January 2003 AGGMAN State by State

Would you like to see an event or news story in your state covered in State By State? If so, e-mail it to angie@aggman.com or fax it to (816) 254-2128. Please include your name and company or association affiliation and a daytime phone number and/or e-mail address so we can contact you with any questions.

Alabama
MONTGOMERY—According to The Commercial Appeal, the proposed route for the Memphis-Huntsville-Atlanta highway may be approved in February. The Alabama section is expected to cover 163 miles and cost $2.2 billion.

Alaska
ANCHORAGE—According to the Associated Press, Sealaska Corp. is looking for a partner to help develop a high-grade sand and gravel deposit near Yakutat. Sealaska officials state the Broken Ore Cove deposit near Yakutat could supply all aggregate needed for major southeast construction projects in the future. More than 450 millions tons of sand and gravel have been identified at the Broken Ore Cove site.

Arizona
PHOENIX—According to the Associated Press, Governor Jane Hull recently asked legislators to approve a $30 million proposal by Transportation director Victor Mendez. The $30 million would replace the $27 million budget.

Arkansas
LITTLE ROCK—According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, North Little Rock’s city council recently voted 5-3 to allow Mayor Patrick Hays to negotiate a residential development within the former Big Rock Quarry along North Little Rock’s riverfront.
california
SANTA CLARITA—According to The Daily News of Los Angeles, the city council recently asked Governor Gray Davis and Attorney General Bill Lockyer to intervene in a federal court lawsuit over a sand and gravel mine in Canyon Country. Santa Clarita officials have spent almost $2 million in trying to prevent Cemex, Inc.’s 56.1 million ton mine.

Colorado
NORTON—According to the Associated Press, reductions in state tax revenue have delayed, but not eliminated plans to speed up work on 30 highway construction projects. Projects on the list included widening Interstates 225 and 25 in Denver, widening I-25 in Colorado Springs, widening U.S. 50 near Delta, and improvements over Wolf Creek Pass.
connecticut

CROMWELL—According to The Hartford Courant, Millane Nurseries, Inc., is trying to gain approval to open a gravel mine in a residential section of Cromwell. Millane is proposing a 6-acre gravel mine with mining in 2-acre increments for a total of up to 250,000 cu. yds. of gravel over a five-year time period.

Delaware
WILMINGTON—Sterling Construction Company, Inc., announced results for its third quarter and the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2002. The company reported consolidated revenues for the third quarter of $32.5 million and pre-tax income of $1.1 million.

Florida
FORT LAUDERDALE—According to the Sun-Sentinel, the Miami-Dade County Commission recently approved a 110-acre limestone mine proposed by Rinker Materials Corp. The mine is located on the fringe of the Everglades.

Georgia
ATLANTA—The Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority recently issued $45.8 million in transportation revenue bonds secured by federal highway reimbursements to redeem short-term debt issued last year to launch a transportation program.

Hawaii
HONOLULU—Hawaii’s portion of the Interstate Highway System has been selected as the state’s top transportation infrastructure project of the 20th century by ARTBA.

Idaho
BOISE—Planning processes for the U.S. 95 Coeur d’Alene Corridor recently began. The purpose of the plan is to examine how U.S. 95 operates today and also examine the need for future changes to handle traffic growth.

Illinois
SOUTH ELGIN—According to the Chicago Daily Herald, Meyer Material Co. is planning to build on six acres of leased land owned by Fox River Stone Co. Meyer and Fox River Stone officials say that having a concrete facility adjacent to the operation will minimize truck traffic and dust.

Indiana
NOBLESVILLE—According to The Indianapolis Star, the Indiana DOT recently turned over control of Indiana 238 between Indiana 37 and Interstate 69 to Hamilton County and city of Noblesville local officials.

Iowa
DES MOINES—The Iowa DOT recently presented the Iowa Transportation Commission with a proposed five-year highway program. The commission is in the process of developing the state’s 2003-2007 Five-Year Transportation Improvement Program.

