EXHIBIT 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

           U.S. AGGREGATES' BOARD OF DIRECTORS NAMES STANFORD SPRINGEL
                            CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

San Mateo, CA., May 11, 2001 - The Board of Directors of U.S.  Aggregates,  Inc.
(NYSE:AGA) announced today that it named Stanford Springel, 54, as the new Chief
Executive  Officer.  Mr.  Springel  replaces  James Harris who has served as the
company's  Chief  Executive  Officer since its founding in 1994. Mr. Harris will
continue as the company's Chairman of the Board. In addition, Morris Bishop will
continue to serve as the Company's President and Chief Operating Officer.

Mr.  Springel  comes  to U.S.  Aggregates  with  more  than  fourteen  years  of
experience with crisis management and financial turnarounds.  Most recently, Mr.
Springel  served as a management  consultant to Ogden  Corporation,  now Covanta
Energy Corp. (NYSE: COV) as it restructured its businesses.  From 1969-1986, Mr.
Springel  was  employed  in various  financial  management  roles  with  General
Electric Company

In  accepting  his  appointment,  Mr.  Springel  said,  "I am  pleased  with the
opportunity to lead U.S.  Aggregates.  The company has concluded a year in which
it faced many obstacles stemming from a very difficult economic environment,  in
addition to the financial performance issues detailed in the company's year 2000
10-K.  However,  combined  with a strong  core of valuable  assets in  strategic
locations and a renewed focus on operations,  I believe the Company is in a good
position to return to profitability."

Speaking of the management changes,  James Harris,  Chairman of the Board, said,
"We are delighted to have Stan Springel at U.S  Aggregates.  The Board felt that
the  Company  needed  additional  leadership  to steer it  through  the  current
difficult  period,  and Stan has a  well-established  track  record  of  guiding
companies  through  such  difficult  environments.  Combined  with the  industry
experience  and  contacts  of  Morris  Bishop,  we feel  that  we have a  strong
management team in place."

Founded  in 1994,  U.S.  Aggregates,  Inc.  ("USAI ") is a leading  producer  of
aggregates.  Aggregates consist of crushed stone, sand and gravel. The Company's
products are used  primarily for  construction  and  maintenance of highways and
other  infrastructure  projects  as  well  as  for  commercial  and  residential
construction.  USAI  serves  local  markets in nine  states in two fast  growing
regions of the U.S., the Mountain states and the Southeast.


Certain matters discussed in this release contain forward-looking statements and
information  based on  management's  belief as well as  assumptions  made by and
information  currently  available to management.  Such statements are subject to
risks,  uncertainties  and assumptions  including,  among other matters,  future
growth in the construction  industry; the ability of U.S. Aggregates to complete
and  effectively  integrate  its  acquired  companies'  operations;  to fund its
liquidity;  and general  risks  related to the markets in which U.S.  Aggregates
operates.  Should one or more of these risks  materialize,  or should underlying
assumptions  prove  incorrect,  actual results may differ  materially from those
projected.  Additional  information  regarding  these  risk  factors  and  other
uncertainties  may be found in the  Company's  filings with the  Securities  and
Exchange Commission.