The Ohio Aggregates & Industrial Minerals Association’s 17th Annual Legislative Reception was held on Jan. 27 in the Atrium of the Ohio Statehouse.

The event followed a legislative briefing and offered Ohio Aggregates & Industrial Minerals Association (OAIMA) members an opportunity to meet with Ohio’s elected lawmakers in an informal setting to share their thoughts regarding a variety of issues impacting Ohio’s aggregate industry.

Many of the conversations during the reception involved mine safety reforms, with an emphasis on improving worker safety through the reduction of duplicative efforts to more effectively utilize limited resources. Other subjects included support for funding of the Federal Highway Trust Fund. Zoning laws and the protection of access to Ohio’s aggregate resources also were discussed.

Reception sponsors were: Barrett Paving Materials, Inc.; East Fairfield Coal Co., Limestone Division; Eastman & Smith Ltd. Gerken Materials Inc.; Hanson Aggregates; MGQ, Inc.; Martin Marietta; Mar-Zane Materials; The Melvin Stone Co.; National Lime & Stone Co.; The Olen Corporation; The Shelly Co.; Terracon Consultants Inc.; and Watson Gravel Inc.

The Ohio Aggregates & Industrial Minerals Association is Ohio’s trade association representing the interests of mining operations and other aggregate processing operations with the exception of coal. Members are involved with commodities such as construction materials, both natural and manmade, sand, gravel, slag, and crushed limestone, dolomite, and sandstone, salt, clay, shale, gypsum, industrial sand, building stone, lime, cement, and recycled concrete.