Kansas
TOPEKA—According to the Associated Press, members of the Transportation 2000 task force recently recommended the state make changes in how it pays for its $13.6 billion transportation program before it considers project cuts. According to task force and KDOT figures, without continued transfers of taxes from the state general fund, the transportation program could face a deficit of $1.3 billion over the next six years.

Kentucky
FRANKFORT—The Kentucky Parkway System and Cumberland Gap Tunnel Project have been selected as the state's top transportation infrastructure projects of the 20th century by ARTBA.

Louisiana
SHREVEPORT—According to The Times, the $65.9 million project to widen Highway 1 to four lanes has progressed smoothly, and is expected to be completed in a couple of months. The project is being funded through federal and state government transportation funds.

Maine
BELGRADE—According to the Kennebec Journal, Gagne & Son Concrete Blocks, Inc., is now in compliance with the law after more than a decade of state fines and violations. Since the late 1980s, the Maine DEP has been trying to negotiate agreements for gravel pit violations with the owner, Albert Gagne. When Gagne died in 1997, the state began negotiations with the Gagne family members and the operation has dealt with old violations until it is now in compliance.

Maryland
ANNAPOLIS—ARTBA and the National Safety Council recently gave the Maryland DOT and the State Highway Administration an honorable mention in its second annual “Roadway Work Zone Safety Awareness Awards” program. The award recognized the “National Work Zone Awareness Kick-off Campaign.”

Massachusetts
BOSTON—According to The Boston Globe, since the last reauthorization of TEA-21 in 1997, Massachusetts has been receiving $557 million in federal transportation funds annually, a one-third reduction from previous years.

Michigan
BERRIEN COUNTY—According to Crain’s Detroit Business, manufacturers in Michigan may face having environmental permits reopened at any time if a state Court of Appeals ruling stands. The Court of Appeals recently ruled in a case involving an environmental-protection group and a sand-mining operation in Berrien County that the group’s challenge to the company’s permit could be brought even though the 60-day limit for a challenge had expired.

Minnesota
STEARNS COUNTY—According to the St. Cloud Times, Stearns County officials are disappointed with the planning commission’s failure to approve a permit for a proposed gravel pit near Kimball. A motion to approve the conditional use permit for Bauerly Cos. failed 5-2 at the planning commission’s meeting. Bauerly has proposed a gravel mining operation for Maine Prairie Township, and wants to mine gravel from 34 acres of a 52-acre wooded site on Minnesota Highway 55.

Mississippi
JACKSON—According to the Associated Press, Mississippi’s Legislature recently approved a multi-billion-dollar transportation plan. According to Mississippi Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall, the $8.7 billion, 20-year program will use state and federal money to widen highways.

Missouri
JEFFERSON COUNTY—According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of a plan for mining sand and gravel on 30 acres of a 75-acre property owned by Donna Johner.

Montana
HELENA—Montana’s Interstate System has been selected as the state’s top transportation infrastructure project of the 20th century by ARTBA.

Nebraska
OMAHA—Peter Kiewit Sons’, Inc., is the nation’s largest federal highway contractor, according to the ARTBA’s seventh annual ranking of the “Top 300 Federal Highway Contractors.” The company was awarded almost $528 million in federal highway work in 2001.

Nevada
CARSON CITY—According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, a legislative audit released found that 30 road construction projects worth $1.7 billion built by the DOT were not chosen using agency procedures. Because of failure to adhere to procedure, lawmakers were concerned that projects picked were not the most beneficial road construction projects.

New Hampshire
CONCORD—The U.S. Route 302 Bridge is estimated to be completed in August 2003. The project includes the complete rehabilitation of the U.S. Route 302 . The bridge was built in 1928 and was on the state’s Red List.

