California Asphalt Pavement Association
Vol. 15, Issue 31 || Aug. 1, 2022
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Greetings!
This weekly report contains news and information of interest to the asphalt pavement industry, customers and agency partners in California. Please feel free to distribute this newsletter to others who may be interested in asphalt pavements. To provide feedback or story ideas click HERE. Having difficulty viewing this newsletter? View as Webpage
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California electric-vehicle push could blow a hole in transportation funding, coalition warns |
A coalition of transportation advocates, including CalAPA, is warning the Newsom administration that current clean-air initiatives could put a "gaping hole" in transportation infrastructure funding, and that "there is currently no plan to provide replacement revenues."
The July 28 letter to the governor and members of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) notes the hard work to address California's crumbling transportation infrastructure, including the passage of Senate Bill 1, the $50 billion Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017. Those funds are currently helping to pay for more than 8,000 transportation improvement projects across the state.
The Newsom administration's electric vehicle push, with CARB at the forefront, is known as the "Advanced Clean Cars II Regulations, which seeks to replace gas-powered vehicles in California with zero-emission vehicles to reduce air pollution in the state. About 41% of total state emissions come from mobile sources, such as cars, trucks and other vehicles, according to a recent CARB estimate.
The "Fix Our Roads" coalition, which rallied around the passage of SB1 and later campaigned to defeat a gas-tax repeal measure on the 2018 ballot, is made up of unions, construction interests and others who advocate for reasonable investments to keep the state's transportation infrastructure safe and functional. The taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel sold in California pay for a large part of the maintenance of the state's roads and bridges, and the coalition is warning that eliminating those funds with no plan to replace them could be catastrophic for the state.
"We want to raise significant concerns that the current California Air Resources Board (CARB) Advanced Clean Cars II Regulations would leave a gaping hole in transportation infrastructure funding -- and there is currently no plan to provide replacement revenues," the coalition letter states. One CARB study cited by the group indicated a loss of $30 billion in transportation infrastructure funds in the next two decades.
"To date, while the reports and studies have identified potential offsets, there has been little to no in-depth discussion about filling this massive void of transportation funding as we transition away from internal combustion engine vehicles," the letter goes on to state. "Prior to adopting the regulations, we urgently request that the Administration and CARB clearly identify revenue offsets to replace the proposed phasing out of gas tax revenue / funding streams and create a plan that details how the state will maintain and protect transportation infrastructure funding.
"Losing tens of billions of dollars in infrastructure funding would be catastrophic and untenable," the letter says. "It will decimate the quality of our roads and bridges, jeopardize safety, decrease mobility, cripple public transit, and result in more traffic congestion."
A copy of the coalition letter is HERE. Information on CARB's Advanced Clean Cars II program can be found HERE. CalAPA's June 27 "The Future of Powering Our Fleets" webinar featured CARB representatives discussing the program and its implications for the asphalt pavement industry. A recording of that and other recent CalAPA educational programming can be found on the CalAPA on-line "Knowledge Center" HERE. Look for an in-depth examination of this and other regulatory topics in the upcoming environment-themed issue of CalAPA's association magazine, California Asphalt. Past issues of the magazine can be found HERE. |
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CSLB updating exam for C-12 grading, paving contractors; seeks contractors to provide input |
The California Contractors State License Board is starting the process of updating its licensing exam for C-12 paving and grading contractors, and is seeking out contractors with this classification to provide input into the exam, Asphalt insider has learned.
The update is being handled by the agency's Examination Development Unit, which is part of the testing division. The unit's testing specialists work with licensees to identify tasks that contractors perform and the practical knowledge they must have to competently perform their work. Once information is compiled, a questionnaire is sent to a large sample of contractors to confirm that the scope of the trade is current and accurate. All of CSLB's licensing examination questions are written and reviewed by Subject Matter Experts. Exams are updated every five to seven years. CalAPA worked closely with the CSLB in the development of the Quality Paving Certificate for asphalt paving contractors. Information on that program can be found HERE.
To learn more to or to indicate your willingness to participate in the CSLB exam update, send an e-mail with your name, company name and license number and the CSLB will contact you with additional information. The e-mail is: CSLB_Testing_Division@cslb.ca.gov .
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State water board to hold public workshop Aug. 9 on proposed storm water general permit update |
The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) will be holding a virtual public workshop Aug. 9 on the latest version of its proposed regulations on the statewide storm-water general permit for construction. The agency has been working on the update for more than a year, and construction industry representatives have expressed concern that the proposed changes to the permit add onerous complexity and unreasonable testing and monitoring requirements that could create chaos on construction projects.
Of particular concern to the construction industry are the numerous references to Numeric Effluent Limits (NELs) that the construction industry has criticized as unrealistic, creating unknown but likely prohibitively expensive costs and complexity that will be impossible to enforce. An initial assessment of the cost to comply with these regulations was pegged at at least 50% above current levels. A coalition letter sent last year, joined by CalAPA, called the draft permit "burdensome" and "unworkable." A 239-page fact sheet about the revised permit contains more than 100 references to NELs.
Federal and state water-quality regulations have been the subject of numerous legal challenges over the years.
The general permit regulates storm-water runoff from construction sites, and the current permit,
in effect since 2009, already contains strict requirements for monitoring, testing and established best-practices for storm-water runoff control. The new permit language is twice as long as the previous version. Although the permit is intended as a statewide document, the NEL language, in particular, will create havoc in certain areas of Southern California, coalition members say.
