Govt’s Push to Alter Road Materials for Climate Impact
TL/DR –
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is awarding $1.19 billion in grants to nearly 40 state transportation departments to combat climate change by using greener asphalt, steel and concrete for roads. The funds are part of a new federal highway grant program aimed at encouraging the use of low carbon transportation materials, defined as those with minimal greenhouse gas emissions throughout their life cycle. Additionally, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has introduced a new label program to help identify green construction materials and products, similar to nutrition labels on food.
Climate-friendly Asphalt, Steel, and Concrete for Road Projects
In a move to combat climate change, a new federal highway grand program and a sister agency initiative aim to promote the use of greener asphalt, steel, and concrete in road construction. The initiative also plans to issue emissions labels for transportation materials.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has awarded $1.19 billion in grants to almost 40 state transportation departments. This funding helps these entities to initiate purchasing programs wherein state transportation projects utilize low carbon transportation materials in replacement of traditional construction sources.
Defined by the federal government, low carbon transportation materials are those that, throughout their life cycle – from extraction, processing, transportation, to final manufacture – release minimal greenhouse gas emissions. According to Acting Federal Highway Administrator Kristin White, materials with a smaller carbon footprint are crucial in modernizing the transportation sector, thereby aiding in mitigating climate change impacts.
This federal investment in the Low Carbon Transportation Material Grants Program is a fresh FHWA initiative that is financed under the Inflation Reduction Act.
Green Transportation Material Grants: State Recipients
Among the states rewarded with the largest grants of $31.9 million each are California, Colorado, Delaware, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Other states receiving varying grant amounts include New Mexico, Hawaii, New Jersey, Arizona, Mississippi, and Vermont.
Low-Carbon Materials in Transportation Infrastructure
States like Colorado and Iowa are already making strides in the green direction. For instance, Colorado’s legislation encourages the use of greener transportation materials, while Iowa’s 2022 Carbon Reduction Strategy includes low carbon transportation construction materials in its infrastructure design.
Meanwhile, Michigan plans to utilize the grant to develop processes for incorporating and verifying low-carbon materials, with a focus on reducing emissions in concrete and asphalt materials.
New EPA Labels for Highway Construction Materials
To aid state and federal buyers in choosing greener materials, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has launched a new label program. This system aims to identify green construction materials and products, similar to nutrition labels on food items.
On November 12, the EPA began offering advisory support on developing Environmental Product Declarations on construction materials.
Early Stages of Development
These federal and state government efforts aimed at reducing lifecycle emissions of transportation construction materials are in their developmental stages. Leveraging their fiscal and regulatory powers, government agencies are looking to make changes in the marketplace for the manufacture and sale of transportation materials.
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