Letter to the Editor

The Napa Solano Central Labor Council voted unanimously to support the ORCEM project at our delegates meeting. We have been meeting with the ORCEM/VMT company since they first came to Vallejo three years ago and they have requested to attend our meetings to educate our members on the Green Cement milling process. And while we were excited that they had reached out to us we also had a lot of questions about the project and we advised them that before we would endorse the Mill we wanted to make sure that they addressed several concerns that our members had.

 These included signing Project Labor and Card Check Neutrality agreements to provide for good paying jobs during construction and staffing of the mill. They have done so.

 We had concerns about road safety and repair and insisted on them being mitigated. ORCEM will pay over 90% of the road infrastructure and repairs and will fully fund any safety concerns as it relates to intersections and routes to schools.

 We insisted that they have a community benefits component that is worked out with South Vallejo residents and community leaders that live and work in the neighborhood. They have proposed a million-dollar benefits package that will directly help those low-income residents living in South Vallejo and have included a local jobs component.

 I find it shocking that the Sierra Club would be against a company that will make a product that has revolutionized the construction industry. A product that reduces the carbon footprint created by traditional Portland cement by 90%. A product that Steve Jobs insisted be used on the Apple building because of the environmental benefits. Cal-Trans also mandated that 50% of the product be used on the Bay Bridge because of the increased durability. And as this product becomes more readily available in the U.S. I see it becoming mandated by law to be used in all projects built with public funds because it already takes a project seeking LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification to gold standard if they are using it over Portland cement. And we can make that product here, in Vallejo!

 Opponents also say that once it is built that it will be an automated process and only provide 20 to 30 jobs. First, if they could provide 30 good, living wage, union jobs that will provide the worker a career that will allow them to raise their families and retire with dignity and respect, sign me up! But I also find it interesting that opponents point to the 200, no 300 no now it’s over 500 trucks transporting the product but then they fail to mention the drivers of those trucks that also will have living wage jobs! What about the security jobs? Janitorial jobs? And what about the deep-water port? The only natural deep water port on the West Coast? The reinvigorated rail service that will allow product to be shipped here instead of Stockton? It’s called a multiplier factor, used to assess what a company really brings to a community. Remember when Mare Island was running? Hundreds of businesses open in Vallejo merely because it was there!

 When they first arrived in town ORCEM was welcomed with open arms by the City Council and staff who heralded it as “a perfect fit for Vallejo”. Then a small band of Nay- Sayers, the same people that seem to oppose every project in Vallejo, started using untruths and intimidation to attempt to derail the process. Now it seems that some of these same City officials and staff are attempting to deviate from the accepted lawful process put into place to ensure a transparent, fair and orderly vetting for businesses that want to invest in Vallejo. This process can cost these investors millions of dollars to go through and what a chilling message to send to future investors when they see the rules thrown out because of misinformation.

 But that is why we have a Planning Commission and City Council, to listen to the facts and decide what they feel is in the best interest of the entire city. That is why we are urging them to direct staff to be able to review and certify the EIR. The community has been waiting patiently for three years to be able to judge the project based on the facts and certifying the EIR will ensure that. Why would anyone be against that?

 The Citizens of Vallejo certainly deserve no less and so do the applicants.

 Jon D. Riley

Executive Director of the Napa Solano Central Labor Council