The SWRCB will hold a "virtual" public hearing on the draft permit on Tuesday, Aug. 9 from 9
a.m. to 1 p.m., and industry representatives are encouraged to participate and let their views be
known. A link to the official public hearing notice is HERE. The detailed permit language can be found HERE. The SWRCB has scheduled a meeting for Sept. 8 "for consideration of adoption of the proposed statewide Construction Stormwater General Permit." CalAPA members should consult special "Member Alert" briefing papers on this topic to assist them in understanding what this proposed permit could mean for their operations.
This issue was ranked as one of the Top 10 stories of 2021 by Asphalt Insider editors, and also made the list of Top 10 issues expected to have a major impact on the industry in 2022.
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'Day at the Races' photos posted to CalAPA Facebook Page & ready for 'likes' and shares |
If you need a momentary distraction from the crush of pressing work, take a moment to peruse the photos from CalAPA's "Day at the Races" event at Del Mar Race Track, which have been posted to CalAPA's Facebook Page HERE.
The photos include pictures of the record number of contestants for the Women of Asphalt California Branch-sponsored hat contest. The photos are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. All "likes" and shares will spread the good cheer. Special thanks go out to Kerry Hoover with Construction Marketing Services for capturing the photos of the festive event.
To learn more about the Women of Asphalt California Branch, click HERE. |
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Ongoing engagement of elected officials is, well, an ongoing effort |
Establishing and maintaining relationships with elected officials at all levels of government is a never-ending activity for CalAPA and its member companies. Some prominent examples are organized legislative meetings in Sacramento or Washington, D.C., with targeted agendas and asphalt-focused messaging. Others could be the highly impactful asphalt plant tours that open minds and are talked about years later.
But less visible is the ongoing relationship-building that happens continuously to educate elected officials and staffers about our industry.
A case in point is last week's visit to Washington, D.C. by CalAPA Board Member Scott Metcalf with Ergon Asphalt & Emulsions. He was nice enough to share a picture as he entered the offices of U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
At the local level, meanwhile, CalAPA is facilitating a meeting between San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg and CalAPA members Steve Ward with Pavement Recycling Systems, who also serves as CalAPA's Legislative Committee Chairman, and Jason Papich, president of Papich Construction, which is based in the Central Coast and performs work in the supervisor's district.
CalAPA supports these and other relationship-building efforts by connecting elected officials and members, providing updated fact sheets about the asphalt pavement industry and other information, such as talking points.
For more information on CalAPA's advocacy efforts on behalf of the asphalt industry in California, click HERE. The page includes downloadable fact sheets and other information that may be useful for these types of interactions. And be sure to notify the association of planned interactions or elected officials that may benefit from such interactions.
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Each week we highlight a word, acronym or other term commonly used in the asphalt pavement industry in California.
CRACK FILLING: The placement of materials into non-working cracks to substantially reduce the intrusion of incompressibles and infiltration of water, while also reinforcing the adjacent pavement. Crack filling should be distinguished from crack sealing.
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Paving Pointer of the Week |
Each week we highlight a key point or best practice of interest to asphalt paving crews, inspectors and others working in the field. We welcome suggestions. More tips can be found in our "Asphalt Parking Lot Construction Checklist" HERE. Information on the CalAPA "Quality Paving Certificate" program is HERE.
SUBSOIL: Is the base layer/subsoil firm and unyielding under the pressure of repeated construction trucks? Is the soil dry enough to support heavy construction? Can the soil hold its shape under loaded trucks? If the site is wet, postpone until the site is sufficiently dry and can be proof rolled and uniform stability is obtained.
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Each week we highlight a term that is specific to climate-change issues related to the asphalt pavement industry. This feature is intended to raise awareness of the asphalt industry's climate-change initiatives and the specialized terminology that goes with them. More information on "The Road Forward" asphalt industry climate initiative can be found HERE.
FLY ASH: Fines of a coal combustion product.
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"You never achieve success unless you like what you are doing.”
– Dale Carnegie
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CALAPA CALENDAR:
View all CalAPA events HERE.
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Registration open!
Fall Asphalt Pavement Conference
Oct. 26-28, 2022
Hilton Sacramento Arden West Hotel, 2200 Harvard Street, Sacramento.
For exhibitor and sponsor information, contact Sophie You at (916) 791-5044.
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There's never been a better time to join the California Asphalt Pavement Association! Members receive insight and advanced notice on critical issues that impact every company's bottom line. CalAPA members also receive invitations to exclusive member-only events, in-depth "Member Alerts," our comprehensive asphalt market forecast for California, discounts and industry-specific networking opportunities not available anywhere else. CalAPA's new searchable on-line membership directory helps connect potential customers with member companies. Click HERE to download our Member Service brochure. Click HERE to view Vol. 1 of recent testimonials. Not convinced? Click HERE to view Vol. 2 of recent testimonials. With so much changing in the asphalt pavement industry, what you don't know can cost you! Click HERE to send us an e-mail inquiry, or contact Russell Snyder with CalAPA at (916) 791-5044. |
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We hope you enjoy CalAPA's Asphalt Insider newsletter. We are committed to providing you with the most up-to-date information on technical issues, regulation, news, analysis, events and trends in California that is of interest to the asphalt pavement industry and our various agency partners. Click HERE to contact us with any comments or suggestions.
Sincerely,
Russell W. Snyder, CAE
Executive Director
California Asphalt Pavement Association (CalAPA)®
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The "Asphalt Insider" is an official publication of the California Asphalt Pavement Association. For more information or to inquire about membership, call (916) 791-5044, or click HERE to contact us. Copyright © 2022 California Asphalt Pavement Association -- All Rights Reserved. The CalAPA name (No. 5,621,794) and logo (No. 5,621,795) are registered trademarks with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.
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P.O. Box 981300, West Sacramento, CA 95798
1550 Harbor Blvd., Suite 211, West Sacramento, CA 95691
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