Cities, metropolitan planning organizations, tribal governments, and other agencies that shepherd transportation projects can now apply for federal aid to use materials and products that help reduce the carbon footprint of construction. Up to $800 million is available in the second round of the US Department of Transportation’s Low Carbon Transportation Materials Program.
The Federal Highway Administration announced the call on August 27.
The agency made $1.2 billion available for this program to state transportation departments in March, receiving applications for about twice that amount, says Shailen Bhatt, federal highway administrator, and will announce the recipients of the grant next month.
“We will have to make difficult decisions,” he adds. “The demand is out there.”
The winners of that $800 million round will be announced next spring, he says.
In addition to funding the use of cleaner building materials such as carbon-capturing concrete, composites and porous pavement, the program will provide resources for agencies to implement processes and coordinate with industry to quantify emissions from building materials. construction, according to an announcement from the agency. “Applicants are encouraged to update their procurement processes to allow or encourage the use of these materials,” he adds.
“People are used to using what they use; there’s always some resistance to change, especially when it comes to cost,” says Bhatt. “It’s more expensive to develop supply chains around some of these materials. The profit margins are low in this industry. We’re trying to level the playing field a little bit, defray the costs and show that you can build with materials with less carbon footprint.”
Federal Highway Administration works with the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US General Services Administration to implement low-carbon programs authorized under the Inflation Reduction Act.
The funding notice is available on the program website: Low Carbon Transportation Materials Grant Program.
