Winter Issue
A publication of the California Construction and Industrial Materials Association
HELP WANTED: Pathways and Pipelines to Tomorrow’s Workforce
Strategic Planning Water Standards
6 10
Communications 12 Environmental Green Fleet
14 16
MOUNTAINS WILL CRUMBLE BEFORE OUR BELIEFS.
HitachiConstruction.com
COASTLINE Equipment
THE
CONVEYOR
TABLE of CONTENTS
2018 WINTER ISSUE
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4 CHAIRMAN'S LETTER 6 STRATEGIC PLANNING
Help Wanted: Pathways and Pipelines to Tomorrow's Workforce
10 WATER STANDARDS
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ANSI/NSF Standard 61 Finally Finalized
12 COMMUNICATIONS
Social Media Should Be a Top Priority for Construction Industry
14 ENVIRONMENTAL
Experiences Over a Career of Environmental Management
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16 GREEN FLEET
Catalina Pacific®, a CalPortland® Company, Announces Official Launch of CNG Mixer Fleet ON THE COVER:
Front cover design by Construction Marketing Services depicting workforce shortages in many areas of construction.
The Conveyor is a publication of the California Construction and Industrial Materials Association. The views expressed herein are fixed expressions of the contributing writers and not of CalCIMA. All rights reserved.
CalCIMA 1029 J Street, #420 Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 554-1000 www.calcima.org www.distancematters.org
Published By Construction Marketing Services, LLC
Editorial Contributors Kay Hazen, Kay Hazen and Company
Graphic Designer Aldo Myftari Misty Swartz
P.O. Box 892977 Temecula, CA 92589 (909) 772-3121
Joy Eldredge, Water General Manager, City of Napa
The Conveyor is published quarterly each year by Construction Marketing Services, LLC
Publisher Kerry Hoover khoover@calcontractor.com Editor Brian Hoover bhoover@ironads.com
The Conveyor • 2018 Winter Issue
Shanna Crigger, Graniterock Director of Communications Steve Zacks, Lehigh Hanson (Retired)
All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Bill Larson, Vice President Marketing, CalPortland
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CHAIRMAN'S LETTER Support SB1 Fight the Repeal Effort Dear Readers, As feared, the SB1 repeal effort to defund the much-needed maintenance of our infrastructure may soon become a reality. The people of California want safe roads and are disgusted with the current decline and failed conditions of our infrastructure. One would expect that such a repeal would be soundly defeated. However, due to the amount of misinformation and politicized campaigns, we will have to work hard to educate the people about the truth and value that SB1 will bring to the safety of our families and our general quality of life. This will be a heavy-team-lift that we will all need to participate in if we don’t want to see SB1 defeated. Remember, getting the word out about the importance that SB1 has on our industry, our jobs, our future opportunities, and our concern for the very foundation of society, takes work. You can do your part by sharing our Facebook page where concerned Californians can view the excellent video featured at the recent education conference. Also, check out the article in this issue about the importance of properly using social media in the construction industry. Achieving our strategic vision to expand our communications and dedicate our resources to raise awareness and strengthen the perception of our industry, needs all our help. Our full attention to this campaign is now more urgent than ever given the current misguided attack on SB1. Do your part to give our message a social media presence. Do it now. Sincerely,
Aaron Johnston
VP of Safety Environmental and Quality Services Graniterock
www.Facebook.com/CalCIMA.org
Save The Date November 11-14, 2018 Disney's Grand Californian
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The Conveyor • 2018 Winter Issue
GOODFELLOW Crushers Goodfellow has been servicing the aggregate and mining industries throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico for over 50 years. In partnership with KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens, Goodfellow made the commitment to open a full service facility in Southern California. After months of searching, we found our new home in Rialto at I-10 and Riverside Ave.; located on 6 acres and in a 37,000 square foot building complete with full machining and fabricating capabilities. Our new location is fully staffed with a Parts & Service department to meet the needs of Southern California’s aggregate and mining customers. We also have electrical composites and control panels. With our strong dealer partnership with KPIJCI and Astec Mobile Screens, the premier manufacturer of crushing and screening equipment in the United States, Goodfellow is confident we can provide quality service the aggregate and mining industries.
