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76 • ROCK products • August 2018 www.rockproducts.com T he aggregates industry is still waiting for a comprehensive infrastructure bill. According to Randy Lake, president of CRH Americas Materials and chairman of the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association, making an infrastructure pack- age a reality is absolutely critical, and the sooner Congress acts the faster we can get to work as an industry. "After much anticipation in 2017, earlier this year the President called for both parties to come together and for Congress to produce a bill that generates at least $1.5 trillion in infrastructure investment," Lake told Rock Products Editor Mark Kuhar. "To be effective it would need to include long-term, robust revenue for the fed- eral Highway Trust Fund and streamline the permitting and approval process to no more than two years. This would have a significant, positive impact on the permitting process for expanding and establishing aggregate operations. Engaging in the infrastructure debate will require NSSGA's continued focus to ensure the future strength of our industry. Needless to say this will continue to be one to watch and be a carefully considered focus of our advocacy efforts." Aggregates Production Still Rising The estimated U.S. output of construction aggregates pro- duced and shipped for consumption in the first quarter of 2018 was 422 million metric tons (Mt), a slight increase compared with that of the same period of 2017, according to Jason Willett, crushed stone commodity specialist for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The estimated annual output produced for consumption in 2017 was 2.26 billion metric tons (Gt), a slight increase compared with the annual output for 2016. An estimated 256 Mt of crushed stone was produced and shipped for consumption in the United States in the first quarter of 2018, a slight decrease compared with that of the same period of 2017. The estimated annual output produced for consumption in 2017 was 1.35 Gt, a slight decrease com- pared with that of 2016. The estimated U.S. output of construction sand and gravel produced and shipped for consumption in the first quar- ter of 2018 was 165 Mt, an increase of 7 percent compared with that of the same period of 2017. The estimated annual output produced for consumption in 2017 was 905 Mt, a slight increase compared with the annual output for 2016. Construction Spending Up Slightly The U.S. Census Bureau announced that in May 2018, con- struction spending during May 2018 was estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,309.5 billion, 0.4 percent (±1.3 percent) above the revised April estimate of $1,304.5 billion. The May figure is 4.5 percent (±1.6 percent) above the May 2017 estimate of $1,253.6 billion. During the first five months of this year, construction spend- ing amounted to $497.1 billion, 4.3 percent (±1.2 percent) above the $476.7 billion for the same period in 2017. The estimated seasonally adjusted annual rate of public construction spending was $304.1 billion, 0.7 percent (±2.6 percent) above the revised April estimate of $302.1 billion. Educational construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $74.3 billion, 0.9 percent (±2.5 percent) above the revised April estimate of $73.6 billion. Highway construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $94.6 billion, 0.2 percent (±8.1 percent) below the revised April estimate of $94.8 billion, but up 5.8 percent from May 2017 to May 2018. Spending on private construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1,005.4 billion, 0.3 percent (±0.8 percent) above the revised April estimate of $1,002.3 billion. • Residential construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $553.8 billion in May, 0.8 percent (±1.3 per- cent) above the revised April estimate of $549.3 billion. • Nonresidential construction was at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $451.5 billion in May, 0.3 percent (±0.8 per- cent) below the revised April estimate of $453.0 billion. "Public construction spending has increased strongly for the past nine months and is now at the highest level since 2010, led by a rebound in infrastructure investment," said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America. "Single-family homebuilding is con- tinuing to expand, while multifamily construction has pulled out of a recent slump, but growth in private nonresidential spending remains modest and inconsistent. However, rising materials costs and shortages of qualified workers may stall all types of projects." Association officials noted that rapidly rising materials costs, due in part to new and anticipated tariffs, are likely to make some projects unaffordable. In addition, acute shortages of qualified labor may result in project delays, Stephen E. Sand- herr, the association's chief executive officer, cautioned. He urged Congress to pass a new Perkins Act that increases Aggregates Industry Almanac Economic Update Economic Update From Aggregates Production to Construction Spending to Housing Starts, Here are the Latest Economic Markers to Watch.