The UpStater [dot] com is reporting that 2022 is the Lafarge Ravena cement plant's 60th year of operation. Ground was broken by the Atlantic Cement Company in 1961 and the facility, now owned by the Swiss multinational company Holcim, currently employs 160 full-time workers, making it the largest employer in southern Albany County, according to the company. However, while the company claims to have a vital role in supporting the local community and good neighbor status, its 60-year presence in the region has not been without controversy. In 2014, the company was fined $100,000 by the state Department of Environmental Conservation for 50 violations of federal water pollution rules after it released 1,500 gallons of sulfuric acid into a stream that feeds the Hudson River. For decades Holcim and Lafarge were listed among the state’s top polluters by the Environmental Protection Agency and in 2020, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission took legal action in federal court alleging a LaFarge contractor fostered a racist work environment at the Ravena plant during the facility's three-year modernization project. Republican Assemblymember Chris Tague, who represents the 102nd Assembly District, credits the company for its contributions to the local economy and how it has driven growth and employment in the area. Lafarge is part of Holcim US, which offers a range of cement, aggregates, asphalt, concrete products, and construction services. Read more at TheUpStater [dot] com.