Government Affairs Division
Mission Statement: Provides member leadership in the development and implementation of NSSGA's government relations program; identifies, monitors and evaluates key federal and state legislative issues impacting members in the areas of transportation, infrastructure, tax, labor, safety, health and the environment; helps formulate and implement Association policy as determined by the Board of Directors: develops lobbying strategies to win acceptance of the NSSGA positions; provides specific industry involvement and assistance with statements and testimony presented before congressional committees and federal regulatory bodies; provides support in conjunction with industry's political action committee (ROCKPAC) for candidates who advocate positions consistent with NSSGA's established policy.
Committees: Steering Committee Scope • Grassroots Network Scope
Communications & Community Relations Division
Mission Statement: The mission of the division is the continuing development and implementation of a comprehensive communications and community relations program to assist members in establishing a favorable public image of the industry and their individual operations. The division creates and disseminates communications and communications delivery systems for industry information and messages. In addition, the division follows and implements recommendations on federal legislation or regulations that affect community relations, develops and administers appropriate recognition programs and cooperates with other trade associations or groups in community relations activities. The division also manages NSSGA's education functions that are geared to informing the public about the importance of aggregates to society and their beneficial uses.
Committees: Steering Committee Scope
Environment, Safety & Health Division
Mission Statement: The mission of the Environment, Safety & Health (ESH) Division is the development and implementation of comprehensive environmental, safety and health, regulatory review and recognition programs. These programs provide the support, facilitation and services necessary for NSSGA member firms and their employees to be efficient, safe, healthy and environmentally responsible. The ESH Division provides the governance of the activities of the Environment and Safety and Health Committees and Council of Counsel.
Committees: Council of Counsel Scope • Environmental Committee Scope • Safety & Health Committee Scope
Market Development Division
Mission Statement: This division focuses on ways to increase the use of construction aggregates in highways, buildings, agriculture and other uses. This accomplished through courses, seminars, workshops, research, tours, committee meetings, and liaison with user groups responsible for design, evaluation, testing and specification. Much of the effort focuses on the needs of the customer and ways to better serve them using the industries products and services.
Committees: Aglime & Special Uses Committee Scope • Market Analysis, Promotion & Training Committee Scope • Research, Technical & Product Development Committee Scope • Transportation Committee Scope
Operations Division
Mission Statement: The Operations Division provides activities, training opportunities and interactive forums that focus on the technical, managerial and personnel issues faced by member companies in the day-to-day production of aggregate products. The standing committees all meet at least twice per year usually in conjunction with major Operations Division Meetings. The committees cover a wide range of topics and industry interests. With the exception of APEG, membership in these committees is open to personnel form all NSSGA member companies. (APEG membership is limited to producer members only.)
Committees: Aggregate Producers Engineering Group Scope • Automation Committee Scope • Equipment Management Committee Scope • Human Resources Committee Scope • Mining & Reclamation Committee Scope • Processing Committee Scope
Committee Scopes
Committees of the Board of Directors
Membership Development Committee
Plan and execute membership promotion and retention campaigns; develop Association procedures and
policies relating to membership promotion; provide oversight and guidance on association partnership programs.
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Small Producers Council
Ensure policies, positions and services of association include vital input of smaller firms; recommend special actions if
needed to ensure smaller aggregate producers are adequately represented. Created as part of the merger agreement.
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Young Leaders Council
Provide a forum for young leaders, 40 years of age or younger, in the aggregates industry to meet others, exchange ideas,
discuss subjects of mutual interest, and seek ways to promote the benefits of long-term growth of the industry through education, research, and legislative activities.
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Government Affairs Division
Steering Committee
Provide member leadership in the development and implementation of NSSGA's government relations program; identify, monitor and
evaluate key federal and state legislative issues impacting members in the areas of transportation, infrastructure, tax, labor, safety, health and the environment;
help formulate and implement Association policy as determined by the Board of Directors: develop lobbying strategies to win acceptance of the NSSGA positions;
provide specific industry involvement and assistance with statements and testimony presented before congressional committees and federal regulatory bodies;
provide support in conjunction with industry’s political action committee (ROCKPAC) for candidates who advocate positions consistent with NSSGA’s established
policy.
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Grassroots Network
Develop and implement a comprehensive grassroots program for NSSGA for action on key industry issues; match interested NSSGA
member companies and their facilities with members of the House and Senate with special emphasis on congressmen and senators who have key committee
assignments; work with members and state associations to develop ongoing constituent relationships with their elected congressional representatives.
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Communications & Community Relations Division
Steering Committee
• Stone, Sand & Gravel Review • NSSGA e-DIGEST • About Face & Community Relations Awards Programs • Rocks Build America Foundation (Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History Rocks Gallery) • Landscape Architecture Student Competition
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Environment, Safety & Health Division
Council of Counsel
Provide legal analysis and suggest legal positions/actions regarding implications of policies and procedures developed by the
Environment Safety and Health Committee, Government Affairs Committee, or member-specific litigation requests for association.
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Environmental Committee
Provide leadership in implementing the Association's Environmental Guiding Principles; track environmental regulatory
affairs; review, analyze and comment on new and proposed environmental regulations and legislation; communicate changes in environmental laws, rules and policies to the membership; provide training to help member companies meet their environmental responsibilities; serve as a resource for member companies;
communicate and work with other committees in the division, the Association, and state aggregate association partners.
