Pit & Quarry, July 2009

EDITED BY BRIAN RICHESSON NSSGA backs Oberstar transportation bill Upcoming Events NSSGA Alternative Case Resolution Initiative Seminar Aug 25 27 Denver NSSGA Noise and Dust Workshop Sept 15 17 Indianapolis International Construction and Utility Equipment Exposition Oct 6 8 Louisville Ky AGG1 Aggregates Forum Expo Feb 15 18 2010 Cincinnati NSSGA Convention Feb 15 18 2010 Cincinnati LAST MONTHS QUESTION HAS YOUR AGGREGATES OPERATION BENEFITED FROM ANY STIMULUS DOLLARS Yes 33 Not yet but its coming 17 No 50 VISIT US ONLINE @ www pitandquarry com for the latest industry news and events information and to participate in this months Pit Quarry survey Submit news and events items for consideration to brichesson@ questex com Leaders of the National Stone Sand Gravel Association NSSGA hailed House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman James Oberstar D Minn for unveiling a six year 450 billion surface transportation bill called The Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009 The bill was passed out of the House Highway and Transit subcommittee by voice vote on June 25 The full committee and House of Representatives will consider the bill in late July according to Transportation and Infrastructure committee leaders The initial rollout of the bill on June 17 came one day after U S Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood met with Oberstar on behalf of the Obama administration asking him to refrain from moving forward on it and instead support an 18 month extension of the current law LaHood said this is necessary in order to replenish the Highway Trust Fund which could be depleted by September Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Chairman Barbara Boxer D Calif echoed LaHoods call for an 18 month extension Other senators are said to be pushing for a two year extension NSSGA said both options would have the effect of postponing reauthorization until after the 2010 midterm elections and into the 112th Congress which will convene in January 2011 NSSGA supports full funding of highways in FY 09 in accordance with SAFETEA LU increased investment in Americas transportation infrastructure going forward and development of a new vision of transportation for the 21st century said NSSGA Chairman Gerard Geraghty president and CEO of Rogers Group Inc Improving our transportation systems puts people to work an extension of the current law whether for 18 months or two years will not put people back to work or solve our freight road capacity crisis Geraghty said We need to get America moving now Eye on the Blog Following is a selected entry from the Pit Quarry Editors Blog written by Contributing Editor Mark S Kuhar Martin Marietta steps up Mergers and acquisitions have been short on supply lately but Martin Marietta Materials has acquired three quarries plus the remaining 49 percent interest in an existing joint venture from Cemex The purchase price for the assets of the three quarries plus the 49 percent interest was 65 million Estimated mineral reserves are 255 million tons The quarry operations are located at Fort Calhoun Neb Guernsey Wyo and Milford Utah Guernsey and Milford are rail connected quarries while Fort Calhoun ships material via barge on the Missouri River in addition to its local and long haul truck market in Nebraska The 49 percent interest purchased relates to the Granite Canyon Wyoming quarry where Martin Marietta is the operating manager Granite Canyon is a major supplier of railroad ballast serving both the Union Pacific Railroad and Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Aggregate shipments in 2008 including the partial interest only in Granite Canyon were 33 million tons Read other blog items from Pit Quarry editors at http pqeditors blogspot com 4 PIT QUARRY July 2009 www pitandquarry com