Happy New Year to All: I hope each of you had the opportunity to enjoy some time off with family and friends during the Christmas and New Year holidays. In addition to eating too much, watching too much football and staying up too late, the holidays are a time to reflect on the good and not so good experiences, challenges and events experienced during the past year. It is also the time when we open the door on a new year and the future, with all that it brings.

Our colleagues at the Plantmix Asphalt Industry of Kentucky (PAIKY) have produced an excellent five-part video series describing the basics of asphalt. This series provides brief explanations of various aspects of asphalt production and placement. The first in the series covered the basic ingredients of asphalt.

This 2nd video takes a look at how asphalt plants take the different aggregates and mix them together to create a hot mix asphalt recipe.

Virginia Asphalt Association kicked off 2017 hosting an Environmental and Safety Seminar, on January 5, at the Troutman Sanders Building in Richmond. This event was for anyone responsible for environmental compliance under DEQ regulations with storm water and air permits. The seminar also included both plant and field operation safety compliance concerning storm water control and silica dust generation, such as a milling or crushing operations. The presenters represented national, state and local views on these issues.

The 2017 VECAT schools kick off THIS MONTH with Field schools running the week of January 16 and Plant schools following the week of January 23. If you are interested in seeing the instructors who are part of our 2017 Plant and Field schools, these individuals were featured in the November and December newsletters. Below is a brief introduction of the faculty that will be joining us in February for our Mix Design, Slurry Seal and Surface Treatment classes.

*Class Enrollment Reminder*: 2017 VECAT schools are open for sign up on the Germanna Community College website. These certification classes include Plant Levels I and II, Field Levels I and II, Slurry Surfacing, Surface Treatment and Mix Design. Class size is limited to 25 individuals per location, so make sure to sign your employees up early to ensure a seat. Please remember that if a course has filled all seats in your desired month or location, there are classes being held each month through March and at multiple locations. If you can’t get into the class you want, but are willing to travel, let us know and we will tell you what space is available at any of the satellite locations.

1. 2017 General Assembly Session. The 2017 Virginia General Assembly session will convene on Wednesday, January 11. As this is an odd numbered year, it will be a shorter, 45-day session. The last day for bills to be introduced is January 20. Crossover is February 8 and the General Assembly will adjourn on February 25. We will provide a more complete summary of the session and enacted environmental legislation in our March update. However, there is one bill that may be of interest to VAA members with NPDES permits in the Chesapeake Bay watershed:

VDOT and VAA representatives met on December 15 at Germanna Community College’s Daniel Center in Culpeper to discuss various asphalt related issues. At the meeting, VAA had representative from across the state; VDOT had members from different central office divisions, districts and the transportation research council. The discussion at the co-op focused on a few main areas – 2017 schedule specifications, on-going research, and new initiatives.