National Stone Sand And Gravel Association

REPRESENT THE INTERESTS OF THE CONSTRUCTION AGGREGATES INDUSTRY BEFORE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

MEETINGS:AGG1 ACADEMY & EXCHANGE- CONVERTED 52 SESSIONS, 81 SPEAKERS TO A DIGITAL PLATFORM IN LESS THAN THREE MONTHS- MARKETING EFFORTS NETTED OVER 800 REGISTRANTS, WITH NEARLY 85% ENGAGEMENT - CREATED CONTENT THAT CAN CONTINUE TO BE CONSUMED LONG AFTER THE EVENT BEGAN- HANDLED ALL OF THE PRODUCTION, RECORDING AND EDITING WORK IN-HOUSE WITHOUT USING 3RD PARTY VENDORSANNUAL CONVENTION- CREATED THE FIRST CEO ROUNDTABLE - WHICH WAS THE MOST HIGHLY WATCHED AND RATED PROGRAM - AFTER A YEAR OF VIRTUAL FATIGUE, SECURING OVER 400 REGISTRANTS- WITH SO MANY UNKNOWNS, GETTING WITHIN $4K OF BUDGET EXPECTATIONS YOUNG LEADERS- CREATIVE CONTENT DELIVERY IN SHORT TIME FRAMES TO ALLEVIATE SCREEN FATIGUE- PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COURSES THAT WERE TIMELY AND WELL-RECEIVED- EVENT PRODUCTION WAS DONE ALL IN HOUSE, WITH A MIX OF RECORDED AND LIVE CONTENT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE & LEADERSHIP SUMMIT- NSSGA'S FIRST BLENDED EVENT - BROUGHT TOGETHER IN-PERSON ATTENDEES WITH VIRTUAL USING TECHNOLOGY AND AGAIN, DOING IT WITHOUT TECHNICAL SUPPORT- CREATING A MEMORABLE IN-PERSON EVENT - THE FIRST IN NEARLY 18 MONTHSLEGISLATIVE & POLICY FORUM- DELIVERED THE MEETING THE FOLLOWING BOTH IN-PERSON & VIRTUALLY DUE TO DELTA VARIANT: - NEARLY 20 COMMITTEE MEETINGS - THREE GENERAL SESSIONS - AWARDS PRESENTATIONS- A HILL DAY LIKE NONE OTHER - AND PROUD THAT NSSGA IS ONE OF THE FEW TRADE ASSOCIATIONS THAT HAD AN IN-PERSON HILL DAY. SPONSORSHIP- CREATED NSSGA'S FIRST PARTNERSHIP PROSPECTUS - SERVICING PARTNERS WITH A PARTNER CONCIERGE - ONE STOP FOR ALL THINGS RELATED TO RECEIVING BENEFITS - BROUGHT IN $90K MORE IN SPONSORSHIP REVENUE THAN 2020MEMBERSHIP- BROUGHT IN ALMOST 70 NEW MEMBERS IN ALL TYPES OF MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES DURING AN UNPRECEDENTED YEAR - IN 2021, MEMBER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION WERE SUCCESSFUL; WITH 10 NEW PRODUCERS, 1 NEW ISD, 4 NEW PM AND 52 NEW M&S MEMBERS- BROUGHT IN OVER $200K MORE THAN BUDGET

GOVERNMENT AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS:IN 2021, THE ASSOCIATION SUCCESSFULLY ADVANCED A PRO-AGGREGATES INDUSTRY MESSAGE BEFORE THE ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESS BY LEADING INDUSTRY EFFORTS TO PASS THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAW, INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT. POLICY WINS FOR THE INDUSTRY INCLUDE: STRATEGIC EXEMPTIONS TO A BROAD EXPANSION OF BUY AMERICA FOR AGGREGATES, STONE SAND AND GRAVEL, CEMENT AND CEMENTITIOUS MATERIALS, ASPHALT BINDER AND RELATED INPUTS; INCORPORATION OF THE ROCKS ACT LEGISLATION WHICH THE ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN ADVOCATING FOR OVER TWO YEARS TO ESTABLISH A WORKING GROUP AT THE DOT TO STUDY AND ENACT POLICES THAT SEEK TO IMPROVE LOCAL ACCESS TO AGGREGATES RESOURCES; INCLUSION OF THE ONE FEDERAL DECISION, WHICH WOULD ENHANCE PERMIT STREAMLINING AND ELIMINATE DUPLICATIVE PERMITTING APPLICATIONS AND REVIEW, WITHOUT SACRIFICING ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND