ARPA Blog

It's Time to Register for the ARPA Convention

The ARPA Annual Convention is our biggest event of the year.  Registration forms are available on line by clicking This link to the Registration form.  Forms are also available on the ARPA Website by clicking here. 

Be Sure to Sign Up for the Spring Thaw Event.

 

Click Here for a copy of the Brochure.

Sign Up for the Concrete Workshop

ARPA Presents the NRMCA Level 2 Concrete Technologist Certification Program.

The NRMCA Level 2 Concrete Technologist Certification Program is based on the popular MRMCA Technical Short Course.  The program has been modularized to be conducted at the regional level by state sponsoring groups.  Course content includes concrete materials and production practices plus basic mixture proportioning methods and data evaluation procedures.  Relevant ACI and ASTM standards are also covered.

Click Here to see the full brochure.

ARPA Gets some National Attention.

ARPA was featured in the February edition of Digitalexec Magazine. Here's a fun excerpt. 

 

At 6’ 2” and 235, ARPA Director Steve Trussell would get plenty of attention even if he wasn’t barking out statistics in front of a microphone.  Trussell is quick to point out that the rock products industry--sand and gravel mining firms, crushed stone producers, ready-mix concrete suppliers, concrete product and asphalt manufacturers, as well as cement producers—contribute nearly $3 billion in direct output, production and deliveries in Arizona annually.  ARPA members provide the raw ingredients that make construction possible and despite the recent downturn, the efficient  production of sand, gravel, cement and asphalt remain prerequisites  to Arizona’s construction based economy.

 

Here's a copy of the full article.

Have a Blast.

Many ARPA Members have requested that we make past Blasts available on the ARPA website.  The Blasts themselves will be archived on the ARPA Blog.  We will provide a link to each blast on the main blog as they are published. 

We will also put separate tab on the top of the main blog that links to all the previous blasts.

The March 13th Blast features a story about ARPA members teaching kids at Career Day, pictures from the dedication of the Veterans Memorial at the Capitol as well as an announcement that State Representative Ray Barnes will be speaking at the ARPA Environment Committee meeting on March 19th.  You can click the picture at the left to get a bigger look at the blast, or you can Click this link  to upload the entire Blast.

Many ARPA Members have requested that we make past Blasts available on the ARPA website.  The Blasts themselves will be archived on the ARPA Blog.  We will provide a link to each blast on the main blog as they are published. 

We will also put separate tab on the top of the main blog that links to all the previous blasts.

In the March 2nd Blast, we let you know the details of Interim DEQ Director Pat Cuningham's visit to ARPA.  Mr. Cunningham is concerned that cuts to the DEQ budget will make if much more difficult for DEQ to complete the essential tasks with which the agency is charged.

Additionally, we provided an update about a few key issues, including posible BACT requirements, Changes in Stormwater permits and the news that the County hired an Ombudsman.  You can click the image at the left to enlarge the blast,

Or you can click here to load a full copy of the blast itself.     

Many ARPA Members have requested that we make past Blasts available on the ARPA website.  The Blasts themselves will be archived on the ARPA Blog.  We will provide a link to each blast on the main blog as they are published. 

The February 13th Blast featured news from the Maricopa County Tour of various ARPA facilities, plus an update of ARPA member companies donating the time and materials to build a veteran's memorial at the Capitol. 

The Blast also featured a profile of the winner of the "Agregates in Society" Essay contest as well as a certificate of appreciation from the St. Mary's Food Bank for ARPA's efforts to feed the Hungry. 

Many ARPA Members have requested that we make past Blasts available on the ARPA website.  The Blasts themselves will be archived on the ARPA Blog.  We will provide a link to each blast on the main blog as they are published. 

The January 29th Blast featured coverage of the ARPA management team's visit with State Rep. Russ Jones as well as State Rep. Andy Biggs' presentation to the ARPA Board meeting.  Finally, this is the blast in which we announced that ARPA Director of Government Affairs Rusty Bowers, and ARPA Special Projects Coordinator Greg Patterson were both appointed to Senate President Bob Burns Kitchen Cabinet.  You can click on the picture to get a better view, or you can Click here to upload a copy of the blast itself.

 

CalPortland Makes it Five in a Row.

