Construction of necessary buildings and bridges often disrupts the natural environment surrounding these structures.  By bringing in steel, lumber, asphalt and other such materials, landscapes change as a result of development.  Often, construction will chip away the color of a mountain or leave empty patches where vegetation once grew.

The Hoover Dam Bypass project is one such project. The beautiful surroundings have become scarred with the construction, which began in late January 2005, and completion of the nearly 2,000 foot long bridge is expected in June 2010.  Once completed, this signature bridge will span the Black Canyon, connecting the Arizona and Nevada Approach highways nearly 900 feet above the Colorado River.

To blend color that has been disrupted by construction, the Federal Highway Administration employed the services of Soil-Tech, a Las Vegas-based environmental services company.  Using its own unique product, Permeon™ Simulated Desert Varnish, Soil-Tech successfully blended or concealed the unsightly marks on Hoover Dam’s rock wall.

Permeon™ Simulated Desert Varnish is an environmentally safe stain composed of natural minerals and does not contain any alkaline or caustic chemicals.  After application, the sun oxidizes the varnish, and damaged areas will take on a natural, aged appearance.  The result blends naturally with the surrounding landscape and with no impact to vegetation, wildlife or people.

Soil-Tech began color restoration services for the Hoover Dam Bypass Project in January 2005, starting with the Arizona approach of the bridge.  Workers rappelled down the rock wall of the dam and applied Permeon™ to more than 1 million square-feet of slopes and rock channel areas.

“It would take hundreds of years for the environment to naturally return the color to its original hue,” said Jerry Stanley, president of Soil-Tech.  “Permeon will make the damaged areas seem untouched.”

Workers also applied varnish to the Hoover Dam rock wall of the Nevada approach.  A total of 1.1 million square feet of hillside surfaces was treated on the Nevada side.

“We welcomed the opportunity to connect the two sides of the bridge, and we’re very proud to be a part of this historic project,” said Stanley.

Once the bridge opens for travel, thousands of cars will drive past Hoover Dam, a famous attraction to tourists of both Nevada and Arizona.  Color mitigation services completed by Soil-Tech ensure an aesthetically pleasing view.

Soil-Tech/Native Resources is the largest licensed environmental services company in Nevada. Soil-Tech is a recognized industry leader with state and local municipalities. The firm handles color mitigation and dust control for much of the outlying areas in Southern Nevada, including Summerlin, Anthem, Aliante, Mountain’s Edge and MacDonald Highlands.