DILIGENT REVIEW; AND INCLUSION OF THE REGROW ACT WHICH PROVIDES TARGETED FUNDING TO MITIGATE ALMOST 56,000 ORPHANED WELLS ACROSS THE NATION THAT WILL IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT IN IMPACTED COMMUNITIES AND CREATE ALMOST 13,000 NEW JOBS. THE ASSOCIATION'S ADVOCACY WAS ALSO EFFECTIVE IN KEEPING HARMFUL PROVISIONS THAT WOULD HAVE ADDED COSTLY MANDATES OUT OF THE LEGISLATION. THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL LABOR PROVISIONS LIKE THE PRO ACT, NO RESTRICTIONS ON BUILDING NEW HIGHWAY CAPACITY, NO TRUCK INSURANCE RATE INCREASES, NO MANDATES TO USE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND DOLLARS ON CLIMATE PROJECTS AND NO TAX HIKES.THE ASSOCIATION MET WITH ALL FEDERAL STAKEHOLDERS ON THEIR EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT AN EMERGENCY TEMPORARY STANDARD (ETS) ACROSS THE BOARD AND COMMUNICATE ENHANCED MEASURES MEMBERS HAVE TAKEN TO KEEP EMPLOYEES SAFE DURING THE PANDEMIC WHICH DEMONSTRATED AN ETS WAS UNNECESSARY FOR THE AGGREGATES INDUSTRY. INSTEAD OF AN ETS, OSHA ISSUED UPDATED VOLUNTARY GUIDELINES FOR EMPLOYERS OUTSIDE OF THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY THAT FOCUS ON PROTECTING UNVACCINATED WORKERS AND ENCOURAGING THE VACCINE. THE ASSOCIATION ALSO WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND PLEASED TO SUPPORT THE VOLUNTARY GUIDANCE THAT MSHA RELEASED EARLIER IN THE YEAR ON COVID-19. THE ASSOCIATION PUSHED BACK AGAINST BURDENSOME AND REDUNDANT REGULATIONS BY ADVOCATING FOR SOUND SCIENCE AND TRANSPARENCY IN THE RULEMAKING PROCESS, AS WELL AS COMMITTING TO CONTINUED LITIGATION EFFORTS ON MATTERS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE. THE ASSOCIATION PROMOTED A MATERIALS-NEUTRAL AGENDA FOR INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT, WHILE ALSO WORKING CLOSELY WITH SMALL PRODUCERS WHO ARE THE BACKBONE OF THE AGGREGATES INDUSTRY. THE ASSOCIATION RELIES HEAVILY ON ITS PARTNERSHIPS WITH ITS SISTER ORGANIZATIONS, COALITIONS AND STATE ASSOCIATIONS. SPECIFICALLY, IN 2021, THE ASSOCIATION WORKED WITH APPROPRIATORS TO SECURE INCLUSION OF LANGUAGE THAT WILL PROMOTE AGGREGATES SUSTAINABILITY, MATERIAL NEUTRAL FUNDING DECISIONS AND CHANGES TO MSHA POLICIES. THE ASSOCIATION ALSO ENGAGED IN THE SENATE NOMINATION PROCESS OF ADMINISTRATION POSITIONS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE INDUSTRY AND THE BROAD INFRASTRUCTURE AGENDA AS WELL AS ENGAGING WHEN POLICIES ARISE THAT ARE PROBLEMATIC TO THE INDUSTRY AND HAVE BEEN PUSHING BACK AGAINST MINING WITHDRAWALS, REGULATIONS AND MATERIAL PREFERENCE MANDATES.THE ASSOCIATION WORKED TO SUCCESSFULLY PERUSE CHANGES TO THE PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM (PPP) TO MAKE IT SIMPLER TO USE AND ENSURE NO BURDENSOME TAX REQUIREMENTS AS WELL AS PUSHED CONGRESS AND THE ADMINISTRATION TO EXTEND THE PPP PROGRAM TO THE END OF MAY AND THE CREATION OF THE SECOND DRAW FOR PPP. THE ASSOCIATION TOOK QUICK ACTION TO DEFEND THE NET OPERATING LOSS RELIEF (NOL) INCLUDED IN CARES ACT. THE ASSOCIATION LED THE CHARGE PROTECTING THE NAVIGABLE WATERS PROTECTION RULE RULE AND ITS STATUS WITHIN THE EPA AND ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS - DESPITE