Angels Camp, CA…This press release is a continued effort to notify, update and provide clarity to and for the citizens of Calaveras County with regard to the ongoing efforts by our combined entities to construct and operate a Hot Mixed Asphalt Plant in Calaveras County. CB Asphalt, Chester Bross Construction, Ford Construction, Foothill Materials, Sutton Enterprises and Carson Hill Rock Products, for well over a year now, have joined efforts in what may best be described as a collective informal partnership (collectively “Partners” or “Partnership”). As a part of this collaboration, CB Asphalt, Inc., working with our aforementioned partners, submitted to Calaveras County an Authority To Construct (ATC) application to construct and operate a Hot Mixed Asphalt plant at the Foothill Materials location, Hogan Quarry near Valley Springs, CA. This initial ATC application was submitted to Calaveras County over one (1) year ago.

Given ongoing issues associated with the ATC at the Hogan facility, and based in no small part on current Caltrans contracts and associated timelines, our group decided to also submit an ATC for the Carson Hill Rock Products location. This decision was made after considerable dialogue and combined research efforts between our group and the staff at Calaveras County. As such, an ATC application was submitted for the Construction and Operation of a Hot Mixed Asphalt Plant at the Carson Hill location. This ATC was submitted utilizing the same portable Hot Plant intended for the Hogan Dam location. The ATC has been approved by Calaveras County through all of the applicable County departments. Site specific storm water plans and other compliance plans are forthcoming in keeping with conditions placed on the ATC approval. Additionally, there will be an air quality verification test (stack test) performed on the Hot Plant shortly after consistent production operations ensue. This is yet an additional effort on the part of our group, and the County to reaffirm, and validate the previous acceptable stack test reports on this plant. The stack test results, we are confident, will demonstrate that this specific Hot Plant operates well within the required operating parameters governing the same.

With regard to the timing of operations etc., the first piece of the Hot Plant was moved Monday on July 10, 2016 from the Hogan facility to the Carson Hill facility. Site work construction for the Hot Plant pad area will be completed on or about Saturday July 16, 2016. The Hot Plant erection operations will commence on Monday July 18, 2016. We expect the Hot Plant to be fully operational on or about July 26, 2016. Our group will request numerous site visits of Calaveras County representatives during construction and throughout operations. These invitations will be a continued effort to partner with our County officials. These efforts will not only guarantee conformance to all governing operational requirements, but will provide increased understanding and transparency with respect to facility operational procedures. What’s more, we will begin extensive Caltrans inspection and testing functions once the Hot Plant is fully operational. Caltrans is the first of numerous additional governing entities providing oversite to ensure all operational, safety and calibration requirements are in-place and in keeping with the California Department of Transportation mandates. Following expected Caltrans approval and certification, the Hot Plant will begin typical operations providing Hot Mixed Asphalt to Chester Bross Construction’s ongoing highway paving operations and to additional state and local governmental and private customers.

It may be noted that there has been minimal forward procession of late with regards to the ATC application at the Hogan facility. Through much deliberation and consideration, and based in no small part on strict time constraints associated with current contractual HMA supply obligations, our group, elected to move forward with the Carson Hill ATC initially as a parallel to the present Hogan ATC. The Hogan ATC efforts were effectively placed in temporary suspension while alternative options were explored by our group. Considerable communication and partnering efforts were commonplace between our group and County staff prior to, during and after submittal and subsequent approval of the Carson Hill ATC.

Given time-lines associated with the Hogan ATC coupled with the fact that the Hot Plant utilized in the Hogan ATC submittal is moving to the Carson facility, the existing Hogan ATC application is effectively non-applicable at this time. Hence, the present Hogan ATC application is incomplete and denied by the County due to missing elements. This fact however, should not be viewed as a definitive or indefinite denial of any Hot Plant at the Hogan facility. C.B. Asphalt and it’s partners have agreed to focus on fulfilling existing commitments which carry with them stringent construction delivery time constraints from the Carson facility, as opposed to concurrently focusing efforts at Hogan. The present commitments should be delivered complete, in mid-November of this year.

Once the previously mentioned commitments are delivered, our partnership intends to analyze and explore options that may utilize combined efforts and or resources within our considerable collective means. These options include confirming the likelihood of a second Hot Plant facility at the Hogan location, as well as numerous other possibilities that are being analyzed by our market research team. Considerable time and effort has been brought to bear over the past year in support of our goal to construct and operate a Hot Plant at the Hogan facility. It should be noted that these efforts have not been in vain. We do recognize that additional environmental review and an additional Plant Specific ATC would be required at the Hogan facility at this time. Indisputably, the groundwork laid thus far by our efforts and the extensive time on the part of the County, has paved the way for swift processing and subsequent approval of an ATC for a Hot Plant at the Hogan facility.

We are very excited and pleased that the Hot Plant will soon be operational at the Carson Hill location. Our collective group has already hired additional employees who reside here in Calaveras County, and we are making provisions to increase the hours of existing employees in support of our efforts. What’s more, we have also hired numerous owner/operator truck drivers for numerous weeks now who also live here in Calaveras County. We are extremely pleased to know that considerable tax revenue will be provided to the County as a benefit of the forthcoming operations. These facts are a matter of record, and are contrary to the negative misguided rhetoric and incorrect facts so fluidly disseminated by the small group of consistent Calaveras nay-sayers. Our efforts and operations assuredly will benefit Calaveras County in numerous ways as we have stated all along. There will be no negative impacts to the environment in any way whatsoever. For those who may yet be skeptical, simply wait a short time longer, and we invite you to witness the plant in full operation and it will be clear that there are no negative impacts to the environment of any kind.

Additionally, we would like thank all of those who have shown support of every kind. Your efforts to advance the County with healthy growth have not gone unnoticed and are greatly appreciated not only by our group, but countless other fellow Calaveras County Citizens.

Thank you, and best wishes for the future.