Nevada

In early March, Sens. Harry Reid and John Ensign reintroduced a federal bill that would declare mining off limits on 800 acres of land in Sloan Hills that are overseen by the Bureau of Land Management. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Rep. Dean Heller submitted a companion bill in the House. “The Sloan Hills gravel pit not only disturbs an otherwise peaceful community, but poses serious health risks to thousands of Nevada residents,” Reid told the newspaper. A previous attempt to pass such legislation died in last year’s session of Congress when it was made part of a package of approximately 100 public lands and wilderness initiatives. Republicans blocked the bill, saying that some portions were too controversial and that it was an overreach.

New Hampshire

A drilling and blasting contractor working in a Pembroke quarry fell 30 to 40 feet into the quarry, the Concord Monitor reports. The contractor suffered a broken leg and head injuries and was transported to the local hospital. The Pembroke police chief said his department contacted the Occupational Safety and Health Administration which was expected to contact the Mine Safety and Health Administration about the incident. The worker was wearing a hard hat and safety harness, but the harness may have been unhooked because he was in an area that did not require it.

New York

Patrick DiLucia, vice president of sales for the Dolomite Group Inc., told the Rochester Business Journal that costs of construction materials are starting to inch up as crude oil prices climb. The 100-year-old company, purchased by Oldcastle Inc. in 2000, sells crushed stone, sand, gravel, asphalt, and concrete. DiLucia said that rising oil prices increase delivery costs for aggregates, as well as asphalt costs. He told the journal that his company and other local construction companies are cutting costs by instituting longer seasonal layoffs and cutting employee hours in addition to shortening production runs at the company’s quarries.

Texas

Aggregate Industries U.S., Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Holcim Ltd., announced that Lattimore Materials Corp. (LMC), a Texas-based aggregates and ready-mixed concrete producer, has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aggregate Industries. Prior to the transaction, Holcim owned a minority interest in LMC. “Until now, Aggregate Industries U.S. did not have a presence in Texas,” said Bernard Terver, Holcim Ltd. United States area manager. “The acquisition of LMC firmly establishes Aggregate Industries U.S. operations in this important area of the United States and allows (it) to fully leverage the very strong positions and reputation of LMC.” The new subsidiary operates seven aggregate operations, 26 ready-mix sites with 35 concrete plants, four rail terminals, and a fleet of more than 400 mixer and haul trucks.