Bourbonnais Plant Opening
Reprinted by permission of The Daily Journal, Kankakee, IL
Controversial Asphalt Plant to Open
By Roy Bernard, The Daily Journal, November 2, 2004
With little fanfare, a controversial asphalt mixing plant opens Wednesday in Bourbonnais.
Gallagher Asphalt of Thornton will operate a facility on McKnight Road, next to the Nucor Steel plant, formerly known as Birmingham Steel.
"We're very excited," said company president Charlie Gallagher this morning. "We hope to make it a showplace as far as asphalt plants are concerned."
Gallagher said the company already secured an emissions operating permit from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency prior to a Sept. 23 public hearing regarding a height limit issue at the proposed plant.
At the hearing, members of the Bourbonnais village Zoning Board of Appeals voted 4-3 to accept a building permit for the facility.
Regarding the height issue, Gallagher said this morning, "It's striking how small the plant is compared to the neighboring steel plant."
After the hearing, attorney Jamie Boyd, who represented two people who filed an appeal to the permit, said he was going to take the matter to Kankakee County Circuit Court.
Gallagher said he did not know of any lawsuit that was filed. Boyd was out of his office Tuesday and could not be reached for comment.
Using new technology, the Bourbonnais plant will create lower amounts of emissions and will operate quietly, said Gallagher.
He noted that his company was one of the first in the state to receive an asphalt association honor, known as the Diamond Achievement Award. The accolade is given to a business based on environmental and safety issues, as well as community involvement.
"I really believe we will be the benchmark for other asphalt plants in the community to follow," Gallagher said.
This year, the new facility will operate until around Thanksgiving. In that short time, the plant could produce 10,000 to 20,000 tons of asphalt.
Next year, the plant will open in April. Plans are for production to be about 100,000 tons in 2005.
By having another asphalt producer in Kankakee County, bids on road projects should be more competitive, resulting in a savings for the county, municipalities and townships, Gallagher said. Also, his company will no longer have the added transportation expense of about 35 miles one way.
"We hope to lower the cost of people's paving significantly," he added.
Gallagher's Bourbonnais plant will have four full-time workers, including three operating engineers and a ticket clerk. Also, an eight-man paving crew will be based in the county. About 10 semi-trucks will transport asphalt produced at the plant each day.
"We've been hiring people steadily in this area," said Gallagher.
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