Equipment Sales - Southern California Ryan Dahlke Cell (909) 270-7087 ryan@goodfellowcrushers.com
Service - Southern California Erick Santiago Cell (909) 341-3950 esantiago@goodfellowcrushers.com
Parts Tonnie Bivens Cell (702) 371-9947 tonnie@goodfellowcrushers.com
Outside Parts & Equipment Rich Clanton Cell (661) 477-4630 rclanton@goodfellowcrushers.com
Chase Rogers Cell (801) 574-8342 crogers@goodfellowcrushers.com
California Location 280 West Valley Boulevard, Rialto, CA 92376 • Phone: (909) 874-2700 / Fax: (909) 874-2744
www.goodfellowcrushers.com
STRATEGIC PLANNING Help Wanted: Pathways and Pipelines to Tomorrow's Workforce By Kay Hazen Hang on to your hardhat, looks like we’re in for a bumpy ride. As the construction industry emerges from an economic downturn that began more than eight years ago, a recent survey from the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) revealed that 70 percent of construction firms are having difficulty finding skilled workers.
Center of Excellence at Los Rios Community College District. The report finds, among other things, that the Sacramento region alone needs more than 7,000 workers annually in construction and related fields over the next four years. Employers are experiencing difficulty filling entry level to skilled positions. The shortage produces cascading effects—delays, quality and safety problems, and increased costs based on ad hoc, on-the-job training the report says. Top-level findings from the research include:
AGC of America 2017 Workforce Survey
The challenge is driven by multiple forces, including the last decade’s economic downturn and housing collapse, an aging and retiring workforce and not enough young people attracted to jobs and careers in the industry. “While we can argue about how we got here, the simple truth is that this industry does not have enough workers in the pipeline who are ready, willing and job ready,” said Gary Hambly, President and CEO, California Construction and Industrial Materials Association (CALCIMA).
https://valleyvision.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/COE-ConstructionSacramento-v3b.pdf
The magnitude of the challenge is brought into sharp focus in a new report by Valley Vision and the 6
• The construction cluster contributes about $34.8 billion in industry output, 221,300 jobs and $17.4 billion in labor income to the Sacramento region. • For every job created in the construction cluster, 1.2 jobs are created elsewhere in the economy. • The region is woefully undersupplied in terms of the number of skilled workers available. • Workforce shortages pose a critical concern for the region and the industry. • Occupations with the largest shortages include carpenters, construction managers, electricians, real estate professionals, and heavy equipment operators, engineers, and plumbers and pipefitters. • Other occupational pain points include estimators, sheet metal workers, HVAC installers mechanics, and welders. • The construction industry provides numerous career opportunities in well-jobs; career awareness is one challenge industry faces in attracting workers. “Yes, the construction and industrial materials industry needs more education programs and incentives to connect kids to jobs and careers offered by a growing industry,” says Gary Johnson, Vice President, Land & Quarry at Granite Construction Co., Inc. “The solution will require business and labor working together to raise awareness and build pathways to industry jobs and careers.” The Conveyor • 2018 Winter Issue
While there is no “magic bullet” to solving the labor shortage, there are many programs existing and in development, into the construction and industrial materials industry and its myriad of job opportunities. For more than a decade the concrete industry has been working to educate professionals for the industry. In 2006 they partnered with Chico State to establish a Concrete Industry Management program that combines concrete technology with business administration curriculum for a major in concrete production/ management and a minor in business administration. This strong partnership yielded about $4 million in donations and more than 100 graduates over the last decade. In central California, Hartnell College offers an accredited electrical construction apprenticeship program, consisting of 10 semesters of related and supplemental instruction and a minimum of 8,000 hours of on the job training. Programs like these are growing across the state and country as the economy improves and national and state agencies push apprenticeships as an alternative to college for training for middle-income jobs. As opportunities increase, apprentice programs are looking to expand the candidate pool, reaching out to career changers, military veterans and minorities, as well as to women, who’ve historically been underrepresented in the construction business. The California Apprenticeship Initiative (CAI) is a statewide undertaking to increase access to apprenticeships by strengthening pipelines to traditional programs through pre-apprenticeship and enhanced on-the-job training, and by expanding the apprenticeship model into new industries. California has approved $45 million in funding in the last three years to accelerate this growth. CAI focuses efforts on supporting pilot programs, collaborating on new projects, and working together to reinforce apprenticeship pathways across the state. In the Inland Empire, Norco Community College is leading a regional effort to develop youth apprenticeships and apprenticeship pathways through higher education. The Conveyor • 2018 Winter Issue
