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PACA Conveyor – Week of June 10, 2021
Table of Contents
Easily jump to a section in this newsletter:

1. PACA News
2. Advocacy News
3. Environmental News
4. Promotion News
5. Employment News

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24 E Blasts
PACA wishes to thank our 2024 Corporate Sponsors for their generous support and commitment this year!
PACA News
Peter
Advocacy News
As reported by Peter Vlahos, PACA's President.
Advocacy News
Time for Action - Rescue PA Roads Grassroots Campaign
We need to do some heavy lifting to rescue the Motor License Fund (MLF). We have watched since the passage of Act 89 of 2013, the draining of gas tax revenue to fund the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) operations while the PSP funding from the General Fund has remained static. We are not questioning the mission of the Pennsylvania State Police to protect our Commonwealth's citizens. We simply request that a greater burden for the PSP's operations are paid from the General Fund approved by the General Assembly every year.

Due to COVID-19, the largesse of the federal government has presented us with this one time opportunity - even if it is as a short-term solution - to shift the PSP burden away from the MLF and onto the General Fund by using the more than $5 Billion sitting in the Harrisburg bank courtesy of Washington, DC. This window will close when the 2021-2022 state budget is approved and some say as early as mid-June.

The Governor and members of the General Assembly must hear from us. Some would say that our ask to invest some of the $5 Billion to free up the MLF is self-serving. Those some people will need to be reminded that we are a heavy duty payer into the system and our businesses depend on a reliable transportation network to deliver our products.

Please take the less than a minute to use the link courtesy of our partners at the Associated Pennsylvania Constructors to share your voice with the Governor and your legislative representatives. And the more the merrier, so share with your colleagues, friends and family. A dependable, reliable and well funded transportation network in the Commonwealth is about economic development and the health and safety of our employees and our families!

Please contact Peter Vlahos with any questions.
Josie
Environmental News
As reported by Josie Gaskey, PACA's Director of Environmental, Safety & Health.
Environmental News
DEP Requests RGGI Revenue Input
As DEP continues to move forward with the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) even though the Department's own modeling showed no significant difference in future CO2 emissions with or without a RGGI Rule in effect, they have hired the Delta Institute to interact with Pennsylvanians to determine how any projected revenue that might come from RGGI be spent. While we believe any monies should be returned for economic and business development, you can provide your own input.

If you are interested in providing input, this link will take you to a 5-minute survey where you can provide input on this revenue expenditure.

Should you have any questions, contact Josie Gaskey.
Ken
Promotion News
As reported by Ken Crank, PACA's Director of Concrete Promotion.
Promotion News
Concrete Recognition Awards - We're Baaaack!
Now is the time to start thinking about those outstanding concrete projects that your company has supplied. The project could be in the commercial or residential market. It could be a building or a pavement. The fact is, we want to hear about it and want to share that information with your peers.

The Excellence in Concrete Recognition Awards, presented during our Annual Meeting in November, are the platform that you can use to highlight your customers and their projects.

In addition to putting the spotlight on projects, the awards program is also the time when we recognize our Promoter of the Year. Let's be sure that we take the time to honor the individual that is working hard to keep concrete in the front of the minds of specifiers and contractors.

Nominations for the 2021 Excellence in Concrete Recognition Awards are due to Ken Crank by no later than SEPTEMBER 24, 2021.
Promotion News
ACI Certifications
PACA conducts ACI certification classes for a variety of disciplines. The most prolific certification we administer is the Grade I Field Testing Technician, but we also provide classes for Concrete Strength Testing, Flatwork Finisher, Adhesive Anchor Installer and Post Installed Concrete Anchor Installation Inspector.

We are seeing greater emphasis placed on, not only obtaining these certifications, but also the process for verifying those individuals that are certified.

Within the past year, ACI has developed an app that may be downloaded to your phone. The app is simple to use and makes the process of verification more efficient.
Employment News
Employment News
COVID-19: EEOC ISSUES LONG-AWAITED GUIDANCE ALLOWING EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE EMPLOYEES WITH INCENTIVES FOR COVID-19 VACCINATIONS
Article provided by: K&L Gates, LLP

Date: 3 June 2021

U.S. Labor, Employment, and Workplace Safety Alert

By: Scott G. Kobil

On 28 May 2021, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) updated its Technical Assistance Questions and Answers titled, “What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws” (Guidance).1 The Guidance states that employers may offer incentives (in some instances, substantial incentives) to employees who voluntarily demonstrate that they received a COVID-19 vaccination.

Employers had been waiting in limbo to learn whether such incentives were allowed. In fact, in February 2021, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other trade associations urged the EEOC to provide clarification on the extent to which employers may offer their employees vaccination incentives. Thus, this Guidance should come as welcome news.
Employment News
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