THE ADMINISTRATION SIGNALING ITS DESIRE TO ULTIMATELY REMAND AND REPEAL THE RULE - THROUGH BOTH REGULATORY AND LEGISLATIVE EFFORTS. THE ASSOCIATION CONTINUES TO CULTIVATE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ITS MEMBERS AND THE FAA, DOD AND FHWA AS THE AGENCIES UPDATE THEIR SPECIFICATION GUIDES AND REVISIONS TO DRAFT ADVISORY CIRCULAR AC. THE ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN ACTIVE WITH THE SUSTAINABLE PAVEMENTS TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP AND AMERICAN CONCRETE INSTITUTE AND AS FHWA IMPLEMENTS INVERTED PAVEMENTS INTO THEIR NEW TESTING CYCLE. THE ASSOCIATION IS ALSO IN PARTNERSHIP WITH NSF INTERNATIONAL, A PCR COMMITTEE MADE UP OF INDUSTRY, OUTSIDE STAKEHOLDERS AND GOVERNMENT TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF UPDATING THE AGGREGATES PRODUCT CATEGORY RULE AS WELL AS WORKING THROUGH AN AGGREGATES INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT DECLARATION PROGRAM.THE ASSOCIATION ALWAYS MAINTAINED MATERIAL-NEUTRAL STANCE DURING 2021 AND ENGAGED IN MULTIPLE EFFORTS TO ENSURE ANY ADVANCING LEGISLATION DID NOT OFFER PREFERENCE TO ONE CONSTRUCTION MATERIAL OVER ANOTHER AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. THE ASSOCIATION FURTHER PROMOTED ITS AGGRESSIVE PRO-AGGREGATES AGENDA BY STAGING THE FIFTH AGGREGATES-ONLY LEGISLATIVE & POLICY FORUM IN WASHINGTON, D.C., WITH OVER 200 CAPITOL HILL MEETINGS. BESIDES FOCUSING ON IMPLEMENTING THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT, THE FORUM FOCUSED ON REMOVING HARMFUL RED TAPE IMPEDING MATERIAL PRODUCERS AND SUPPORTING LEGISLATION THAT PROMOTES THE FUTURE GENERATION OF MINING PROFESSIONALS. THE ASSOCIATION EXTENSIVELY ENGAGED WITH STATES ON OPPORTUNITIES FOR REGULATORY REFORM, LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY AND WAYS TO GREATER ENHANCE THE STATE AND FEDERAL ASSOCIATION PARTNERSHIP.

COMMUNICATIONS:NSSGA COMMUNICATIONS WORKS SEAMLESSLY WITH OUR MEETINGS AND GOVERNMENT & REGULATORY AFFAIRS DEPARTMENTS TO REPRESENT OUR ISSUES AND ORGANIZATION PUBLICLY AND TO OUR MEMBERS. WE DEVELOP RELATIONSHIPS WITH PUBLICATIONS COVERING OUR ISSUES TO ENSURE OUR POSITIONS ARE REPRESENTED, AND WE CONTINUALLY DELIVER VALUE TO OUR MEMBERS BY INFORMING THEM OF THE LATEST ACTIVITY AND ARMING THEM WITH THE MESSAGES THEY NEED TO ENGAGE. INFRASTRUCTURE:THROUGHOUT THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS, NSSGA COMMUNICATIONS KEPT OUR MEMBERS CONTINUALLY INFORMED OF THE STATE OF PLAY. DURING THE STRETCH RUN, WE ISSUED NUMEROUS WASHINGTON ALERTS TO KEEP OUR MEMBERS INFORMED AND UPDATED ON THE LATEST MOVEMENTS. WE CONTINUED TO KEEP OPEN COMMUNICATION WITH REPORTERS COVERING THE ISSUES TO ENSURE NSSGA'S POSITION WAS REFLECTED IN THE D.C. NEWS COVERAGE. FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, WE SUPPORTED THE CHAMPIONS WHO SUPPORTED OUR INDUSTRY POSITION THROUGH A DIGITAL CAMPAIGN TARGETED WITHIN THEIR DISTRICTS. MEMBERSHIP COMMUNICATIONS:IN 2021, NSSGA'S COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT COMPLETED THE REVAMPING OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS PRODUCTS TO PROVIDE TARGETED PRODUCTS TO OUR MEMBERS AND INDUSTRY ALLIES THAT ARE IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZABLE. WE SENT OUT 370 COMMUNICATIONS PIECES TO NSSGA MEMBERS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, AVERAGING MORE THAN ONE PER CALENDAR DAY. THESE COMMUNICATIONS WERE BRANDED AND SEGMENTED BY TYPE, EVENT AND SUBJECT MATTER INTO 38 DIFFERENT VARIATIONS. THE IMPACT HAS BEEN THAT OUR MEMBERS KNOW WHAT THEY ARE RECEIVING AND ARE ABLE TO ENGAGE WITH THE INFORMATION THAT IS MOST IMPORTANT TO THEM. THE LED TO OUR AVERAGE OPEN RATE INCREASING FROM 25.62% IN 2020 TO 26.69% IN 2021 ACROSS ALL COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE YEAR: DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS:- FOLLOWING THE PASSAGE OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, WE SUPPORTED THE CHAMPIONS WHO SUPPORTED OUR INDUSTRY POSITION THROUGH A DIGITAL CAMPAIGN TARGETED WITHIN THEIR DISTRICTS. - NSSGA LAUNCHED OUR NEW WEBSITE ON JUNE 2, 2021. THIS CULMINATED AN 18-MONTH PROCESS OF TAKING PROPOSALS, SELECTING A VENDOR AND DEVELOPING REQUIREMENTS AND CONTENT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE ASSOCIATION. THE SITE QUICKLY SHOWED A DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT ON PERFORMANCE. AVERAGE PAGE VIEWS DOUBLED; 30% MORE USERS VISITED THE SITE; AND THOSE VISITORS SPENT MORE THAN 2,000% MORE TIME ON THE SITE WHEN VISITING.- IN JUNE 2021, NSSGA LAUNCHED THE SAFETY SHORTS PODCAST - A MONTHLY OFFERING TARGETED FOR MORNING SAFETY MEETINGS AND REMINDERS TO KEEP THOSE IN OUR INDUSTRY SAFE IN THE WORKPLACE.TARGETED WEBINARS:IN CONTINUATION WITH THE BRANDING EFFORTS, WE SOLIDIFIED A ROBUST WEBINAR SERIES, UNDER THE BANNER OF "DELIVERING VALUE." THIS PROVIDES A DIGITAL FORUM TO UPDATE AND INFORM OUR MEMBERS ON A HOST OF PRIORITY ISSUES. THE COMMUNICATIONS TEAM SENDS REGULAR EMAIL REMINDERS TO ENGAGE IN UPDATES ON REGULATORY AND LEGISLATIVE POLICY WHICH ARE COMBINED WITH GUEST SPEAKERS THROUGH OUR "POLICY BRIEFINGS." ADDITIONAL TARGETED PROGRAMMING IS OFFERED IN THE AREAS OF ENVIRONMENTAL, LEGAL, ENGINEERING & TECHNICAL AND HEALTH & SAFETY TO PROVIDE DETAILED UPDATES AND INFORMATION IN EACH CATEGORY. AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE:THE ASSOCIATION ALSO CONTINUED TO RECOGNIZE EXCELLENCE AMONG OPERATIONS WITH ITS OWN AWARDS PROGRAM. THESE AWARDS HIGHLIGHT FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE U.S. FOR THEIR COMMITMENT AND PERFORMANCE IN COMMUNITY RELATIONS, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP. IN ADDITION TO THE AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE, NSSGA ALSO AWARDED COMPANY SAFETY AWARDS AND SEVERAL OTHER TYPES OF INDIVIDUAL AWARDS DURING THE VIRTUAL LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY FORUM HELD IN SEPTEMBER.STONE, SAND & GRAVEL REVIEW MAGAZINE:THE STONE, SAND & GRAVEL REVIEW MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY AND SENT TO A CIRCULATION OF MORE THAN 4,000, WITH EVEN MORE VIEWING AND DOWNLOADING THE DIGITAL EDITION. THE ASSOCIATION'S FLAGSHIP PUBLICATION PROVIDES MEMBERS AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE ADVOCACY AND EVENTS HAPPENING THROUGH NSSGA. THE REVIEW MAGAZINE IS ANNUALLY RECOGNIZED BY OUR MEMBERS AS AMONG THE MOST TRUSTED COMMUNICATIONS THEY RECEIVE.