At a February 7 workshop hosted by the College, Bryan Reece, Ph.D., President of Norco College, highlighted how apprenticeships can be leveraged to increase educational attainment and to develop strong workforce pipelines that lead to locally available, high skill, high wage jobs. “In higher education, we have a lot of traditional disciplines that don’t connect directly to industry,” Dr. Reece said. “Apprenticeships give students a defined place to land, an opportunity for a job and career, and a better chance at success.” The state’s goal, as stated in the 2016-2020 California State Workforce Plan, is to double the number of apprenticeships by 2026 from 64,000 to 128,000. For many years, Association of General Contractors (AGC) of California have offered training programs for all levels and career paths in the construction trades including solid skills learned through pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs. The program offers practical on-the-job training combined with classroom instruction. The duration of the program is between 2-4 years, depending upon the craft. Upon successful completion, apprentices graduate and are awarded certificates by the AGC and the state. These completion certificates are recognized by the industry as valid indicators that an apprentice has completed training that meets industry standards of occupational proficiency. The AGC Construction Education Foundation also funds Construction Career Awareness Day (CCAD) events across California as well as outreach information for students, teachers, and parents and hosts Virtual Construction Career Fair online opportunities to connect with job seekers and recruiters. “We need to find new ways to engage the next generation in the jobs and careers available in our industry.” said Crystal Howard, Executive Director of Project Cornerstone in San Diego. “Ongoing 7
outreach to work with students and teachers in the K-12 system is key to developing and expanding workforce pathways and pipelines for the future.”
the labor force. As progress continues, additional opportunities will emerge for sharing resources, connections and content.
Women in Mining California Chapter (WIM-CA) offers a variety of educational opportunities for students, teachers, and local communities, including hands-on classroom activity presented by members of WIM-CA to their students.
Career Technical Education (CTE) and career pathways for adults and youth train participants for specific occupations linked to local employers so once they graduate they can begin employment immediately. CALCIMA is currently evaluating these and other strategies and funding opportunities and considering how and where it can play a role in helping address future needs.
This year WIM-CA is partnering with the Southern California Mining Section of the Society of Mining Engineers (SME) to offer the Sager Memorial Scholarship of $2,000 for a total of 6 scholarships. The High Desert Manufacturing Council is developing an apprenticeship program with partners that include San Bernardino Community College District and the Manufacturers Council of Inland Empire. A group of industry operators have joined forces with the group working to enhance the skills of existing employees, improve the readiness of incoming workers and develop internship and apprenticeship programs for local construction industry. The rationale for the program is driven by both shrinking labor force and desire to improve skills and retention. Once the student apprentice completes the two-year program, he/she will have an associate degree in construction management — as well as a job with the member operator. Apprenticeships generally combine paid employment in the workplace with classroom study and homework. Once enrolled, participants spend time in the classroom and put in a specified number of hours on the job being mentored by experienced workers. The student apprentice will report to work four days a week to the job site. Two evenings a week, they will report to the college campus to take classes that teach workplace skills, including project management, leadership and time management. The operator covers gaps (if any) in annual tuition and the cost of books. They also pay a small salary, plus benefits, and provide the apprentice with a mentor. Now in its second year, the San Bernardino project continues to make progress. In the future it may offer the potential for replication in other areas where there is member interest and/or opportunity for alignment and partnering to grow 8
