July 27, 2018

Dear Neighbor,

Vulcan is pleased to provide you with an update on our progress as we work to improve our operations at Val Vista Sand & Gravel. Since our May 29 update, we have received recommendations from a team of outside experts, started design and engineering upgrades, hosted a three-day open house and launched VulcanValVista.com to provide you with more information.

First, we want to thank everyone who visited with us at the open house last month. We all learned a lot and appreciate the feedback and suggestions. For those who could not make it, please click here for the information and materials we shared.

As you may recall, we hired an outside technical team of engineers and experts in May to help evaluate the operation and to identify potential odor sources.

We also temporarily scaled back hot mix asphalt (HMA) production and suspended the production of HMA recycled-rubber blends while the review and engineering work was underway. The full list of changes implemented is available here.

We are now pleased to report the technical team has completed their review and has made recommendations, including best practices for operations and maintenance, plant upgrades and new environmental controls. The team is optimistic that we can reach an outcome that is mutually beneficial – improving your overall experience and addressing odor while we supply the local demand that continues to grow.

The team is now designing new systems and procedures to control and capture potential odor-causing factors, including:

  • Drum and burner enhancements: We will adjust the configuration of the burner, which heats the material, and “flights” that lift and transport the material through the dryer drum as it rotates. This will more effectively and efficiently heat the aggregates and help reduce odors in the first place.
  • New air capture systems: We will install new state-of-the-art air filtration and collection systems throughout the HMA plant, including the finished product conveyer, storage silos and customer loading area. The controls will capture and filter the air.
  • Enhanced tank controls: We will install additional controls to further capture vapors coming from the liquid asphalt tanks.

Once the design and engineering work is complete, we will order and install the systems, which will take place throughout the remainder of the year.

It’s important to note that our facility remains in compliance with all laws and regulations and is considered by local, state and federal regulatory agencies to be protective of public health and safety. In fact, emissions from the HMA plant range from 30 to 70 percent below the permitted limits set by the Maricopa County Air Quality Department.

As you know, the area has dramatically changed since the facility opened in 2001, nearly a decade before the first nearby homes were built. Nonetheless, we will continue to work to address concerns expressed by some of our neighbors. Our work will take time and will require significant investment, in addition to increased costs of operation. But that’s our commitment.

We thank you for your patience and understanding.

If you have a question, or if you have general or real-time feedback to share, please contact us at (623) 289-1966 or at [email protected]. Please also visit us at VulcanValVista.com.

 

Sincerely,

Val Vista Team