Hughes fights dust

As development continues in Summerlin, the valley's largest master-planned community, The Howard Hughes Corp. minimizes construction-related dust through an extensive program.

"Helping to maintain air quality in our valley is a top priority for Hughes. We share a deep and abiding concern for the health and well-being of Southern Nevadans, and dust control is a necessary and significant contribution to community wellness," said Dan Van Epp, president of Hughes Corp., the community's developer.

The need for dust control is significant because there are dozens of large-scale construction projects occurring at any given time, he said. During the past decade, Summerlin has experienced unparalleled growth, including the sales of more than 20,000 homes.

Soil-Tech, the state's largest dust- and erosion-control contractor, manages the program.

"The Howard Hughes Corp. relies heavily upon the expertise and attentiveness of Soil-Tech to keep construction dust in Summerlin below unacceptable levels. We are committed to doing whatever is necessary to stay within guidelines recently established by the local development industry," Van Epp said.

Hughes representatives played an integral role in establishing the guidelines. Van Epp served as chairman of the environmental advisory committee, a group appointed by the Clark County Commission to develop and coordinate air-quality-control efforts. Tom Warden, Hughes' vice president of community and government relations, also served on the committee.

Other Hughes representatives were involved in the process, serving as members of an industry coalition to determine acceptable dust standards and create a self-imposed, fair and equitable system of dust-control enforcement.

Although the regulations went into effect in January 2001, Hughes has been implementing dust-control measures for years on construction projects in Summerlin, Van Epp said. In 2000, the company designated a full-time employee to oversee dust control on all community construction projects and work closely with Soil-Tech.

"The Howard Hughes Corp. is one of the few developers in the Las Vegas Valley that employs a full-time dust monitor," Jerry Stanley, president of Soil-Tech, said.

Undeveloped land is treated with a soil stabilizer made from an organic mulch that forms a crust to prevent dust. High-traffic areas, such as unpaved roads, are treated with a magnesium-chloride solution. Stanley said both products are environmentally safe and effective.

"The benefits of dust control are numerous. Not only does it reduce dust pollution, it ultimately proves a healthier way of life, increases vehicle productivity, increases driver safety, and saves money and water," Stanley said.

Situated along the western rim of the Las Vegas Valley, Summerlin is being developed in villages. It is home to eight golf courses, more than 100 neighborhood and village parks, 105 miles of trails, 17 schools, houses of worship, shopping centers, medical facilities, cultural facilities, business parks and 175 model homes.

Single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums are priced from the mid-$100,000s to more than $700,000. Custom lots from one-half acre to three-quarters of an acre are priced from the high $300,000s to more than $1 million, and predesigned homes are priced from $500,000 to more than $1 million. Apartments offer monthly rents starting from the high $700s.

To visit the community's home finding center, travel west on Sahara Avenue past Hualapai Way to Town Center Drive and turn north. Or, take Interstate 215 to Sahara and head east to Town Center. The center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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