“We know a multi-year commitment will be required from a strong, committed group of industry partners working in concert with labor, education and others to address our future needs,” CALCIMA’s Gary Hambly stated. “As we evaluate where and how best to deploy our time, talent and resources to make a lasting impact, one thing is certain – the time is now.” n References and Resources • AGC America 2017 Workforce Survey https://www.agc.org/news/2017/08/29/seventypercent-contractors-have-hard-time-findingqualified-craft-workers-hire-am-0 • Go Build California https://www.gobuildcalifornia.com/ • Valley Vision Report https://valleyvision.org/wp-content/ uploads/2018/01/COE-Construction-Sacramentov3b.pdf • Women in Mining California Chapter http://wimca.org/ • Concrete Industry Management http://www.csuchico.edu/cim/ • California Community Colleges http://doingwhatmatters.cccco.edu/ • California Apprenticeship Council http://www.dir.ca.gov/cac/cac.html • California Workforce Investment Board http://www.cwib.ca.gov/ • Apprenticeship Training centers and contact information for each. Map of Apprenticeship Training Centers - https://www.google.com/ maps/ms?msid=214430828035027489974.000 4befaccc461cede80c&msa=0&ll=36.518466,119.970703&spn=6.002701,8.10791 The Conveyor • 2018 Winter Issue
The Conveyor • 2018 Winter Issue
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WATER STANDARDS ANSI/NSF Standard 61 Finally Finalized By Joy Eldredge, Water General Manager, City of Napa After years of careful evaluation of data provided by the CA-NV American Water Works Association (AWWA) and industry professionals, the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) standards review board, which performs testing and establishes the criteria for American National Standards Institute ANSI Standard 61 (Drinking water system components Health effects), has modified the standard with respect to concrete in contact with drinking water. History In December 2012, NSF International proposed an increase in the testing requirements for concrete and other items. As a representative of the drinking water industry, CA-NV AWWA commented on the process for changing the standard and requested the data and rationale that drove the proposed changes. The issue had been a recurrent subject at CA-NV AWWA’s annual spring and fall conferences because California Water Regulations require all items in contact with drinking water to be in compliance with ANSI/NSF 61. The proposed changes posed a significant challenge to CA-NV members, and an ad hoc subcommittee was established in the Water Quality Division to develop guidance on complying with existing California regulations. The committee engaged California’s State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Drinking Water (DDW) about the challenges of complying with the requirements as written. Over a five-year time period, the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Standard 61, DDW regulators, NSF joint committee members, and NSF staff were able to compile data, conduct analysis and collectively develop modified language for concrete compliance. The following provides an overview of the changes to the ANSI/NSF 61 with regard to concrete. Section 3.3.2 Minimum Test Batteries • Uncoated concrete storage tanks of 350,000 gallons or larger are exempt from ANSI/NSF 61. • Uncoated concrete with a diluted surface area-to volume ratio less than or equal to 0.8 in2/L for static conditions or 0.08 in2/L for flowing conditions are exempt. In both exemptions, individual admixtures still need to be certified for compliance with ANSI/ 10
Left: 1.0 MG prestressed concrete tank in the Central Valley of California – Courtesy of DN Tanks.
NSF 61. The requirement for admixtures to comply with Standard 61 has not been an obstacle to the drinking water industry since products that have been pre-certified by NSF 61 have been readily available in California. Pre-certification requires coordination testing and routine facility inspection by NSF to maintain certification. Another reason admixture certification has been required is because formulas for admixes change frequently with advances in materials and products. Section 5.1 Barrier Materials • Concrete aggregate sampling is required only if the method for testing for individual concrete components is used. Aggregate sampling is not required if concrete cylinders are tested for the constituents in Portland and hydraulic cements. As municipalities have two common ways to confirm concrete compliance: confirm constituent compliance or soak testing, language was developed to provide clarification on testing procedures that apply to each case. This clarification was incorporated because the previously developed guidance gaining compliance through testing individual components that make up the concrete, i.e., aggregate, cement, admixtures, did not explicitly state that soaking of the final concrete would not be required. This The Conveyor • 2018 Winter Issue
• Table 5.6 Lists calculated values of surface area-to-volume ratios for tanks or storage vessels for tanks from 5 million to 10 million gallons. • Table 5.8 Lists values for calculating the aggregate field use for tanks from 1,000 to 250,000 gallons.
Above: New concrete compliant reservoir storage facility being constructed for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Photo courtesy of GCP Applied Technologies.
