Paca conveyor
PACA Conveyor – Week of August 23, 2018
Table of Contents
Easily jump to a section in this newsletter:

1. Environmental News
2. Promotion News
3. Safety & Health News
4. Technical News
5. PACA Events Calendar
6. PACA News

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PACA Phone System Transition - Please Update Your Contacts for PACA Staff
In an effort to update our technology and be good stewards of our members’ money, we are beginning the transition to a new phone system. PACA’s main number (717.234.2603) and fax number (717.234.7030) will remain the same and you will always be able to reach us on that main number. However, we have decided to eliminate the direct lines for the headquarters staff (Kallie, Josie and Peter) as our team spends considerable time outside the office in meetings and member engagement. We now have streamlined the direct connection with the entire team by asking you to call us directly on our cell phones to ensure maximum availability and best member service.

Listed below are our cell phone numbers and email addresses for your convenience. Note that the cell numbers have not changed.

Peter Vlahos, [email protected], cell—717.756.4070

Josie Gaskey, [email protected], cell—412.969.3924

Jim Casilio, [email protected], cell—610.730.2385

Ken Crank, [email protected], cell—717.468.0259

Kallie Kline, [email protected], cell—717.215.3322

We will keep you updated on the final implementation date of this transition. We strongly urge you to add our cell numbers to your phones NOW to ease the conversion.

Should you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact any one of us.
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Concrete Recognition Awards Submissions
Annually, the Pennsylvania Aggregates and Concrete Association (PACA) bestows the Association’s annual Excellence in Concrete Recognition Awards. So much work goes into what makes this industry great. The Recognition Awards honor those projects that show superiority and distinction in the areas of commercial, residential, decorative projects and/ or other projects, companies or people of note in Pennsylvania. The Hank Bauer Concrete Promoter of the Year award acknowledges the individual who goes above and beyond to promote ready mixed concrete in Pennsylvania. And, in 2014, PACA introduced the “Captains of Concrete;” those companies who are the true leaders in concrete promotion in the Commonwealth.

It is time to start thinking about honoring our best at this year’s Annual Meeting, scheduled for November 12-13, 2018, at the Hotel Hershey in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

The guidelines for nomination eligibility for these awards are available below. All entries will be judged on the basis of support materials provided. It will be important to include all required materials and present them in a professional manner. You may submit multiple projects, with each project requiring its own submittal package. Projects may only by submitted for one category of consideration.

YOUR ENTRIES MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE PACA OFFICE ON OR BEFORE, OCTOBER 8, 2018, FOR CONSIDERATION. SEE YOU IN HERSHEY! APPLICATION FEE IS $50.

Please contact Ken Crank if you have any questions regarding the awards or this process.
Red carpet HOF
Honor Those Outstanding Individuals in the Industry at the PACA Annual Meeting
Help us say thank you and recognize your outstanding employees, coworkers, peers and friends in the industry by submitting their name for consideration as an inductee into the PACA Ambassadors of the Industry Hall of Fame. Each year, PACA recognizes inductees at the PACA Annual Meeting in Hershey, Pennsylvania. This year's inductions will be held on Tuesday, November 13th, the second day of the Annual Meeting agenda.

The workers of the aggregate and concrete industry in Pennsylvania help shape the Commonwealth each and every day. The PACA Hall of Fame was established in 2000 to provide recognition to the often overlooked service to the industry and our communities that the worker quietly makes. PACA is extremely proud to have inducted over 100 outstanding individuals since the Hall of Fame’s creation.

Nominees may be recognized for significant contributions including, but not limited to, loyalty to a company through long term employment, leadership, safety, ingenuity, service to the community, and/or stewardship to the environment. Additional criteria, along with past inductees are included in the information link below.

NEW FOR 2018: Inductees will be announced prior to the Annual Meeting through the PACA Conveyor and through special signage on display throughout the entire Annual Meeting in Hershey.

