Students always leave some mark on the schools they attend. But at Stonewall Elementary School in Clear Brook, Va., this mark will now be more literal than most. In a new tradition, graduating fifth graders will put their handprints on a 7-ton limestone boulder at the entrance to the school, alongside the handprints of faculty and staff. This new rite…
Read MoreDay: December 7, 2021
NIOSH Announces Mine Safety and Health Technology Innovations Awards
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Mining Program, in conjunction with the Industrial Minerals Association–North America, the National Mining Association, and the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, recognized four organizations in their respective industry sectors, some for developing new safety tools and systems, and others for instituting new health protocols to keep their workforce safe during…
Read MoreMSHA: No Mining Operation Meets Pattern of Violations Criteria
For the seventh year in a row, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) found none of the nation’s 12,000 mining operations met the criteria for one of the agency’s toughest enforcement tools, its pattern of violations (POV) screening. In MSHA’s annual screening of operations from Aug. 1, 2020 to July 31, 2021, the agency found…
Read MoreConstruction Starts Rise; Highways Lower
Highway And Bridge Starts Were Both 7% Lower For The Month And For The 12 Months Ending In October 2021. By Mark S. Kuhar Total construction starts rose 16% in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.01 trillion, according to Dodge Construction Network. Nonresidential building starts gained 29% and nonbuilding moved 52% higher in October, while residential starts…
Read MoreDodge Momentum Index Declines In November
The Dodge Momentum Index fell 4% in November to 171.7 (2000=100) – down from the revised October reading of 178.1. The Momentum Index, issued by Dodge Construction Network, is a monthly measure of the initial report for nonresidential building projects in planning, which have been shown to lead construction spending for nonresidential buildings by a full year. In November, commercial planning fell 8% while institutional planning…
Read MoreTACA Members Learn How Conservation Can Increase Profitability
The Texas Aggregates & Concrete Association (TACA) welcomed more than 50 attendees to its Environmental & Sustainability Seminar on Sept. 23-24 at the Marriott Riverwalk in San Antonio. Industry professionals delivered topical presentations on the environmental and sustainable regulations and issues facing TACA members today, including the Biden administration’s environmental policies; how to be audit-ready in a post-COVID world; the…
Read MoreMeeting the Next Assistant Secretary for MSHA
Does Christopher Williamson Have What It Takes To Serve As Head Of MSHA? Only Time Will Tell. By Brian Hendrix On Nov. 12, President Joe Biden nominated Christopher Williamson to serve as the next Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health. Williamson has secured the support of Sen. Manchin (D-W.Va.) and the United Mine Workers of America. As…
Read MoreCalifornia Quarry Earns Extension
The San Rafael Rock Quarry will be allowed to continue its mining operations through 2044, according to the Marin Independent Journal. The Marin County board of supervisors approved a plan that extends the reclamation plan for another 20 years, despite opposition from some in the community. The Dutra Group, the operator of the quarry, has a vested right to continue…
Read MorePennsylvania Quarry Plan Faces Opposition
Centre Twp., Pa., residents near a proposed limestone quarry expansion derided the plan, saying they have serious concerns about potential effects on ground water and their farms during a public comment hearing, according to Penn Live. Centre Stone and Lime Co. of State College, Pa., is proposing to expand the dormant quarry from the modest half an acre to 28…
Read MoreLegislators Seek to Protect Land in New Mexico
According to the NM Political Report, the four Democrats in New Mexico’s congressional delegation are pushing to have 4,200 acres of Bureau of Land Management land removed from mineral development, in particular gravel mining, in Sandoval County near Placitas, N.M. Rep. Melanie Stansbury introduced the Buffalo Tract Protection Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill is co-sponsored by…
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