assumes that the individual components are found to be compliant. The revised guidance also clarified that when confirming compliance with the concrete cylinder soak test method, the agency was not required to also test the constituents of the mix, including aggregate. The option of analyzing individual constituents of the concrete was designed to overcome the logistics and impracticality of certifying concrete cylinders prior to construction or cores after the concrete was poured in the field. Preconstruction concrete cylinder testing on some projects was found to require eight to 12 weeks to produce analytical results. Testing cylinders prior to construction posed significant schedule impacts, and testing cores after the concrete was placed in the field posed a significant risk to the agency. For constituent testing it is typically found that the concrete supplier has NSF certified cement and admixtures available, allowing for the aggregate to be sent to an ANSI certified laboratory to test for compliance. Section 5.7.2 Normalization for Concrete Aggregate • Clarification of the formula for normalization that recognizes only 10 percent of the aggregate exposed within the top one-inch surface of the concrete is exposed to drinking water in low-pressure situations found in storage tanks. (The previous assumption was that 80 percent of all aggregate was exposed.) The Conveyor • 2018 Winter Issue
This clarification refined the constants found within the normalization formulas and simplified calculations in applications where tanks are too small to meet the threshold for the 350,000-gallon exemption. The tables and complete language are available in the ballot summary that can be found at http://ca-nv-awwa.org/canv/CNS/Advocacy/NSF_ ANSI%20Std%2061/CNS/Advocacy/NSF_ANSI_61_. aspx?hkey=f9adf49e-94f0-4b0b-a859-6c470609b2c6 The ballot has been adopted, approved and took effect March 17, 2017. The revised NSF/ANSI Standard 61 is scheduled for publication soon. Where to From Here The next step is to continue to gather data and monitor newly constructed tanks and structures, focusing on tanks and structures smaller than 350,000 gallons, and determine whether the exemption can be applied to a smaller threshold of vessels. This will take time, and the ad hoc committee on Standard 61 would greatly appreciate receiving data from projects of this size so it can determine whether the threshold can safely be lowered. Send information to Jeldredge@cityofnapa.org or Kevin Peacock (kevinpeacock@dntanks.com). Special thanks to industry representative Kevin Peacock of DN Tanks, who assisted by gathering data and analyses performed on recent projects and providing it to the analytical team at NSF, and to Eugene Leung at DDW who managed the interim data-centric monitoring approach to achieve compliance with the standard when certified products were not available in the market. Mr. Leung also served as a resource within DDW to advise and review the interim alternate method the ad hoc committee established. Also thank you to Charley Rea of California Construction and Industrial Materials Association (CalCIMA), who assisted in addressing this problem, raised awareness among CalCIMA members, including large material suppliers, and facilitated understanding of the roadmap for performing analyses that addressed the lack of ANSI/NSF 61 certified materials available in the California materials market. n
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COMMUNICATIONS Social Media Should Be a Top Priority for Construction Industry By Shanna Crigger, Director of Communications, Graniterock WATSONVILLE – Most business owners believe social media is their Facebook page. Or Twitter feed and LinkedIn. Maybe Instagram and YouTube. The truth is social media is none of those things. A savvy social media presence is your brand and values mingling among your communities – employees, customers, vendors, competitors, partners, media and general public – in the digital world. Those specific platforms, all wildly popular for different reasons, are just tools to launch you into the digital space as a thought leader and business that does great work and takes care of its employees and customers. With 3.5 billion internet users worldwide, it is mission critical
to have your company’s information easily accessible to anyone searching for you online. Your website and sharp social media content allow you to stand out in the hectic, competitive digital landscape, not buried in 1998. Socially active businesses have more loyal customers by a margin of 77 percent, and employees of socially active companies are more likely to believe their company is competitive and more loyal to the business. Social media done well provides insight into a company otherwise not available for the outside world. It means putting a human face on your brand, and building trust with your audience.
Nearly 80 percent of Americans have at least one social media profile. It’s not a question of whether your company should jump into the social world. Rather, you should ask yourself: What are the steps I can take right now for my construction business to move from sitting on the sidelines to dominating digital? The construction industry, generally speaking, has been slow to embrace social. Many industry leaders think websites, Facebook pages and videos don’t matter since construction projects are won primarily in a low-bid public environment. That’s the wrong mindset. Building online
BEFORE JUMPING IN 1. PLAN: Map out a plan before putting your business on any social media site. Determine your audience(s) or communities. Spell out goals and objectives in detail so that you’re not shooting from the hip. Define your message. Any meaningful social strategy means planning out your content for the month and week with an editorial calendar. This can be as simple as an Excel spreadsheet or Google doc. 2. PICK ONE OR TWO PLATFORMS: It’s very challenging to manage and perform well on all social media channels, especially as each channel needs its own mini strategy to be most effective. Start small. 3. DEDICATED PERSON: Quality content takes a significant amount of time to plan and create. Don’t slap it together! Having one designated person to manage your social media is critical. Make sure this person has a storytelling mindset and is keen on good grammar. 4. SAFETY CHECK: Be sure your photos and videos don’t capture a subcontractor not following your safety procedures. PPE should be in place. 5. RALLY YOUR TROOPS: Identify key team members who are already active on social and tap them to help create new content and share your business content. This is super important! Without social advocates on the inside, your strategy will get stuck in neutral. 6. BE PATIENT AND PERSISTENT: Robust social media with an engaged audience doesn’t happen overnight. It takes constant time and attention, and is always a work in progress. 7. MEASURE: Pay attention to the data on which posts perform the best. Track the numbers on how many people are viewing your posts, number of followers, comments and likes. 8. PAY TO PLAY: Social media is free, but social marketing is not. Invest a certain amount of money each month in digital ads. At the moment, you get a good ROI, but prices are going up to get your message in front of the intended audience. 12