New Jersey
TRENTON—Governor James McGreevey recently joined more than a dozen other Democratic governors calling for Congress and the White House to offer greater flexibility in using federal aid for highway construction. McGreevey feels that partnering with the federal government on road projects would help ease traffic congestion and create jobs, as well as lower the state’s budget deficit.

New Mexico
TORRANCE COUNTY—According to the Albuquerque Journal, the Torrance County Commission recently withdrew a permit for a gravel pit for Waycor, an Albuquerque aggregate company. In November, the county issued a nonconforming use certificate for the pit. A hearing is scheduled in January to decide whether the pit meets the requirements for the certificate.

New York
JAMESVILLE—According to the Associated Press, a dynamite charge exploded prematurely at a limestone quarry in Jamesville, injuring two workers, one critically. The contract blasters had been preparing a controlled blast to break nearly 40,000 tons of limestone off a wall at the Hanson Aggregates East Quarry.

North Carolina
RALEIGH—According to the Associated Press, two officials who participated on creating the Highway Trust Fund recently sued the state of North Carolina. The lawsuit claims that the legislators and Governor Mike Easley unlawfully took money out of the fund to balance state budgets.

North Dakota
BISMARCK—According to The Bismarck Tribune, the DOT, at Governor John Hoeven’s direction, is intending to introduce a bill in the 2003 Legislature to lower the blood-alcohol threshold to .08 percent. In 2000, Congress required states to adopt the .08 percent standard or risk losing federal highway construction funding.

Ohio
AMHERST—American Stone Industries, Inc., a supplier of building stone products, reported a net loss of $1,161,773 for the three months ended Sept. 30, 2002, primarily as a result of write-downs in inventory and accounts receivable totaling $989,642.

Oklahoma
SAND SPRINGS—According to the Tulsa World, the Sand Springs City Council has delayed action on a request to convert 1,500 acres from a planned unit development to agriculture zoning. The land is owned by Jack Brotton who, last February, lost an attempt to convert 350 acres to agriculture zoning to allow for a rock quarry.

Oregon
HILLSBORO—According to The Oregonian, Washington County commissioners agreed to sell the remaining 26.8 acres of Durham Quarry for $10 million to a developer who wants to build a shopping center and office park.

Pennsylvania
HARRISBURG—The state of Pennsylvania may face a cut in transportation funding if they don’t reduce the blood alcohol content limit from drivers from .1 to .08 percent by October 2003. If the state doesn’t comply, it will lose 2 percent of funding, and up to 10 percent by 2007.

Rhode Island
PROVIDENCE—According to The Providence Journal-Bulletin, the state DOT is planning to build a linear park, building it across the Seekonk River using a strip of the existing eastbound Washington Bridge, which is to be replaced next year. The DOT plans to demolish the rest of the bridge and build a new eastbound highway to replace it.

South Carolina
MYRTLE BEACH—According to the Associated Press, a $100,000 state-funded study is taking place to find transportation options for the Grand Strand, including a possible monorail. The goal of the study is to to give tourists and local residents a way to get around, without using highly congested roads.

South Dakota
SIOUX FALLS—According to the Argus Leader, Sioux Falls city and Minnehaha County planning commissioners approved a conditional use permit for a gravel extraction near 12th Street and Ellis Road.

Tennessee
NASHVILLE—Rogers Group has received the Nashville Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction’s prestigious Polestar Award for Outstanding Service to the Community. The award was presented at NAWIC’s recent annual banquet.

Texas
AUSTIN—According to The Bond Buyer, the Texas Turnpike Authority was a regional winner for the Deal of the Year Award and is nominated for the the national award. The TTA’s sale for the Central Texas Turnpike System was the largest bond issue ever sold in the state and the first time any state-level issuer in Texas has used long-term debt to finance road construction. It was also among the highest-rated of start-up toll road projects.