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Safety and Health Committee
Promote excellence in safety and health by developing and implementing programs to meet the unique needs of the
aggregates industry consistent with association’s Safety and Health Guiding Principles; analyze and comment on new and proposed regulations and legislation
pertaining to occupational health and mine safety; disseminate information on regulatory compliance and administration of health and safety programs, including
training; provide operational input on safety and health issues to the division staff; communicate and work with other committees in the Division, the Association
and state aggregates association partners.
Awards Subcommittee
Develop criteria for NSSGA Safety and Health Awards; periodically review awards program and recommend changes as appropriate; establish liaisons with other organizations, including MSHA< for cosponsoring awards.
Industrial Hygiene Subcommittee
Trach OSHA-MSHA regulations and exposures limits; update study; participate in CMA Crystalline Silica Panel and Silica Coalition; prepare silica risk communications materials; and develop industry-specific programs for compliance; develop industry MSDSs, assist Pulverized Minerals Division in development of HCS materials; develop program for MSHA-OSHA noise standards.
Regulatory Affairs Liaison Subcommittee
Work with NSSGA Government Affairs to develop proactive position on safety & health legislation and assist lobbying efforts; continue to work cooperatively with MSHA and other federal regulatory agencies; monitor Part 46 implementation/enforcement; work with MSHA to clarify training and compliance requirements concerning independent contractors; recommend NSSGA position on Part 48 training and MSHA reform legislation, etc. This subcommittee meets with MSHA; therefore, to keep meeting size to a minimum, membership in the subcommittee must be limited.
Training Subcommittee
Analyze needs for safety and health training materials, both written and video, and develop training programs for aggregate operations, including materials for Part 46. Review other NSSGA video materials to ensure MSHA-OSHA compliance.
NSSGA/MSHA Alliance Task Force
In cooperation with MSHA, develop and assist in implementing initiatives to reduce accidents in the aggregates industry.
Diesel Task Force
Prepare comments to MSHA's proposed rule on diesel particulate matter exporures of underground metal and nonmetal miners.
Guarding Task Force
Comment on MSHA's existing Guarding Guidebook, construction primer, DVD, and video training media, provide examples to the agency of good guarding arrangements, and perform other related activities as necessary and appropriate.
Haul Truck CD-ROM Task Force
Review task training Requests for Proposal and recommend appropriate contractor to develop task training material.
Occupational Health Program Task Force
Develop a written Occupational Health Program for NSSGA members with the first emphasis being on crystalline silica.
Safety Rewards Task Force
To develop a proposal for consideration by MSHA that would reward individual mining sites for outstanding safety records.
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Market Development Division
Aglime and Special Uses Committee
Develop and implement programs to train and inform members on market developments in agricultural,
SO2 capture, sludge beneficiation, small scale sewage processing and other non-construction uses of stone; develop and provide technically sound reference
materials, promotional materials, and conferences as needed.
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Market Analysis, Promotion & Training Committee
Develop and implement programs to train and inform members on market
developments in the construction industry through task groups on marketing, promotion, training, publications, Capstone and Pantheon Awards, and others as
required; produce reference materials, design software, promotional materials, conferences and sales and marketing training courses.
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Research, Technical and Product Development Committee
Advise and assist NSSGA engineering staff in the development and
dissemination of information that will improve the production and use of aggregates; respond to technical questions from the membership; review the activities of,
and develop programs for, the Engineering Division, particularly in the areas of testing and research of
aggregates, applications and specifications for all uses, aggregate plant management, production, and equipment, and the technology of dredging and waterway
transportation; review major marketing publications, visual aids, etc. for technical accuracy and potential value to the industry; identify needed research that should
be supported or sponsored by the aggregates industry to further the industry's marketing position; establish and maintain active liaison between NSSGA and various
user groups responsible for design, evaluation, testing and specifications.
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Transportation Committee
Develop and implement programs to train and inform members on transportation and distribution issues using the
resources of three sub groups – Regulation, Distribution Systems and Customer Service; present seminars, produce magazine articles and promotional pieces;
partner with the production and sales functions in NSSGA member companies to better serve their customers.
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Operations Division
Aggregate Producers Engineering Group
Improve aggregate producers’ engineering processes and advance the position and value of the
engineering and technical departments within their companies through the exchange of ideas and information.
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Automation Committee
Accumulate and disseminate information on the changing state of automation and energy technologies throughout the
aggregates industry; plan and execute the biennial Automation Conference.
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Equipment Management Committee
Accumulate and disseminate current information on equipment maintenance and management techniques
including record keeping, preventive maintenance, inventory and consumables control, and equipment selection for mobile equipment.
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Human Resources Committee
Develop and coordinate a continuing program for NSSGA members in the areas of productivity improvement,
employee and industrial relations, education and training, performance assessment, and compensation and benefits. Oversee Supervisory Training courses, industrywide
careers videos, NSSGA student chapters, and scholarship program.
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Mining and Reclamation Committee
Accumulate and disseminate state -of-the-art information concerning all phases of aggregate operations
planning, development, operation and reclamation including dredging, stripping, drilling, blasting, loading and hauling to the primary crusher for surface and
underground mining.
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Processing Committee
Accumulate, analyze and disseminate information concerning state-of-the-art operation and design of aggregates processing
facilities including surge piles, crushing, screening, washing, stockpiling, product reclaim, dust and noise control.
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