The Conveyor • 2018 Winter Issue
communities and conversation is the future of all business, construction included. Graniterock in the Social World Social media was brand new for Graniterock in 2014. A few team members were doing their own thing and none of the company’s leadership was on LinkedIn, much less Facebook. Graniterock had a handful of followers on a Facebook page that hadn’t been touched or updated in years. There was no plan or strategy, and no one was assigned the task of making it happen. We realized a huge opportunity was being missed, and in early 2014 started on a new track to showcase our construction projects, dedication to customers, community involvement and employee camaraderie – some of Graniterock’s core values. We did some things right, and immediately started to see growth on Facebook and Twitter. Small growth back then, but still increasing our audience size week to week. Our social strategy and planning process have evolved over the past few years, and the content has shifted in a way that’s demonstrated Graniterock’s industry leadership and attracted more eyeballs. Instagram was added to the mix in late 2015, and has proven to fulfill a great demand for dynamic photos and videos of construction equipment and job sites. Video has become a priority in our content planning. We use social to share the Graniterock culture, talk about important issues facing the construction industry such as the workforce shortage, and, hopefully, attract qualified people to join the company. Nothing is thrown together as we have a well thought out editorial plan. While the management of the company’s social media is in the hands of our communications The Conveyor • 2018 Winter Issue
EVEN MORE FACTS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF VISUALS • Visual content is 40X more likely to get shared on social media than other types of content. (Buffer, 2014) • Articles with an image once every 75-100 words got double the number of social shares than articles with fewer images. (Buzzsumo, 2015) • 71% of online marketers use visual assets in their social media marketing. (Social Media Examiner, 2015) • Researchers found that colored visuals increase people’s willingness to read a piece of content by 80%. (Xerox, 2014) • Research has shown that when people hear information, they are likely to remember only 10% of that information three days later. However, if a relevant image is paired with that same information, people retained 65% of the information three days later. (LifeLearn, 2015) • Infographics are liked and shared on social media 3X more than any other type of content. (Mass Planner, 2015) Check out simple dos and don’ts and the CALCIMA video at http://www.calcima.org/imagesmatter
director, the real success has come from the buy in of our team members. If there is one key to Graniterock’s success on social, it’s the involvement of our people from all areas of the company. It is their sharing of photos and stories, and willingness to post on their own social profiles that Graniterock has elevated its digital game. A certain buzz comes from seeing yourself, teammate or your project on the Company’s Facebook page. Another important
thing to remember is that one or two great posts don’t make a social powerhouse. This is work that is forever ongoing if you want to make an impact. Graniterock continues to experiment with content, measure how the different pieces perform and post more of what’s popular and impactful. We realize there’s still a long way to go and are committed for the long haul. n
(Above) Examples of social media posted by Graniterock to share their culture, recruit, and talk about important issues facing the construction industry.
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ENVIRONMENTAL Experience Over a Career of Environmental Management By Steve Zacks, Lehigh Hanson (Retired) • Often permits approvals are needed from more than one agency to allow a particular activity such as river mining. • Unwritten agency policies can be difficult to deal with. Attempt to get an agency to define the policy in writing or provide a reference for the regulation the policy is based on. Steve Zacks, retired after more than 27 years with Lehigh Hanson as Environmental Manager
I have retired after 27+ years as an Environmental Manager in the aggregates industry. It has been a fulfilling experience being part of an industry that is essential for our modern society to function. The regulatory requirements we deal with, while generally necessary for environmental protection, can sometimes be challenging and/or duplicative. Operations staff might view some of these requirements as another obstacle that has been unnecessarily created by an agency, to producing a product. Below are some thoughts to consider that might help operations and environmental staff to better understand and deal with these requirements. 1. Regulations • If an activity has the potential to impact people or the environment then there most likely are one or more agencies that deal with that impact. Be prepared to adequately mitigate the impact. 14
2. Permitting • A permit process can be long and grinding. Sometimes the permitting team needs to decide whether to accept an unreasonable permit condition that will be very difficult and/or expensive to deal with, or continue to attempt to modify or eliminate that condition but face the risk of not getting the permit approved in a timely manner needed by operations. If the unreasonable condition is accepted, then it is possible that someone in the future will criticize the permitting team for agreeing to this condition. • Handle tasks such as Mineral Resource Zone (MRZ) reclassification before submitting an application for a new aggregate operation. If the application is filed and there is opposition to the proposed operation, then the task such as MRZ reclassification could turn into a more complicated effort due to actions by the opponents.
