Congress is readying provisions to be included in the next surface transportation bill, which will fund highway projects that use construction materials intended to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To maintain pavement neutrality in the bill and to avoid mandates, NAPA’s government affairs team worked with representatives of the Portland Cement Association (PCA) and the American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA), resulting in a major agreement on how the industries will work with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to achieve reductions in GHG emissions. The agreement focuses on the Accelerated Implementation and Deployment of Pavement Technologies (AIDPT) program and a proposed new grant program in the House INVEST Act to reduce GHG in pavement materials. The agreement, embodied on letters sent to House and Senate leaders drafting the infrastructure bill, is summarized below. 

NAPA, ACPA, and PCA support the AIDPT program’s aim of reducing GHG emissions with the following changes: 
• Strengthen language to ensure industry involvement in establishing priorities for the AIDPT program. 
• Ensure that all stages of the pavement life cycle are considered for deployment of pavement technologies that reduce GHG emissions. 
• Increase funding from $12 million to $14 million annually to support expanding the mission of the AIDPT program to include GHG emissions reduction. 

NAPA, ACPA, and PCA support the new $2-4 million grant program to reduce GHG emissions in materials with the following changes: 
• Strengthen the focus of the grant program on reducing GHG emissions. 
• Ensure the program awards grants involving all stages of the pavement life cycle. 
• Include “pavement performance” as a key metric on evaluating materials that reduce GHG emissions. 

Reaction to the letter by committee staff has, so far, been very positive. Reach out to Jay Hansen or Ashley Jackson if you have any questions.