Paca conveyor
PACA Conveyor – Week of April 30, 2020
Table of Contents
Easily jump to a section in this newsletter:

1. PACA News
2. Promotion News
3. Environmental News
4. COVID-19 Related News
5. Job Postings
6. PACA – Building and Connecting Communities

Having trouble viewing this email? View in browser
Rod Martin 2
From Board Chair, Rod Martin
Dear Friends and Colleagues,

There is finally light at the end of a long and difficult time for our families and businesses. Governor Wolf has decreed that all construction will commence effective tomorrow, May 1st. There are limitations on the number of workers at residential and commercial construction sites, but it is a step in the right direction. Our workers have suffered during this time. Many companies have had to furlough employees to survive the shutdown orders. We have persevered and shown great resilience and, for that, I am very grateful.

COVID-19 has not been fixed in our Commonwealth or our nation. There will be more challenges around the bend, but we will overcome as we are a great industry and a great nation. I urge you to continue to practice all CDC and PA Department of Health guidance in your operations for the benefit of our employees and customers. We are not always the most popular industry in the eyes of individuals and we must continue to prove our doubters each and every day. The safety and health of our employees has always been the #1 goal of our industry in the past and will be so in the future.

I am proud to be on the PACA leadership team with many friends and colleagues from across the state. I believe that in this time of crisis our Association stepped up and delivered for our members.

In closing, I wish you and your families health and hope as our future is bright. God Bless America!

Rod Martin

Martin Stone Quarries
PACA News
Kallie
PACA News
As reported by Kallie Kline, PACA's Director of Member Services.
Email Kallie
PACA News
PACA's Online Directory to Launch this Summer
Updates - corrections - so much happening behind the scenes right now. All in preparation for the exciting launch of PACA's first online Membership Directory. It's a process, so we appreciate your patience as we get our records updated, permissions to post and all the information we need to make this online directory a valuable source of information for our members.

The first roll out will be a list of our Associate Member business partners, with a searchable "yellow page" style listings of the products and services provided by our Associate partners. This portion will be live on our public website to allow all to benefit from access to these searchable listings.

Thank you to the following companies who have sent in their updates, including updated products/services lists.

  • Active Minerals International, LLC
  • ASGCO
  • Babst Calland
  • Bergey's Truck Centers
  • Burch Materials & Supplies
  • Caterpillar, Inc.
  • CDE
  • Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc.
  • Cleveland Brothers Equipment Co., Inc.
  • CMI
  • Command Alkon
  • Continental Placer, Inc.
  • D'Appolonia
  • Dibble Equipment, Inc.
  • Earthres Group, Inc.
  • Earthtech, Inc.
  • Falvey Steel Castings, Inc.
  • Fisher Phillips
  • Geo-Science Engineering/ARM Group LLC
  • Geo-Technology Associates, Inc.
  • Haver & Boecker
  • Highway Equipment & Supply Company
  • Hoffman Equipment
  • Hoyt Wire Cloth/Lumsden Corp.
  • KCF Groundwater, Inc.
  • Kemper Equipment, Inc.
  • Keystone Drill Services, Inc.
  • Law Office of Adele L. Abrams PC
  • Maine Drilling & Blasting, Inc.
  • Master Builders Solutions
  • McClymonds Supply & Transit Co., Inc.
  • McLanahan Corp.
  • Mellott Company
  • Penn Environmental & Remediation, Inc.
  • PPC Lubricants
  • R/W Connection, Inc.
  • RAM Industrial Services, Inc.
  • Rolling Rock Equipment LLC
  • Sauls Seismic, LLC
  • Schneider Downs & Co., Inc.
  • SIKA Corporation
  • Tract Engineering, PLLC
  • Vibra-Tech Engineers, Inc.


Producer member directory update forms will be coming out to the official representatives of those companies beginning today.
PACA News
Basu Anirban High Res Headshot
Union Quarries    
PACA & Union Quarries, Inc. To Host Economist Anirban Basu Via Webinar
PACA will be hosting our most requested speaker, economist Anirban Basu of the Sage Policy Group on May 15th at 11:00 AM via webinar.