• Ensure that there are technical solutions for all potential project impacts. Then there is a chance the political opposition can be overcome. • An agency such as California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) may not have comments on a project as a whole during the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process for a mining Conditional Use Permit (CUP). However that same agency may have significant opposition to specific parts of the project when a subsequent approval is requested such as a CDFW Streambed Alteration Agreement. Keep this in mind when preparing project descriptions for CEQA review to try to minimize surprises later on. 3. Agency Staff • I have found that 95%+ of agency staff are reasonable and often offer good guidance to help with regulatory compliance or permit processing. We also often worked as a “partnership” having the same goal improved environmental enhancement and compliance. A few regulatory agency staff did have a personal anti-business agenda, but there has only been handful encountered over the years. Try not to treat every interaction as adversarial right off the bat. • Newer, less experienced agency staff can sometimes The Conveyor • 2018 Winter Issue
make uninformed decisions that give the appearance of being anti-industry. Operations staff will sometimes feel the agency is “out to get us”. My typical response is that person is not “out to get us” and probably will make better informed decisions after several years of experience. In the meantime, we need to do our best to educate the staff person about our industry practices so they understand we are making substantial environmental efforts and the person can make more informed decisions. Unfortunately there is a lot of agency staff turnover, particularly it seems in high cost areas like the Bay Area. This has resulted in less experienced staff. • Agency staff is guided by the laws and regulations that have been approved by decision makers such as a City Council or Board of Supervisors. Sometimes the decision maker can adopt an overly burdensome regulation that does not provide corresponding benefit to environmental protection. In other cases there can be an old restrictive permit condition that no longer makes sense. There can be a dilemma for a staff person who is responsible for implementing this burdensome regulation or enforcing the old permit condition: °° If the agency person implements the overly burdensome regulation or enforces the old permit condition because they feel they lack the authority to ignore the regulation or condition, then that The Conveyor • 2018 Winter Issue
person can be perceived as being a “mindless bureaucrat." °° If the agency person exercises discretion that allows the operation to proceed with an activity in spite of the burdensome regulation or old permit condition, an opponent to the operation could say the agency person acted improperly. Furthermore the opponent might question the integrity of the agency person and infer there is an improper relationship with the regulated operation. • The area of responsibility and number of plants handled by an Environmental Manager has generally increased compared to 25+ years ago. The result is there is less time to meet with agency staff and more of this contact is by phone instead of in-person. The reduced time combined with agency turnover makes it harder to develop a constructive business relationship with agency staff. 4. Operations Staff • It is important for the Environmental Manager to maintain a good working relationship with operations staff. This relationship can be enhanced by: °° The Environmental Manager should understand how each plant operates. The understanding should be sufficient so that the environmental manager can discuss with operations management and staff how a new
regulatory requirement or company environmental program will be implemented. °° Recognizing today’s operations management sometimes are asked to do more with less staff (as compared to 25+ years ago). Company environmental management programs that facilitate environmental compliance efforts have become greatly improved over the past 25+ years. However these improved programs also requiremore effort by operations. The success of any environmental management program depends on the understanding, buy in, and execution of operations. • With the consolidation of companies, senior management can be located out of the area of operation (perhaps even out of state) and not have an understanding of California regulatory challenges. Try to inform this senior management of potential issues well before there is potential disruption to operations. 5. Trade Associations • Take advantage of CalCIMA and other trade organizations that track proposed regulations, coordinate industry response to these proposals, and prepare guidance on how to comply with the new regulations. I hope you find some of the above helpful in your efforts to provide the necessary building materials for California. n 15
GREEN FLEET Catalina Pacific®, a CalPortland® Company, Announces Official Launch Of CNG Mixer Fleet Contributed by Bill Larson, Vice President Marketing, CalPortland Catalina Pacific®, a CalPortland® Company, announced the launch of its Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered concrete mixer truck fleet, which will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) and smogcausing emissions in Southern California. The company commissioned 118 new “Near-Zero Emission” concrete mixer trucks, all to be in operation by January 2018 serving the market in the greater Los Angeles area. The official announcement was made at a press conference at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which was built nearly 100 years ago with the help of Catalina Pacific. “The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is an historic setting for the official launch of our
CNG fleet,” said Allen Hamblen, President/CEO of CalPortland. “Catalina Pacific provided the original concrete in the 1920s for the construction of this iconic stadium with our innovative mixer trucks. We provided the concrete for the construction of many new venues when the Olympics returned to Los Angeles in 1984. We are poised to serve the City of Los Angeles once again with this new “clean fuel” technology as the Olympics return to Los Angeles in 2028.” Catalina Pacific is looking towards a “greener” future with this fleet of CNG and/or RNG (Renewable Natural Gas) powered vehicles operating in southern California. The transition to a fleet of CNG fueled low-NOx engine mixers contributes to the
(Below) Allen Hamblen, President/CEO CalPortland announces CNG Fleet launch at press conference, Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, October 23, 2017.