Glendora, CA, March 2, 2009 – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded CalPortland Company the National 2009 ENERGY STAR Award for Sustained Excellence in recognition of its continued leadership in protecting our environment through energy efficiency. CalPortland’s accomplishment over five consecutive years is a feat that has never been matched by any other U.S. building materials company.

The company continues to lead its industry in managing energy as part of its advancing, long-term business and environmental strategies.  CalPortland continues to surpass the high standards it has for corporate energy management through new initiatives and a continually evolving energy management strategy.

Click Here for the Full Story.

Cunningham Visits ARPA

Interim DEQ Director Pat Cunningham was the guest last week's ARPA Environmental Committee meeting. 

Cunningham expressed his concerns that the state's budget crisis will weigh heavily on DEQ.  Cunningham provided a list legislative Budget proposals together with a list of alternatives provided by DEQ.   

Click here to see a copy  of the DEQ Fact Sheet.

ARPA Hosts Environmental Summit

Here's the details on the Environmental Meeting.  You can click the brochure to enlarge it. 

Stimulus Package in the News

Rusty and Steve have been working with our Congressional delegation and other associations to get the local stimulus package approved.  Here's some coverage  of the processs

Construction-industry and government leaders are forming a coalition to make sure Arizona gets its share of the estimated $850 billion in economic-stimulus funding proposed by President-elect Barack Obama.

The Transportation and Infrastructure Working Group has identified more than $10 billion in public projects that could be undertaken with the stimulus money.

The group plans to aggressively lobby Arizona's congressional delegation and other lawmakers for funds that could become available soon after Obama's inauguration Jan. 19. 

"We need to get in front of the line and let them know we are not going away," said Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, a coalition member.

Much of the proposed $850 billion would go to fund infrastructure projects including new airports, highways, bridges, reservoirs and wastewater-treatment plants.

The construction projects would create new jobs in Arizona that could replace the approximately 100,000 jobs lost because of the housing bust and the recession.

David Martin, president of the Arizona chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America and a member of the coalition, estimated that each $1 billion invested in infrastructure construction could generate up to 35,000 jobs. That's close to the 40,000 Arizona construction jobs lost in the past year alone.

Using a multiplier to account for rounds of spending, Martin said the total economic impact of the $1 billion direct investment balloons to more than $5 billion.

Martin is confident that Arizona's construction-labor pool, much of which was employed framing houses during the housing boom, has the skills to work on more complex infrastructure-improvement projects.

"The crossover from vertical to horizontal construction won't be a problem," he said.

The Arizona coalition is scrambling to come up with a list of projects that can be started quickly if funding becomes available.

"It's a very fluid number, but it looks like about $10 billion worth of work," said Sarah Morgan, vice president of the contractors group.

Many are planned projects that have been postponed because of a lack of funding. They include expanding the light-rail system in Phoenix, airport improvements in Yavapai County and the beginnings of the Loop 303 freeway in the northwest Valley.

"We have the immediate ability to create jobs that will help people stop foreclosures on their homes, buy new cars (and) airline tickets, and get the economy moving again," Gordon said.

Phoenix has come up with a list of 120 projects, valued at $2.1 billion, that could be undertaken with stimulus dollars. Besides light-rail improvements, they include airport improvements, public-housing projects, advanced suspect identification for police and street repairs.

Phoenix's jobs are included in 725 projects, worth more than $7 billion, that have been identified by the Maricopa Association of Governments.

The Arizona Department of Transportation has an additional $1.2 billion in projects that could be started within 180 days and provide a quick jolt to the economy. They include work on the Loop 303 and a new Cordes Junction interchange on Interstate 17.

Transition Team Highlights and a quick budget update.

We thought you might be interested in more information about the Brewer transition team.

Secretary of State Jan Brewer is defending the makeup of her gubernatorial transition team despite its heavy reliance on lobbyists and executives from firms with special interests.

Brewer said Monday she sees nothing improper in her choice of the 27 people who will help get her up to speed on state issues between now and when she takes over as governor in a month or so following the anticipated resignation of Janet Napolitano to become U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security.

Here's an interesting perspective on the Budget from the Arizona Republic

Arizona is bleeding red ink.

But the Legislature isn't meeting in special session to reduce the hemorrhaging.

We're headed into what may be the worst state budget crisis in the nation. Revenues are falling at least 12 percent below spending. The state could literally run out of money to pay its bills months before the fiscal year ends on June 30.