Utah
SALT LAKE CITY—According to The Salt Lake Tribune, Salt Lake County will appeal a 3rd District Court judgement that voided the expansion of a limestone quarry in Parleys County. The county wants the Utah Court of Appeals to decide whether 3rd District Judge Sandra Peuler acted correctly in throwing out a permit for a 50-acre enlargement of a quarry owned by Harper Contracting.

Vermont
CLARENDON—According to the Associated Press, the state may be planning to build an overpass at the dangerous intersection of U.S. 7 and Vermont Route 103. Raising Route 7 to create an overpass will require both state and federal funds for design, construction, and implementation.

Virginia
RICHMOND—According to The Washington Times, Gov. Mark Warner recently announced that he was considering new tolls on roads, revising the state tax code, and laying off more state workers to bolster up a nearly $1 billion budget shortfall. The state government has already laid off 1,800 workers.

Washington
VANCOUVER—According to The Columbian, the federal government has requested public comment on Kelso-based J.L. Storedahl Co.’s draft proposal to expand its mining operation to 161 acres near the East Fork of the Lewis River.

West Virginia
GILBERT—According to The State Journal, Premium Energy, Inc., proposed a multi-million-dollar reclamation project to turn a valley fill into a roadbed for a segment of the King Coal Highway. Chief U.S. District Judge Charles H. Haden II blocked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from issuing valley fill permits that have no primary purpose or use but the disposal of waste. The Corps determined on Nov. 19, 2002, that the project would serve a constructive purpose and is in compliance with the Haden ruling. The project would save the state $24 million in highway funds.

Wisconsin
MADISON—According to The Bond Buyer, the state’s DOT recently released a budget request that relies on doubling the $45 license plate fee in order to raise the funds needed to pay off debt that would be issued for the rebuilding of highways in southeastern Wisconsin. The money is needed because the current registration fees and other fees that fund transportation projects would not cover the amount needed over the next 20 years to pay for a total of $6.25 billion worth of construction.

Wyoming
CENTENIAL—According to the Associated Press, a hearing on blasting at the Eagle Butte coal mine was delayed for the third time by the Environmental Quality Council. The council has delayed the matter two other times in the past year to allow mine representatives and conservation groups ample time to present testimony.

