Gov. Evers Announces $32M Grant for Sustainable Construction Materials
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The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) has received a roughly $32 million federal grant to develop a program aimed at promoting transportation improvement projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The program, funded through the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, will focus on the utilization of materials that minimize emissions. The grant will also allow WisDOT to further study and implement strategies that assess the environmental impact of construction materials, and set sustainability benchmarks for state projects, advancing efforts towards environmentally sustainable infrastructure.
WisDOT Receives $32M Grant for Low-Carbon Transportation Materials
Wisconsin’s Department of Transportation (WisDOT) has been awarded a $32 million federal grant to launch a program focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in transportation. Funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration’s Low-Carbon Transportation Materials (LCTM) Grants Program as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, the initiative seeks to promote the use of low-carbon materials in transportation infrastructure projects.
“This pivotal funding aids Wisconsin in addressing climate change and building sustainable infrastructure for the future,” said Gov. Evers. “Our efforts include joining the U.S. Climate Alliance, launching our state’s first Clean Energy Plan, and expanding our electric vehicle infrastructure, with the ultimate goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.”
WisDOT Secretary, Kristina Boardman, added that the grant will enable them to better gauge the carbon footprint of transportation projects in Wisconsin, thereby enhancing the sustainability of their transportation system.
With the buildings and construction sector responsible for almost 37 percent of global emissions according to United Nations Environment Programme, the federal funds will be utilized to launch a pilot program. This initiative will assess the environmental impact of construction materials and inform future infrastructure projects for wider adoption of low-carbon materials.
The grant will also allow WisDOT to establish sustainability benchmarks for state projects, accelerating the development of an environmentally sustainable infrastructure program. Additionally, it will set up a framework to study and encourage the use of LCTM and explore ways to verify reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
The LCTM pilot program builds on previous efforts to reduce transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions. Previously, Gov. Evers signed legislation enabling WisDOT to receive over $78 million in federal funds to bolster the state’s EV infrastructure. He also announced funding to reduce air pollution and traffic congestion in Wisconsin. In 2022, Gov. Evers announced the state’s first-ever Clean Energy Plan to minimize greenhouse gas emissions and create new jobs. More information on the progress of the state’s clean energy plan is available here.
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