How the infrastructure bill finally reached the finish line

When might the industry expect the monies from the infrastructure bill to trickle out and have an impact?

Johnson: Well, it’s a five-year bill [and] $1.2 trillion total. That’s $550 billion in new money. That new money is above the baseline [and] above what Congress has previously appropriated in each of those areas, whether it be roads and bridges, waterways, airports, rail.

Specifically for roads, that’s $110 billion in the bill over the FAST Act-spending levels that’s new money going into the stream. That will allow states to begin to do the big projects, not just maintain aging infrastructure, but begin to replace aging infrastructure to meet current needs and, hopefully, build with an eye to future needs.

We have to think about how we create a more efficient economic circulatory system and how we improve the health of it if we are going to face the evolving economic challenges in a world economy. That’s where we are right now.

This is money that will help us do that. It is a multimodal bill with the largest percentage going to roads and bridges, but it recognizes that we have to be thinking about all of our infrastructure holistically – and in a way that works to make sure we can continue to grow our economy and give a better quality of life to the American people.

Do you sense that passage of this bill will give aggregate producers the confidence to go forward and make investments?

Johnson: For our industry, it’s certainly a shot in the arm. The fact that it’s long-term spending will give the states the ability to think long term. To know what money is coming from the federal government will give them the ability to plan and the ability to engage in big projects.

For our industry, that means we’re going to need to be ready to meet increased demand. New reserves are going to have to be tapped. New deposits may have to be found. Obviously, we’re going to need more people in our workforce. And, all of our companies are going to need to look to [NSSGA] M&S (Manufacturers & Services) Division members for the equipment that will enable them meet this increased demand efficiently and safely.

The infrastructure bill is obviously something to celebrate. It’s a huge victory for the industry. But with a bill finally passed, what is next for NSSGA in terms of advocacy?

Johnson: Advocacy is job No. 1 at NSSGA. I’ve said that for years, to the point that I now hear our members understanding it and repeating it. Advocacy doesn’t stop. It was never a one-focus agenda to begin with. Yes, advocacy for us was about infrastructure investment, but it was also about reasonable regulation based on sound science so our members can continue to meet the demand for their products that build that next generation of infrastructure safely and efficiently. A regulatory climate that hampers that is equally as unacceptable as it would have been to not make this historic investment in infrastructure.

So we’ll take some time to celebrate, for sure. We’ll celebrate this victory for our industry. But, more importantly, we’re going to celebrate this victory for our country.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: When the aggregate industry is at its best, America is at its best. America, throughout our history, has done best when we’re building. And anything significant that’s going to be built as a result of this infrastructure bill will be built without the products our members produce.

So, yes, this is a big win for the aggregates and construction materials industry. But it’s a bigger win for our country, for future generations and for staying the No. 1 economy in the world. Along the way, we must continue to watch the regulatory space and make sure policymakers understand that regulations that aren’t reasonable – that aren’t based on sound science, that are poorly worded and recklessly implemented – can make it impossible to fully realize the benefits of this historic infrastructure investment.

Looking back on the year, how do you feel the aggregate industry performed?

Johnson: Everybody likes to talk about historic events and years like no other. Well, clearly with the pandemic and the changes that it forced upon all of us, we truly have been through a period like no other since the Spanish flu pandemic in the early 1900s. All in all, I think our industry generally weathered it really well.

I’m very proud of the fact that NSSGA was able to work with the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency within Homeland Security to make sure our members were declared essential businesses so they could continue to operate. The products we produce don’t just build infrastructure but are also essential to clean drinking water. They contribute to many of the things we need to make sure we can deliver relief from a pandemic.

For these companies to continue to operate was essential. These companies are incredibly resilient – and they showed that.

Volume, from what I’m hearing, was up, generally, across the board – even in what was one of the most difficult economies for our country. I think we showed how essential aggregates and the materials they produce are to the continued health and well-being of America. It shows you how great our member companies are in dealing with adversity and continuing to produce the materials that are so important to the American economy and the quality of life for every American.

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