COVID-19 has rocked what had appeared to be a nearly invincible economy; one associated with substantial job growth, multi-decade lows in unemployment, sturdy compensation increases, robust retail sales, low inflation, and strong financial market performance. Underneath that strong performance, however, was a set of fragilities that have been exposed by the pandemic. This webinar speaks to our current economic circumstances, how difficult things are likely to become over the foreseeable future, and the contours of the brisk recovery to come thereafter.

Anirban is Chairman & CEO of Sage Policy Group, Inc., an economic and policy consulting firm in Baltimore. Anirban serves as the chief economist to Associated Builders and Contractors and as chief economic adviser to the Construction Financial Management Association. In 2007 and then again in 2016, Mr. Basu was selected by the Daily Record newspaper as one of Maryland’s 50 most influential people. The Baltimore Business Journal named him one of the region’s 20 most powerful business leaders in 2010.

Anirban's presentation will be coming one week after the "official" reopening of Pennsylvania and he will be providing Commonwealth-specific data, along with national data - a timely presentation you won't want to miss!

And, this webinar is complimentary to PACA MEMBER company employees only due to the generous sponsorship provided by Union Quarries, Inc.! Thank you to them for making this possible for our membership.
Register Today!
PACA News
Additional Upcoming Webinars
Monday, May 4, 2020 - 10:00 AM

Tackling the Challenges of Communicating During COVID-19 by LaTorre Communications

REGISTER

Tuesday, May 5, 2020 - 11:00 AM

PACA Weekly Members Forum featuring Representative Seth Grove

REGISTER
Ken
Promotion News
As reported by Ken Crank, PACA's Director of Concrete Promotion.
Email Ken
Promotion News
SpecifyConcrete.org Adds "Careers in Concrete" Page
In an effort to support workforce development we have added a "Careers in Concrete" page to SpecifyConcrete.org.

The page features various videos that show some of the opportunities that exist for someone interested in starting a career in the ready mixed concrete industry. It also includes links to the newly developed Concrete Science Technology program at Penn College and the Concrete Industry Management programs available to students across the country.

If you have ideas to help us further develop this page please contact Ken Crank.
Promotion News
Reminder: Use SpecifyConcrete.org as a Resource
Whether you are looking for concrete promotion tools or technical information our SpecifyConcrete.orgwebsite should be your starting point.

We have case studies, videos, and technical information all available to you. Not familiar with the site yet? Spend about 15 minutes with us as we give you a "tour" of the site. It is worth your time.

For today, let's highlight our Concrete Difference page. The page houses 10 documents all designed to provide users with a quick read. Please download as share these documents with your customers.

Here is a sample.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the site or our promotion efforts please contact Ken Crank.

Concrete, It Just Makes Cents!
Josie
Environmental News
As reported by Josie Gaskey, PACA's Director of Environmental, Safety & Health.
Email Josie
Environmental News
DEP's Draft Proposal on Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT III)
DEP’s Air Quality Technical Advisory Committee (AQTAC) met virtually last week. On the agenda was a presentation on the draft proposed RACT III (Reasonably Available Control Technology) rulemaking entitled, Additional RACT Requirements for Major Sources of NOx and VOCs for the 2015 Ozone NAAQS. Also presented was the draft proposed Annex A. January 1, 2023, would be the proposed compliance date, per EPA's requirement.

In October 2015, EPA lowered the NAAQS (National Ambient Air Quality Standards) for ozone down to 0.70 ppm. RACT standards are required to be analyzed every time the NAAQS are promulgated for nonattainment areas. Because PA is part of the Ozone Transport Region, the entire state is treated as a moderate nonattainment area for ozone (even though the majority of the state is in compliance), which means RACT is applicable to major sources NOx and/or VOCs statewide that commenced construction on or before August 3, 2018. Therefore, DEP is proposing changes to 25 PA Code §§ 129.111—129.115.

