sciences study, which concluded that regulations “are generally well-coordinated, although some changes are necessary.” It also identified “regulatory gaps.”
West Virginia
berkeley springs—Better Minerals & Aggregates Co. reported sales for the third quarter, ended Sept. 30, 2001, were $91.0 million, up 9 percent from the prior year. “I am pleased with the operating results for this quarter,” said R.D. Reeves, president and chief executive officer. “Aggregates continues to have strong sales, and we see no letup in this activity through the end of the construction season.”
Wisconsin
baraboo—On appeal, the state’s 4th District Court of Appeals ruled that Kraemer Co. was not entitled to a permit to operate its quarry near Baraboo. According to the Wisconsin State Journal, Edward Kraemer & Sons bought the quarry in October 1989 and received a five-year special exception permit that same year. In 1994, it received a two-year extension on the permit. In 1996, Kramer Co. bought the site and asked for a renewal of the permit, which was denied. At the time, it was decided that the quarry didn’t qualify for a permit as a legal non-conforming land use because no mining had occurred at the site for more than a year before October 1989. The appeals activity was based on the issue of continuous mining with the appeals court ruling that selling stockpiled material did not constitute “mineral extraction activities.”
Wyoming
lander—A laborer was killed at Circle Paving’s portable crusher, according to a preliminary accident report from MSHA. Sterling Middleton was fatally injured when he became entangled in a conveyor tension roller. He had five weeks of mining experience.