Sponsors (4)
Introduced March 13, 2025 by Christopher A. Coons · Last progress March 13, 2025
The bill accelerates adoption of lower‑emissions construction materials—bringing national emissions, public‑health, and domestic job benefits—while imposing near‑term costs, administrative burdens on small suppliers, and distributional risks that could leave some states, rural areas, and smaller firms worse off.
Most Americans (urban and rural communities, homeowners) could see lower embodied greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution from roads and buildings as federal support and procurement shift toward low‑emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt.
Construction workers and domestic producers are likely to gain jobs and investment from scaling domestic low‑emissions materials manufacturing and demonstration projects.
State and local infrastructure owners get stronger procurement tools (Type III EPDs, approved‑materials directories, standardized testing and specs) that make it easier to compare, buy, and account for lower‑emission construction materials.
State agencies, taxpayers, and construction projects face higher near‑term material and project costs if low‑emissions materials are more expensive than incumbents.
Small suppliers and contractors are likely to incur significant compliance, certification, administrative, and matching‑fund burdens to meet EPD, testing, approval, or grant requirements, disadvantaging smaller firms.
Federal spending is authorized (e.g., $200M program funds, additional smaller authorizations) that may fall on taxpayers without any guarantee that the supported technologies will be widely commercialized.
Based on analysis of 7 sections of legislative text.
Creates federal R&D, testing institutes, FHWA incentives, and State procurement options to accelerate low‑emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt and scale domestic production.
Creates a coordinated federal program to accelerate development, testing, and deployment of low‑emissions cement, concrete, asphalt binder, and asphalt mixtures. The Department of Energy must stand up R&D, demonstration, and commercialization activities, and coordinate with DOT, DOD, NIST, GSA, and national labs; NIST may establish or fund two Manufacturing USA institutes for testing, data, and workforce training; FHWA will run a FY2025–FY2027 program offering reimbursements, incentives, and technical assistance to States for using verified low‑emissions materials; and an interagency Task Force will set standards, reporting guidance, and biennial reports to Congress. The bill also authorizes States to use certain Surface Transportation Block Grant funds to make advance purchase commitments or multiyear contracts for domestically produced low‑emissions materials, requires public product data and directories, and sets timelines and verification, reporting, and contract requirements to support scaling and domestic commercialization while aiming to protect performance, durability, and value for highway projects.