Blog

Water’s Worth It to New Hampshire

Access to clean water is critical in New Hampshire and the 100-plus headcount at the March 2023 “Water’s Worth It!” Legislative Breakfast in Concord is a testament to the extensive support for this cause throughout the state. RMI worked together with members of NHWPCA, GSRWA, NHWWA, and NEWEA to help organize the two-hour event, which featured congressional greetings and remarks from State Senator Denise Ricciardi and Congressional leaders Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Congressman Chris Pappas.

Presentations included current water challenges facing New Hampshire, such as aging infrastructure, need for more qualified professionals, climate change, and wastewater treatment facilities tasked with the cleanup of improperly disposed items. Shared also were success stories like newly available incentive programs, grants, and funding for clean water, as well as the invaluable implementation of the Clean Water Act that led to the revival of the “Mighty” Merrimack River.

While there are certainly challenges and obstacles to overcome regarding access and affordability of clean water in New Hampshire, there is also a history of success in this state thanks to the tireless efforts of many dedicated individuals. Future progress will require innovation, education, and continued efforts in public awareness, especially regarding relevant legislation. Overall, there is an inspiring amount of support for the “Water’s Worth It!” movement in New Hampshire and RMI looks forward to contributing however we can to promote the success of future events.

RMI attends 2023 National Water Policy Fly-In

Two members of RMI, President Shelagh Connelly and Sales Representative Christina Adams, flew to Washington D.C. to attend the National Water Policy Fly-In as part of Water Week 2023. Representatives from across the wastewater, drinking water, stormwater, and water reuse sectors attended this major annual event to jointly advocate for water policy.

Over the span of the two-day event, attendees were able to hear remarks from prominent members of Congress, as well as meet with legislators and government officials on Capitol Hill. 2023 brought with it some complex challenges for the water sector, including emerging contaminants, workforce shortages, and a need for continued funding for infrastructure, climate resiliency, and water research, making this event all the more crucial.

As always, RMI was very impressed with the engagement of our National Delegation – and saw first-hand the great work being done by our Senators Shaheen and Hassan, and our Congresspeople Kuster and Pappas. The granite state is fortunate to have this team working for us in DC.

Our Fleet Grows Again!

The latest addition to our fleet is “RMI-22,” a 2024 Peterbilt 389 Day Cab which is one of three similar style trucks found within the company. RMI’s fleet, now totaling 11 trucks in all combinations, has an average age of four years standing.  Maintaining a solid fleet of trucks and trailers allows RMI to be available for all our customers and generators when it matters, and updating the fleet helps to keep the cost of repairs lower. Getting a new piece of equipment built can take up to a year in some cases, and a lot of time and planning goes into the process. Concurrently, attention must be given to keeping the current fleet in tip-top condition. Our Operations Department has worked diligently to keep both of these aspects of managing the fleet well balanced. These investments in the fleet keep us on time, keep the RMI name reliable, and let’s face it, the shiny chrome looks great!

Employee Spotlight

We are very proud to announce that RMI Sales Representative Joanne Chickering has recently become a Certified Crop Advisor! Crop Advisors work closely with farmers to provide management plans and recommendations for overall crop and soil health. Their agronomic knowledge and expertise help farms navigate through the many variables that can impact their plants during growing season.

Joanne currently provides agronomic recommendations for our customer orders, breaking down the N-P-K, Mg, and lime values of the products ordered and the recommended application rate per acre. Joanne has been a staple of our sales team and we are super appreciative of all of her hard work! Thanks Joanne and congratulations!

Crop Advisor Column

Spring is definitely in full swing. Many fields are planted with a lot of first cut already being harvested in the area. The dry weather has helped get lots of work done quickly, however, it seems to be getting quite dry. If this is an indication of what is in store for this growing season, it is especially important to make sure our soils are balanced for nutrients and pH so that when the rain does arrive the plants can utilize all available nutrients efficiently.

Soil samples are the best place to start during a soil health quest and it’s important to consider the ultimate goal of healthy soil as a long term, farm specific goal; one size does not fit all. After we know what the soils need, we can begin to address the best ways to provide what our crops need and the overall goal of the farm. Nutrients applied with organic matter are better able to stay in the soil and provide lasting nutrition as the season plays out, and resist losses through leaching in a wet year.

Building organic matter in soils is an initiative many organizations have put an emphasis on and funding opportunities for farmers have never been more plentiful. I encourage producers to do a little research, many amendments RMI has to offer may be eligible for funding. NRCS and American Farmland Trust are two places that come to mind that offer financial assistance to farmers in building soil resilience as our climate and weather patterns continue to be less predictable. I hope everyone has a productive and healthy year. I am available to talk about farm specific goals and crop issues or questions.

Joanne Chickering
Joanne.chickering@RMIrecycles.com

Expansion Project Underway

Happy Retirement, Mike!