Nominate a true industry Hall of Famer TODAY! Final submissions must be received in the PACA office by October 1, 2018.
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Hotel Room Block is Open for November Annual Meeting - Final Schedule & Registration Information Forthcoming
The 2018 PACA Annual Meeting is scheduled for November 11 (PACA Board Members only) and November 12-13 (for all registered attendees) at the Hotel Hershey, Hershey, PA.

The final schedule and registration announcement will be coming in the next few weeks - stay tuned.

However, if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, you may start making your room reservations at this time.

FOR PACA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE / BOARD MEMBERS:

Schedule commitments include Sunday evening, November 11th and the Annual Meeting will conclude in the early afternoon on Tuesday, November 13th.

FOR ANNUAL MEETING ATTENDEES:

The Annual Meeting will begin in the early afternoon on Monday, November 12th and conclude in the early afternoon on Tuesday, November 13th.

ROOM INFORMATION:

The hotel rate for 2018 is $219 per night + applicable taxes.

The room block cutoff is October 12, 2018. Please note that the group rate and/or rooms may not be available after this date, so book EARLY!
Josie
Environmental News
As reported by Josie Gaskey, PACA's Director of Environmental, Safety & Health.
Environmental News
USFWS Initiates Five-Year Review of 19 Species
The Endangered Species Act (ESA) was signed by President Richard Nixon on December 28, 1973. Under Section 4(c)(2)(A) of the ESA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is required to conduct assessments of all species listed as threatened or endangered every five years to ensure that all species listed as threatened or endangered continue to have the appropriate level of protection. They have given notice that they are initiating five-year reviews for 19 species.

Of these 19 species, four are listed in the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program as Endangered:

  • Dwarf wedgemussel
  • Northern riffleshell

  • Clubshell

  • Bog Turtle

The five-year review purportedly analyzes the best available scientific and commercial data and determines whether the status of a species has changed since its listing or since the last status review. USFWS then has four options for recommendation:

  • Uplist, reclassify from threatened to endangered

  • Downlist, reclassify from endangered to threatened

  • Delist, remove the species from the list

  • Maintain current classification

(Note the five-year review is a recommendation process only. Any change to a species’ federal status requires a separate rulemaking process.)

USFWS rarely delists or downlists. And it’s likely the PA Fish & Boat Commission will submit any data they have, in response to these status reviews.

As a reminder, the USFWS proposed three rules on July 25, 2018 to revise the regulations for Listing Species and Designating Critical Habitat, Prohibitions to Threatened Wildlife and Plants, and for Interagency Cooperation. Comments on these three rules are due the end of September and we will be coordinating with NSSGA’s efforts.

Should you have any questions or comments, don’t hesitate to contact Josie Gaskey.
Environmental News
Court Reinstates WOTUS Rule for 26 States
A federal judge in the U.S. District Court of South Carolina has invalidated the Trump Administration's suspension of the WOTUS rule, effectively reinstating the Obama regulation in 26 states including PA. The 2015 WOTUS rule defines which waters are jurisdictional and drastically expands federal jurisdiction over waters that have little or no connection to flowing streams and rivers.

In 2017, President Trump tasked EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt with replacing the burdensome and overreaching 2015 rule. And in February, Pruitt issued a "Suspension Rule" that delayed WOTUS until 2020 in order to craft a more appropriate rule.

On August 16, South Carolina District Judge David Norton sided with a coalition of conservation groups that challenged the delay, and placed a nationwide injunction on Pruitt's suspension rule. The decision does not apply to 24 other states where legal challenges are pending.

Judge Norton indicated the EPA violated rule-making procedures, specifically by failing to provide an adequate public notice and comment period required by the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).

NSSGA is working with other coalitions to appeal the decision, as well as pursue other legal options.

Additionally, the proposed replacement rule is currently under required review by the White House.