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attainment of greenhouse gas and NOx reduction goals set forth by the California Legislature, the California Air Resources Board, and other regional and local agencies. By selecting engines fueled by natural gas over diesel, Catalina Pacific continues to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to the environment, community, and the safety of our employees. “Nearly 100 years ago when Catalina Pacific was helping build the Coliseum, we did not see that air pollution and climate change would be one of the biggest threats to our existence,” stated State Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens). “As the California Legislature commits to build more homes and fix our roads, it is great to see a company like Catalina Pacific being a partner in the drive to clean truck technology.” Catalina Pacific is firmly on the Road to Zero (Emissions) by implementing the latest in clean engine technology. Kenworth’s T880S mixers containing the ISL G Near Zero Cummins Westport 9L Engine reduces GHG by 15 The Conveyor • 2018 Winter Issue
(Above Left) Keynote speaker at CNG Truck press conference, CA State Senator Ricardo Lara (33rd District – Bell Gardens) champion for CA Clean Truck legislation.(Above Right) Catalina Pacific CNG truck.
percent and NOx emissions by 90 percent (compared to a 2010 diesel engine). The 8.9 liter ISL G Near Zero is also compatible with Renewable Natural Gas (RNG), which allows for further reductions in GHG emissions and is noticeably quieter than a diesel engine. The Kenworth T880S with the ISL G Near Zero emissions engine offers excellent payload capacity and maneuverability, due to its optimized set-forward axle layout, as well as reduced emissions from the engine. Compressed Natural Gas / Renewable Natural Gas has many advantages over conventional diesel fuel making it an attractive option for Catalina Pacific’s ready mix truck fleet: • CNG Vehicles are environmentally friendly reducing GHG emissions by 20-80% vs. “clean” diesel technology. • CNG immediately lowers carbon, Sulphur, NOx and particulate matter emissions. • CNG Vehicles run 90% quieter than common engines, creating less noise pollution and improving air quality where we operate. • CNG is a domestically produced product, encouraging less The Conveyor • 2018 Winter Issue
reliance on imported energy sources further reducing our carbon footprint. • Using CNG will reduce CalPortland’s overall truck maintenance costs, and provides superior vehicle performance prolonging the life of the vehicles. • CNG gives off little to no emissions while refueling, making it safer for the operator and the environment. • California Air Resources Board (CARB)’s goal is to reduce GHG emissions 80% by 2050. Renewable Natural Gas is the only near-zero carbon fuel that could meet this future regulation. CalPortland’s ready mix trucks, fueled by natural gas are recognized by CARB as a method of reducing GHG emissions. McNeilus® partnered with Kenworth to provide its 10-1/2 yard Bridgemaster® Transit mixer body and the company’s NGEN™ twin vertical compressed natural gas system – which offers customers an enhanced high capacity, low profile back-of-cab configuration – for the T880S mixers.
Catalina Pacific’s “clean fleet” vehicles will initially refuel at stations operated by RedeemTM by Clean Energy® providing renewable natural gas (RNG) fuel made entirely from organic waste. The fuel is derived from biogenic methane that is naturally generated by the decomposition of organic waste at landfills and agricultural waste sources. Catalina Pacific is building privately owned fueling stations at two plant locations. These fueling stations are being developed by OZINGA®Energy and are scheduled to begin operation in January 2018. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) presented the 2017 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence Award to CalPortland for its continued leadership in protecting our environment through superior energy efficiency achievements. This is the 13th consecutive recognition by U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR for CalPortland, a feat that has never been matched by any other U.S. building materials manufacturing company. CalPortland continues to identify opportunities to expand the use of alternative clean fuels as well as optimize energy efficiency through its Energy Management program. n
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The Conveyor • 2018 Winter Issue
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The Conveyor • 2018 Winter Issue
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