EPA Begins Public Comment Period for Updated Cleanup Plan at the Wisconsin Public Service Corp. Site in Marinette
CHICAGO (July 17, 2024) – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the start to the public comment period for the updated proposed cleanup plan to address elevated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, in the soil and groundwater at the Wisconsin Public Service Corp. Marinette Former Manufactured Gas Plant Superfund site, also referred to as WPSC Marinette MGP site in Marinette, Wisconsin.
In 2017, EPA issued a proposed plan to excavate waste at the site. However, the waste was deeper and closer to the City of Marinette’s wastewater treatment plant than initially surveyed. EPA determined that the original cleanup plan was unsafe and needed to be changed. Today’s public comment period will cover the updated cleanup plan.
The public comment period is July 17 to August 16. To comment online, visit EPA's website or email comments to EPA community involvement coordinator Karen Chen at chen.karen01@epa.gov. The EPA will select a final cleanup plan after reviewing all comments.
The EPA and its state partners will also hold an open house and public meeting on Wednesday, July 24, at the Stephenson Public Library in Marinette. The open house is from 4:30-5:30 p.m. and the public meeting is from 5:30-7:30 p.m. During the open house, community members will have the opportunity to speak one-on-one with the EPA and view information about the proposed plan. The public meeting will include a formal presentation and time for questions and formal comments.
Background
Elevated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, associated with historical manufactured gas plant processes were found in various areas on the site. In 1989, during expansion of the treatment plant, more than 9,700 tons of contaminated soil were removed. In 2012 and 2013, EPA conducted further non-time critical cleanup activities in portions of the site in and along the Menominee River, removing soil and nearly 15,000 tons of river sediment. As a result of this cleanup, current sediment conditions are not considered to pose a risk to human health or the environment.
The WPSC Marinette MGP site is being cleaned up using the “Superfund alternative” approach. The SA approach uses the same process and standards for investigation and cleanup as sites on the National Priorities List. The Superfund alternative approach is an alternative to listing a site on the NPL; it is not an alternative to Superfund or the Superfund process. The difference is that the potentially responsible parties responsible for polluting the Marinette site have agreed to cooperate with EPA without the site being added to the NPL.
For more information about the Marinette site, visit EPA’s website.
In 2017, EPA issued a proposed plan to excavate waste at the site. However, the waste was deeper and closer to the City of Marinette’s wastewater treatment plant than initially surveyed. EPA determined that the original cleanup plan was unsafe and needed to be changed. Today’s public comment period will cover the updated cleanup plan.
The public comment period is July 17 to August 16. To comment online, visit EPA's website or email comments to EPA community involvement coordinator Karen Chen at chen.karen01@epa.gov. The EPA will select a final cleanup plan after reviewing all comments.
The EPA and its state partners will also hold an open house and public meeting on Wednesday, July 24, at the Stephenson Public Library in Marinette. The open house is from 4:30-5:30 p.m. and the public meeting is from 5:30-7:30 p.m. During the open house, community members will have the opportunity to speak one-on-one with the EPA and view information about the proposed plan. The public meeting will include a formal presentation and time for questions and formal comments.
Background
Elevated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, associated with historical manufactured gas plant processes were found in various areas on the site. In 1989, during expansion of the treatment plant, more than 9,700 tons of contaminated soil were removed. In 2012 and 2013, EPA conducted further non-time critical cleanup activities in portions of the site in and along the Menominee River, removing soil and nearly 15,000 tons of river sediment. As a result of this cleanup, current sediment conditions are not considered to pose a risk to human health or the environment.
The WPSC Marinette MGP site is being cleaned up using the “Superfund alternative” approach. The SA approach uses the same process and standards for investigation and cleanup as sites on the National Priorities List. The Superfund alternative approach is an alternative to listing a site on the NPL; it is not an alternative to Superfund or the Superfund process. The difference is that the potentially responsible parties responsible for polluting the Marinette site have agreed to cooperate with EPA without the site being added to the NPL.