January 2003 Management State by State				State by State Would you like to see an event or news story in your state covered in State By State? If so, e-mail it to angie@aggman.com or fax it to (816) 254-2128. Please include your name and company or association affiliation and a daytime phone number and/or e-mail address so we can contact you with any questions. Alabama MONTGOMERY—According to The Commercial Appeal, the proposed route for the Memphis-Huntsville-Atlanta highway may be approved in February. The Alabama section is expected to cover 163 miles and cost $2.2 billion. Alaska ANCHORAGE—According to the Associated Press, Sealaska Corp. is looking for a partner to help develop a high-grade sand and gravel deposit near Yakutat. Sealaska officials state the Broken Ore Cove deposit near Yakutat could supply all aggregate needed for major southeast construction projects in the future. More than 450 millions tons of sand and gravel have been identified at the Broken Ore Cove site. Arizona PHOENIX—According to the Associated Press, Governor Jane Hull recently asked legislators to approve a $30 million proposal by Transportation director Victor Mendez. The $30 million would replace the $27 million budget. Arkansas LITTLE ROCK—According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, North Little Rock’s city council recently voted 5-3 to allow Mayor Patrick Hays to negotiate a residential development within the former Big Rock Quarry along North Little Rock’s riverfront. california SANTA CLARITA—According to The Daily News of Los Angeles, the city council recently asked Governor Gray Davis and Attorney General Bill Lockyer to intervene in a federal court lawsuit over a sand and gravel mine in Canyon Country. Santa Clarita officials have spent almost $2 million in trying to prevent Cemex, Inc.’s 56.1 million ton mine. Colorado NORTON—According to the Associated Press, reductions in state tax revenue have delayed, but not eliminated plans to speed up work on 30 highway construction projects. Projects on the list included widening Interstates 225 and 25 in Denver, widening I-25 in Colorado Springs, widening U.S. 50 near Delta, and improvements over Wolf Creek Pass. connecticut CROMWELL—According to The Hartford Courant, Millane Nurseries, Inc., is trying to gain approval to open a gravel mine in a residential section of Cromwell. Millane is proposing a 6-acre gravel mine with mining in 2-acre increments for a total of up to 250,000 cu. yds. of gravel over a five-year time period. Delaware WILMINGTON—Sterling Construction Company, Inc., announced results for its third quarter and the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2002. The company reported consolidated revenues for the third quarter of $32.5 million and pre-tax income of $1.1 million. Florida FORT LAUDERDALE—According to the Sun-Sentinel, the Miami-Dade County Commission recently approved a 110-acre limestone mine proposed by Rinker Materials Corp. The mine is located on the fringe of the Everglades. Georgia ATLANTA—The Georgia State Road and Tollway Authority recently issued $45.8 million in transportation revenue bonds secured by federal highway reimbursements to redeem short-term debt issued last year to launch a transportation program. Hawaii HONOLULU—Hawaii’s portion of the Interstate Highway System has been selected as the state’s top transportation infrastructure project of the 20th century by ARTBA. Idaho BOISE—Planning processes for the U.S. 95 Coeur d’Alene Corridor recently began. The purpose of the plan is to examine how U.S. 95 operates today and also examine the need for future changes to handle traffic growth. Illinois SOUTH ELGIN—According to the Chicago Daily Herald, Meyer Material Co. is planning to build on six acres of leased land owned by Fox River Stone Co. Meyer and Fox River Stone officials say that having a concrete facility adjacent to the operation will minimize truck traffic and dust. Indiana NOBLESVILLE—According to The Indianapolis Star, the Indiana DOT recently turned over control of Indiana 238 between Indiana 37 and Interstate 69 to Hamilton County and city of Noblesville local officials. Iowa DES MOINES—The Iowa DOT recently presented the Iowa Transportation Commission with a proposed five-year highway program. The commission is in the process of developing the state’s 2003-2007 Five-Year Transportation Improvement Program. Kansas TOPEKA—According to the Associated Press, members of the Transportation 2000 task force recently recommended the state make changes in how it pays for its $13.6 billion transportation program before it considers project cuts. According to task force and KDOT figures, without continued transfers of taxes from the state general fund, the transportation program could face a deficit of $1.3 billion over the next six years. Kentucky FRANKFORT—The Kentucky Parkway System and Cumberland Gap Tunnel Project have been selected as the state's top transportation infrastructure projects of the 20th century by ARTBA. Louisiana SHREVEPORT—According to The Times, the $65.9 million project to widen Highway 1 to four lanes has progressed smoothly, and is expected to be completed in a couple of months. The project is being funded through federal and state government