MCATEE CONSTRUCTION DBA MCATEE PAVING CO. Cement Plant, Sterling, Colorado

MCATEE CONSTRUCTION DBA MCATEE PAVING CO. is a cement plant located at 220 Edwards Ave., Sterling, Colorado, in Logan County. As a cement manufacturing facility, it produces materials essential for construction and infrastructure projects in the region. The plant is operational and falls under NAICS codes 324121 (Asphalt Paving Mixture and Block Manufacturing) and 327310 (Cement Manufacturing), indicating a focus on both cement and asphalt products. The facility operates under the regulatory framework of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which enforces multi-media environmental regulations including the Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA), Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) Section 313 reporting. Cement plants are subject to specific emission standards for particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide, and must comply with National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for the cement manufacturing industry. Cement production is energy-intensive and generates significant CO2 emissions from both fuel combustion and the calcination process. The plant's location in Sterling, a rural area in northeastern Colorado, may reduce community proximity concerns but still requires adherence to state and federal environmental permits. The facility's dual NAICS codes suggest integration with asphalt production, potentially allowing for material recycling and waste heat recovery.

Cement plants are among the largest industrial sources of carbon dioxide emissions due to the chemical process of calcining limestone. They also emit particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and trace metals. In Colorado, cement facilities must comply with the state's air quality regulations, which are at least as stringent as federal standards. The plant's location in a rural area may reduce exposure to nearby communities, but local air and water quality monitoring is essential to manage potential impacts on soil and groundwater.