Stay tuned...
Ken
Promotion News
As reported by Ken Crank, PACA's Director of Concrete Promotion.
Promotion News
Ready Mixed Concrete Production Statistics Updated Through June 2018
The estimated ready mixed concrete produced in June 2018 is 34.3 million cubic yards, the same as that in June 2017. The estimated production in the U.S. for 2018 through June is 169 million cubic yards, 2.8% higher than that during the same period in 2017.

Ready mixed concrete production is estimated from cement shipments reported by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Promotion News
Decorative Concrete Blog Posted
Our most recent blog, 4 Finishing Options for Decorative Concrete has been posted on the SpecifyConcrete website.

As stated, the article addresses a variety of finishes for decorative concrete as well as listing four decorative concrete case studies from our SpecifyConcrete website.

Looking for more information on decorative concrete? Visit our Concrete Difference and Webinar pages for additional material on the subject.
Josie
Safety & Health News
As reported by Josie Gaskey, PACA's Director of Environmental, Safety & Health.
Safety & Health News
MSHA Revises Their Mine Data Retrieval Website
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has revised their Mine Data Retrieval System website to a new, more interactive interface with maps, charts and graphs and upgraded search capabilities. (Note the site may take some time to load at this point.)

MSHA will be taking comments on the site at [email protected]. They will continue to offer the existing version along with the new version under a transition period that will end September 7.

Should you have any comments, contact Josie Gaskey.

Safety & Health News
OSHA Posts Additional Training Resources for Silica
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has posted on their website a new frequently asked questions section and six new training videos regarding their standard for respirable crystalline silica in construction. The videos cover topics including handheld power saws, jackhammers, drills, and grinders.

This information can be found on OSHA’s silica standard for construction page and their website includes even more information and resources on complying with the standard.
Jim
Technical News
As reported by Jim Casilio, P.E., PACA's Director of Technical Services.
Technical News
August 2018 Concrete International Who is watchnig out for the cylinders
Who is Watching Out for the Cylinders is the August Cover Story of ACI's Concrete International Magazine
Improper curing and care of concrete field cylinders has been an ongoing topic of the PACA Concrete Technical Community and the subject of the PACA Field Testing Compliance Program.

The August 2018 edition of ACI’s Concrete International featured a cover story on this issue.

This article covers the problems caused by neglect of the cylinders, the specification requirements for proper field cylinder curing and care, and presents why improving this deficiency is sound business practice.

This article is an excellent reference for all of us in the concrete industry. It is ideal as both a pre-pour guide to help reduce the abuse of concrete cylinders, and as a tool to combat the widespread negligent practices of contractors and testing agencies following concrete placements.

Please download a copy of the article on the link below and arm yourself with this valuable information!

Technical News
Final Step Clearance Transmittal for Cement Slurry from Ready Mixed Trucks for use on FDR is issued
The final step clearance transmittal for the use of Cement Slurry for FDR from R/M trucks has been issued.This specification change was developed as a initiative of the PennDOT /FHWA State Transportation Innovation Council (STIC)

Congratulations to all those PACA members who helped on this effort and special thanks to Bob Housel, Lanny Kipp, and Jared Horn with Masters Concrete for leading the way to this new specification.

Below is the description for this CT and a link to the proposed new Section 344 of Pub 408 noting this change. If you have any comments to this CT please forward them to Jim Casilio ([email protected]) by Thursday August 30 th.

This is a Pro-Team CT developed from STIC Initiative P-2017-001 (Cement Slurry for Full Depth Reclamation) and is intended to be circulated only once. Instead of spreading dry cement of the roadway base, a cement slurry is applied in a liquid form to the ground roadway base during FDR projects. Benefits of this method include: base stabilization, expedited construction, less equipment, and dust palliative properties. This initiative is particularly beneficial for rural, stabilized roads.
Technical News
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PACA Wishes to Thank our 2018 Corporate Sponsors!
Thank you to the above companies for their support this year.
PACA Events Calendar
PACA Events Calendar
2019 PACA Events Calendar - Additional Items Being Added
Continue to check our events calendar on our website for upcoming events, registration links, regional mixers, and more!
PACA News