NAMPA, Idaho — Sunroc have proposed a concrete batch plant be built just south of the Nampa Airport. Community members are concerned about health and traffic.
- For months Nampa residents have been at odds with the Sunroc company's plans to build another concrete batch plant in Nampa just south of the airport.
- The potential site would create a new source and destination for Sunroc vehicles, but those mixers would be traveling fewer miles.
- Materials at concrete batch plant sites are kept clean and recycled.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
"We have a powder truck that is delivering cement," explains Sunroc area manager Andrew Phelps.
Imported cement is loaded into an enclosed silo for step number one at this concrete batch plant off highway 20/26 in Caldwell.
For months Nampa residents have been at odds with the Sunroc company's plans to build another concrete batch plant in Nampa just south of the airport.
They're concerned about everything from traffic and air quality to road conditions and aircraft maintenance at the airport.
"Roads: that's always been my biggest concern, the traffic," said one Nampa resident.
The potential site would create a new source and destination for Sunroc vehicles, but those mixers would be traveling fewer miles.
"There are dozens and dozens of projects that we're having trucks to go in the Nampa area and the reason why we're looking at the Nampa area is for that reason alone. We have trucks coming form this site traveling 20-30 minutes to the Nampa area. The opportunity having a facility closer to where the work is speeds up the process," added Government and Community Relations Director Nate McDonald.
"This is basically what the site in Nampa would look like, already cleaned sand and already cleaned gravel. There's a sprinkler on there right now, how often do you keep water on it and why do you keep it watered?"
"We keep it watered so that the moisture in the rock doesn't take away from the moisture that's required in the concrete."
Sand and gravel take a conveyor belt excursion to be weighed and combined with the cement powder and water in a mixer -- officially becoming concrete.
"The dirtiest step is the transfer of pre-mixed ready-mix concrete from that barrel into the truck," said Sunroc Area Manager Andy Phelps.
Returning rigs receive a wash and the extra sand and gravel are divided and re-washed.
Leftover cement powder is recycled and used as backfill at cement plants.
The potential Nampa site, sitting on just under 8 acres, would use a new technology to separate the materials while reducing water waste in a smaller space.
"The Nampa site, knowing its size, a filter press is going to instantaneously separate and squeeze the water out from the solids and the water can immediately be re-used to wash out mixers and clean the site," concluded Phelps.