transportation funds. Maine BELGRADE—According to the Kennebec Journal, Gagne & Son Concrete Blocks, Inc., is now in compliance with the law after more than a decade of state fines and violations. Since the late 1980s, the Maine DEP has been trying to negotiate agreements for gravel pit violations with the owner, Albert Gagne. When Gagne died in 1997, the state began negotiations with the Gagne family members and the operation has dealt with old violations until it is now in compliance. Maryland ANNAPOLIS—ARTBA and the National Safety Council recently gave the Maryland DOT and the State Highway Administration an honorable mention in its second annual “Roadway Work Zone Safety Awareness Awards” program. The award recognized the “National Work Zone Awareness Kick-off Campaign.” Massachusetts BOSTON—According to The Boston Globe, since the last reauthorization of TEA-21 in 1997, Massachusetts has been receiving $557 million in federal transportation funds annually, a one-third reduction from previous years. Michigan BERRIEN COUNTY—According to Crain’s Detroit Business, manufacturers in Michigan may face having environmental permits reopened at any time if a state Court of Appeals ruling stands. The Court of Appeals recently ruled in a case involving an environmental-protection group and a sand-mining operation in Berrien County that the group’s challenge to the company’s permit could be brought even though the 60-day limit for a challenge had expired. Minnesota STEARNS COUNTY—According to the St. Cloud Times, Stearns County officials are disappointed with the planning commission’s failure to approve a permit for a proposed gravel pit near Kimball. A motion to approve the conditional use permit for Bauerly Cos. failed 5-2 at the planning commission’s meeting. Bauerly has proposed a gravel mining operation for Maine Prairie Township, and wants to mine gravel from 34 acres of a 52-acre wooded site on Minnesota Highway 55. Mississippi JACKSON—According to the Associated Press, Mississippi’s Legislature recently approved a multi-billion-dollar transportation plan. According to Mississippi Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall, the $8.7 billion, 20-year program will use state and federal money to widen highways. Missouri JEFFERSON COUNTY—According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Jefferson County Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of a plan for mining sand and gravel on 30 acres of a 75-acre property owned by Donna Johner. Montana HELENA—Montana’s Interstate System has been selected as the state’s top transportation infrastructure project of the 20th century by ARTBA. Nebraska OMAHA—Peter Kiewit Sons’, Inc., is the nation’s largest federal highway contractor, according to the ARTBA’s seventh annual ranking of the “Top 300 Federal Highway Contractors.” The company was awarded almost $528 million in federal highway work in 2001. Nevada CARSON CITY—According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, a legislative audit released found that 30 road construction projects worth $1.7 billion built by the DOT were not chosen using agency procedures. Because of failure to adhere to procedure, lawmakers were concerned that projects picked were not the most beneficial road construction projects. New Hampshire CONCORD—The U.S. Route 302 Bridge is estimated to be completed in August 2003. The project includes the complete rehabilitation of the U.S. Route 302 . The bridge was built in 1928 and was on the state’s Red List. New Jersey TRENTON—Governor James McGreevey recently joined more than a dozen other Democratic governors calling for Congress and the White House to offer greater flexibility in using federal aid for highway construction. McGreevey feels that partnering with the federal government on road projects would help ease traffic congestion and create jobs, as well as lower the state’s budget deficit. New Mexico TORRANCE COUNTY—According to the Albuquerque Journal, the Torrance County Commission recently withdrew a permit for a gravel pit for Waycor, an Albuquerque aggregate company. In November, the county issued a nonconforming use certificate for the pit. A hearing is scheduled in January to decide whether the pit meets the requirements for the certificate. New York JAMESVILLE—According to the Associated Press, a dynamite charge exploded prematurely at a limestone quarry in Jamesville, injuring two workers, one critically. The contract blasters had been preparing a controlled blast to break nearly 40,000 tons of limestone off a wall at the Hanson Aggregates East Quarry. North Carolina RALEIGH—According to the Associated Press, two officials who participated on creating the Highway Trust Fund recently sued the state of North Carolina. The lawsuit claims that the legislators and Governor Mike Easley unlawfully took money out of the fund to balance state budgets. North Dakota BISMARCK—According to The Bismarck Tribune, the DOT, at Governor John Hoeven’s direction, is intending to introduce a bill in the 2003 Legislature to lower the blood-alcohol threshold to .08 percent. In 2000, Congress required states to adopt the .08 percent standard or risk losing federal highway construction funding. Ohio AMHERST—American Stone