Of note from DEP's presentation is:

  • Case-by-case determinations made for RACT II would satisfy the case-by-case requirements of RACT III, except in circumstances where a source not subject to a RACT II presumptive requirement, they would then be subject to a RACT III presumptive requirement.
  • Fugitive sources of VOCs at oil and gas facilities would be aggregated with an associated stationary source to determine the boundaries of the source with regard to the 1.0 ton and 2.7 ton applicability thresholds. This would address the fugitive VOC emissions from natural gas compression and transmission facilities. DEP has proposed a new definition for this in Section 121.1 of the Annex.
Note this approach deviates from the typical approach regarding historical grouping of air emission sources. DEP has provided no documentation for this approach and appears to have arbitrarily chosen only one industry (oil/gas) to implement this approach.

  • For lime kilns, the presumptive RACT III limit would be 4.6 lb NOx per ton of lime produced. DEP has noted that specific requirements would be included for the Graymont Pleasant Gap facility that match current permit limits.
  • Requirements of two Lehigh Cement consent decrees of 3.0 lb NOx per ton of clinker for Evansville and 2.30 lb NOx per ton of clinker for Nazareth are proposed as presumptive NOx RACT. These requirements are proposed for all cement kilns.
There are averaging requirements that are the same as RACT II. Additionally, DEP has added a notification requirement on the operators, deflecting their responsibility onto the operator. Operators would be required to notify the Department of all facilities/sources that are subject to RACT III. All facilities/sources includes exempt facilities/sources. You will need to explain how you plan to comply with the requirements, even if all facilities/sources are subject to presumptive RACT. The provision would be required no later than six months after the final rulemaking is published. DEP’s stance is that this requirement would allow DEP to identify the facilities/sources that are subject to RACT III.

Should you have any questions or comments, don’t hesitate to contact Josie Gaskey.
COVID-19 Related News
State to Make First Announcement on Reopen Regions & Counties
Pennsylvania Department of Health Secretary Levine announced yesterday, that the state will be announcing its first list of counties and regions moving from red to yellow tomorrow, May 1st, in the start of the reopening of Pennsylvania amid COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19 Related News
Grant Opportunity for Delaware County Small Businesses ONLY
The Delaware County COVID-19 Business Grant program has a LIMITED fund of $1,750,000 to provide small businesses located in Delaware County ONLY with financial relief due to business disruptions caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic shut down.

Submitting an application is not a guarantee of funding.

Businesses eligible for this grant program must meet the following criteria.

  • Be a small business defined as having less than 50 full time employees on payroll, March 1, 2020.

  • Must be a for‐profit business.

  • Business must occupy a "bricks and mortar" location within Delaware County that is not a residential home, and

  • Business must be located in an Industrial or Commercial (or similarly described) district within Delaware County.

  • Must be an incorporated business in and/or registered to conduct business within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

  • Does not exceed $4,500,000 in annual revenue.
Should you have any questions, contact Josie Gaskey.
Read More
COVID-19 Related News
Wearing Masks While in Equipment
Recently, the Governor's Office was asked the question:

“If you are in a piece of equipment alone, do you need your mask on? You need it on to get in and when you get out, but during operation?”

The answer from the Governor's Deputy Chief of Staff:

"If the person is driving alone throughout the trip, no mask is needed in the vehicle, however, should they need to travel through a toll-booth or other drive thru they should be wearing a mask. This could apply to both driving car and equipment."

In other words, wear it from your car to your equipment. Once in your equipment you can take it off provided you’re alone. If you have to go to a scale house or delivery or someone drives up and wants to talk with you, back on it goes. Get out of your equipment to go to lunch? On it goes. Get out of equipment to go to bathroom? On it goes. Get out of equipment to go home? On it goes.

If in doubt, put it on.
Job Postings
Kallie
Job Postings
As reported by Kallie Kline, PACA's Director of Member Services.
Email Kallie
Job Postings
Kemper Equipment is Hiring
Current openings at Kemper Equipment are as follows:

Shop Foreman

Welder/Fabrication

Press Brake Operator

Industrial Painter

Welder/Fitter
More Information
Job Postings
Post Your Employment Ads on PACA's Website
If you have a job posting you would like to add to our website, please contact Kallie Kline. This is a free service for all PACA member companies.
Jobs Available
PACA – Building and Connecting Communities