The Biden Administration final WOTUS rule purports to be a formal withdrawal of the stayed 2020 Trump Administration WOTUS rule, but actually expands jurisdiction. This is likely to add to the confusion in permitting, because the Supreme Court is still working on a decision in the Sackett case, which could end or limit significant nexus as a means to determine jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act.
NSSGA hosted a Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) Briefing with Taft partners Ian Arnold and Jason Covert on Tuesday, June 25. The CTA was enacted by Congress on January 1, 2021 to combat financial crimes, including money laundering, terrorist financing and tax evasion. Pursuant to the Department of the Treasury's rules, effective January 1, 2024, with limited exceptions, any entity formed in the U.S. or any foreign entity qualified to do business in the U.S. will be responsible for compliance with the CTA.
NSSGA hosts a webinar with Jim Nuccio and Matthew Parker with Atlas – a company that provides specialized services in safety planning, exposure pathway assessments, cleaning protocol development, and decontamination oversights. Nuccio and Parker address creating plans for employees who test positive or are symptomatic; developing boots-on-the-ground strategies to minimize employee exposure risks; effective cleaning and sanitation; how to manage contractors; and more.
NSSGA is pleased to present Part 2 of an interactive webinar series on medical surveillance programs for workers with silica dust exposures. Part 2 of the webinar series will be presented by Andy O’Brien, M.S., CIH, CSP, Vice President of Health and Safety at Covia, the largest producer of industrial sand in North America. Andy will discuss the lessons learned from managing a medical surveillance program for decades, and he will share insights into the day-to-day issues that may arise in running a medical surveillance program and ideas on how to address them.
The new MSHA silica rule will require aggregates and sand & gravel mine operators to conduct exposure monitoring for crystalline silica, dust sampling and medical surveillance. The compliance date for the rule is April 8, 2026, but NSSGA members should begin preparations to comply with the rule now. NSSGA is pleased to offer a series of three webinars, presented by Vulcan Materials, Luck Stone and P.W. Gillibrand.
Hosting your elected representative for a tour of your facility is a great way to help legislators and other stakeholders understand the value that your operation provides to the community. NSSGA conducts a webinar to discuss how to plan a successful tour; how to conduct the tour; and how to structure a sample tour agenda. Hear from NSSGA members who have hosted tours for helpful tips on what to do – and what to avoid.
NSSGA presented the PM2.5 Rule & Permitting Impacts webinar on Wednesday, May 17. The webinar featured presentations by Cindy Langworthy, Counsel at Hunton Andrews Kurth, LLP; and Leah Blinn, Principal at CEC. Langworthy and Kurth discussed the recent EPA proposal to reduce the PM2.5 standard, which could make future permitting efforts by aggregate producers much more difficult and expensive in many parts of the U.S.
The November elections could significantly reshape the political, economic and regulatory landscape, particularly with our national environmental agenda. This webinar, featuring a panel of policy and regulatory experts from K&L Gates LLP, explored the key post-election environmental issues NSSGA members should be most concerned with.
Conveyors are one of the best productivity-enhancing tools available. Yet, conveyor-related injuries can cost employers millions of dollars annually and could be prevented with the right training, preparation and safety precautions. This AGG1 Online Webinar on conveyor safety covers key strategies to help keep workers safe around conveyors.
We know from our members that blasting is one of the most common issues of concern raised by communities around quarries, when it comes to permitting. In response, the NSSGA is pleased to offer this 3-part webinar series on “Blasting and Community Relations – Good Management Practices.” In Part 1, Douglas Rudenko, PG, of Vibra-Tech Engineers, will discuss the technical aspects of understanding and controlling the effects of ground vibration and air overpressure from blasting.