Industries, Inc., a supplier of building stone products, reported a net loss of $1,161,773 for the three months ended Sept. 30, 2002, primarily as a result of write-downs in inventory and accounts receivable totaling $989,642. Oklahoma SAND SPRINGS—According to the Tulsa World, the Sand Springs City Council has delayed action on a request to convert 1,500 acres from a planned unit development to agriculture zoning. The land is owned by Jack Brotton who, last February, lost an attempt to convert 350 acres to agriculture zoning to allow for a rock quarry. Oregon HILLSBORO—According to The Oregonian, Washington County commissioners agreed to sell the remaining 26.8 acres of Durham Quarry for $10 million to a developer who wants to build a shopping center and office park. Pennsylvania HARRISBURG—The state of Pennsylvania may face a cut in transportation funding if they don’t reduce the blood alcohol content limit from drivers from .1 to .08 percent by October 2003. If the state doesn’t comply, it will lose 2 percent of funding, and up to 10 percent by 2007. Rhode Island PROVIDENCE—According to The Providence Journal-Bulletin, the state DOT is planning to build a linear park, building it across the Seekonk River using a strip of the existing eastbound Washington Bridge, which is to be replaced next year. The DOT plans to demolish the rest of the bridge and build a new eastbound highway to replace it. South Carolina MYRTLE BEACH—According to the Associated Press, a $100,000 state-funded study is taking place to find transportation options for the Grand Strand, including a possible monorail. The goal of the study is to to give tourists and local residents a way to get around, without using highly congested roads. South Dakota SIOUX FALLS—According to the Argus Leader, Sioux Falls city and Minnehaha County planning commissioners approved a conditional use permit for a gravel extraction near 12th Street and Ellis Road. Tennessee NASHVILLE—Rogers Group has received the Nashville Chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction’s prestigious Polestar Award for Outstanding Service to the Community. The award was presented at NAWIC’s recent annual banquet. Texas AUSTIN—According to The Bond Buyer, the Texas Turnpike Authority was a regional winner for the Deal of the Year Award and is nominated for the the national award. The TTA’s sale for the Central Texas Turnpike System was the largest bond issue ever sold in the state and the first time any state-level issuer in Texas has used long-term debt to finance road construction. It was also among the highest-rated of start-up toll road projects. Utah SALT LAKE CITY—According to The Salt Lake Tribune, Salt Lake County will appeal a 3rd District Court judgement that voided the expansion of a limestone quarry in Parleys County. The county wants the Utah Court of Appeals to decide whether 3rd District Judge Sandra Peuler acted correctly in throwing out a permit for a 50-acre enlargement of a quarry owned by Harper Contracting. Vermont CLARENDON—According to the Associated Press, the state may be planning to build an overpass at the dangerous intersection of U.S. 7 and Vermont Route 103. Raising Route 7 to create an overpass will require both state and federal funds for design, construction, and implementation. Virginia RICHMOND—According to The Washington Times, Gov. Mark Warner recently announced that he was considering new tolls on roads, revising the state tax code, and laying off more state workers to bolster up a nearly $1 billion budget shortfall. The state government has already laid off 1,800 workers. Washington VANCOUVER—According to The Columbian, the federal government has requested public comment on Kelso-based J.L. Storedahl Co.’s draft proposal to expand its mining operation to 161 acres near the East Fork of the Lewis River. West Virginia GILBERT—According to The State Journal, Premium Energy, Inc., proposed a multi-million-dollar reclamation project to turn a valley fill into a roadbed for a segment of the King Coal Highway. Chief U.S. District Judge Charles H. Haden II blocked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from issuing valley fill permits that have no primary purpose or use but the disposal of waste. The Corps determined on Nov. 19, 2002, that the project would serve a constructive purpose and is in compliance with the Haden ruling. The project would save the state $24 million in highway funds. Wisconsin MADISON—According to The Bond Buyer, the state’s DOT recently released a budget request that relies on doubling the $45 license plate fee in order to raise the funds needed to pay off debt that would be issued for the rebuilding of highways in southeastern Wisconsin. The money is needed because the current registration fees and other fees that fund transportation projects would not cover the amount needed over the next 20 years to pay for a total of $6.25 billion worth of construction. Wyoming CENTENIAL—According to the Associated Press, a hearing on blasting at the Eagle Butte coal mine was delayed for the third time by the Environmental Quality Council. The council has delayed the matter two other times in the past year to allow mine representatives and conservation groups ample time to present testimony.