American Rock Salt furloughs begin today
About 90 workers went out on furlough from American Rock Salt’s Mount Morris mine on Tuesday. As previously reported, the temporary layoffs are a result of warm weather conditions across the northeastern United States. Owner Joe Bucci says that the company has filled up all their salt depots across New York, Pennsylvania and New England. American Rock Salt supplies rock salt to municipalities for use as a road de-icing agent. Warm conditions have reduced needs for road salt to almost zero this season.
The 90 workers furloughed today are the latest in a series of temporary measures to reduce the workforce at American Rock Salt. As a virtually snowless December wore on, Bucci idled 60 workers, mostly underground miners. 125 workers remain on the job in Mt. Morris. Those workers will fill existing orders and maintain the giant pile of salt the company has on site.
Cuomo expected to offer more details on infrastructure
During a budget announcement in early December, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said that the state would be investing about $1 billion in badly needed infrastructure projects in 2012. According to Cuomo, the administration’s new plan included moving moving many projects that were on schedule for 2013 onto the plan for 2012. The move was designed to prod New York’s flagging economy to life and spur growth.
Now legislators and observers are waiting for further details on the project. Cuomo is expected to offer further details at his “State of the State” address on Wednesday. “There have been a number of things that have been floated, but the specifics are short at this moment,” said state legislator Andrea Stewart-Cousins of Yonkers. “There’s no argument in the importance of investing in our infrastructure. Obviously it’s going to be a key part of the upcoming year.”
Cuomo has promised to use some of the money to rebuilding the Tappan-Zee bridge just north of New York City. The bridge, which was opened in 1955, is due for reconstruction within the next five years, however, squabbling over funding has delayed finalization of the project.
December 2011 not a record-breaker
Although December was within the six least snowiest on record, it fell far short of breaking the record. In fact, after totaling out at 4.9 inches, the Rochester area received 2.3 more inches of snow this December than the record of 2.6 inches, set between 1928 and 1939. However, the region is still about 24 inches behind the average through the end of December.
A high of 11 today, with chance of snow. Tonight, bitter cold, with a low in the single digits and a slight chance of light snow.
