June 3rd ACI Field I Certification Course. Denver, CO
Hello and welcome to the August 2015 President’s Blog! I hope you have been staying safe and enjoying your summer. The board of directors, committee members, volunteers, and staff of the Colorado Ready Mixed Concrete Association continue to stay active during the industry’s busiest season. Under Stacy Ehrlick’s oversight, the ACI Certification program has administered certifications to over 600 participants since January 2015; the Testing Standards Adherence program is beginning the beta testing phase with geotechnical testing lab users; and the association held another successful Summer Conference in late July (view photos on our Facebook Page). This month I will focus on the Governmental Affairs Committee, their efforts in the securing long-term infrastructure funding at both the federal and state levels, and how you can get involved.
In late July CRMCA partnered with NRMCA and various other industry leaders to back the Senate’s bi-partisan, multi-year Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy (DRIVE) Act. The DRIVE Act not only provides a long-term solution for infrastructure funding, but it also includes a provision to make permanent the Hours of Service 30-minute break rule exemption issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to the ready mixed concrete industry in April of this year. Additionally, the bill includes reforms to the petitions process to apply for and receive exemptions from the FMCSA; in turn, benefitting all sectors of the construction industry. Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, it is believed the House Majority Leader, Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), will not support the legislation. Instead, McCarthy plans to attempt a 34th (!!!) extension of the current highway funding bill.
On the state level, the Colorado Construction Industry Coalition has hired W.R. Communications to assess the policy, political, and legislative issues impacting transportation funding. The firm will conduct polling and outreach to gauge public opinion and find industry allies to support a source for transportation infrastructure funding. On July 15 members of the Governmental Affairs Committee engaged in an interactive discussion with W.R. Communication’s Bill Ray. The committee looks forward to working with W.R. Consultants! We will keep the membership up-to-date on the findings and where you can plug-in.
2014 Grassroots Awards Individual Winners: David Hagerman, Martin Marietta; Garrett Varra, Varra Companies; Mike Sheahan, Front Range Aggregates
Support of long-term infrastructure funding will only be possible with your support. I urge you to contact your legislators, respond to action alerts, and most importantly educate your friends, family, coworkers, and employees about the benefits of a long-term solution. Remember to track your participation using the Grassroots Awards Application.
Thank you for your continued support of the CRMCA.
Rich Umbel
CRMCA Board President
President | Oldcastle SW Group, Inc.
Co-authored by Annelise Shepherd, CRMCA Administrative Assistant
