The National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) announced the recipients of the 2017 Environmental Excellence, Safety Excellence, Stars of Excellence and the Environmental Leadership Awards.
“I am proud to congratulate these award recipients, as they continue to make an outstanding difference in our industry by fostering environmental stewardship and leading innovative sustainability practices at their facilities,” said Michael W. Johnson, NSSGA president and CEO.
NSSGA’s annual awards program recognizes aggregates operations throughout the United States for their extraordinary commitment to safety, their continuing performance of safe environmental practices and efforts to enhance the public’s understanding of the industry.
Stars of Excellence
The National Stars of Excellence Awards are earned by operations that accumulate multiple gold awards in Safety, Environmental and Community Relations Excellence over a five-year period. Cemex’s Center Hill Mine in Center Hill, Fla., received gold awards in 2012 for Community Relations and in 2016 for Environmental Excellence.
Environmental Excellence Recipients
The Environmental Excellence Awards program was created in 1992 to provide national recognition for aggregate producers that go above and beyond technical, environmental and regulatory requirements. This award is given to the top 10 percent of facilities receiving the highest score from NSSGA’s selected group of independent judges.
- Cemex, Center Hill Mine, Center Hill, Fla., Gold.
- LafargeHolcim, Empire Sand & Gravel, Eagan, Mich., Gold.
- Cemex, FEC Quarry, Medley, Fla., Gold.
- Vulcan Materials Co., Gurley Quarry, Gurley, Ala., Gold.
- Martin Marietta, Central Rock Quarry, Charlotte, N.C., Gold.
- Martin Marietta, Mill Creek Limestone, Mill Creek, Okla., Gold.
- Hanson Aggregates, Thaddus Carr Dredge, Coraopolis, Pa., Gold.
Environmental Leadership Award
Joe McGuire, Ph.D., of Cessford Construction Company, a division of Oldcastle Materials Inc., has been selected to receive NSSGA’s 2017 Environmental Leadership Award. This award annually recognizes an individual who has made substantial contributions to their company’s or industry’s efforts to achieve environmentally sound operating practices.
Throughout his 33-year career, McGuire has shown incredible leadership in the industry through environmental permitting and ongoing environmental compliance.
McGuire has presented more than 100 seminars on environmental matters and has worked with associations and their member companies to help them understand environmental rules, regulations and compliance. He has also been heavily involved in providing environmental education for all employees at his company.
Safety Excellence Award
The Safety Excellence Award in the large category will be presented to Martin Marietta’s Rio Medina Quarry in San Antonio, Texas. The quarry will be recognized for 12 years without an reportable injury (based on MSHA data).
These awards, along with the Grassroots and the Platinum Environmental Award, the highest industry recognition for innovative environmental practices, will be announced and presented during NSSGA’s Legislative & Policy Forum/Fall Board Meeting in Washington, D.C., Sept. 24-28.