For more information about the Marinette site, visit EPA’s website.
EPA Settles with Nevada Company over Hazardous Waste and PCB Issues at Landfill
Las Vegas - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently finalized a settlement with U.S. Ecology Nevada (USEN) over alleged hazardous waste and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) violations at a hazardous waste landfill south of Beatty, Nevada. The company will pay a civil penalty of $185,429 to settle claims of violations of two federal environmental laws: the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
EPA found that USEN violated its RCRA permit by improperly disposing of hazardous debris at the facility. Specifically, USEN failed to comply with the law by wrapping hazardous debris in materials that were not resistant to degradation, thus risking releases in the landfill. In addition, EPA found USEN violated TSCA requirements related to PCBs, primarily by failing to maintain its PCB storage building to prevent precipitation from coming into contact with the containers of PCB wastes stored inside, by using its PCB tanker truck loading pad to consolidate RCRA hazardous waste, and by improperly solidifying low-level PCBs (< 50 parts per million). The company also failed to label a PCB storage area properly, comply with the one-year disposal and Exception Report requirements, and date PCB containers with removal from service dates.
“Nevada residents should not have to live with the threat of exposure to harmful materials like PCBs and hazardous waste,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “With these enforcement actions, EPA is holding facilities accountable when they fail to follow our nation’s critical chemical safety laws.”
PCBs belong to a broad family of manufactured organic chemicals known as chlorinated hydrocarbons. PCBs were domestically manufactured from 1929 until manufacturing was banned in 1979. They have a range of toxicity and vary in consistency from thin, light-colored liquids to yellow or black waxy solids. Due to their non-flammability, chemical stability, high boiling point, and electrical insulating properties, PCBs were used in hundreds of industrial and commercial applications.
For more information on PCBs, visit EPA’s Learn about Polychlorinated Biphenyls webpage.
For more information on EPA’s RCRA programs, visit EPA’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Laws and Regulation webpage.
For more information on reporting possible violations of environmental laws and regulations visit EPA’s Report an Environmental Violation, General Information webpage.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region x. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
EPA found that USEN violated its RCRA permit by improperly disposing of hazardous debris at the facility. Specifically, USEN failed to comply with the law by wrapping hazardous debris in materials that were not resistant to degradation, thus risking releases in the landfill. In addition, EPA found USEN violated TSCA requirements related to PCBs, primarily by failing to maintain its PCB storage building to prevent precipitation from coming into contact with the containers of PCB wastes stored inside, by using its PCB tanker truck loading pad to consolidate RCRA hazardous waste, and by improperly solidifying low-level PCBs (< 50 parts per million). The company also failed to label a PCB storage area properly, comply with the one-year disposal and Exception Report requirements, and date PCB containers with removal from service dates.
“Nevada residents should not have to live with the threat of exposure to harmful materials like PCBs and hazardous waste,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “With these enforcement actions, EPA is holding facilities accountable when they fail to follow our nation’s critical chemical safety laws.”
PCBs belong to a broad family of manufactured organic chemicals known as chlorinated hydrocarbons. PCBs were domestically manufactured from 1929 until manufacturing was banned in 1979. They have a range of toxicity and vary in consistency from thin, light-colored liquids to yellow or black waxy solids. Due to their non-flammability, chemical stability, high boiling point, and electrical insulating properties, PCBs were used in hundreds of industrial and commercial applications.
For more information on PCBs, visit EPA’s Learn about Polychlorinated Biphenyls webpage.
For more information on EPA’s RCRA programs, visit EPA’s Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Laws and Regulation webpage.
For more information on reporting possible violations of environmental laws and regulations visit EPA’s Report an Environmental Violation, General Information webpage.
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region x. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
EPA requires Safe Drinking Water Act compliance at Nooksack water systems
SEATTLE – Today, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced an agreement with the Nooksack Tribe to bring their six water systems into compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act.
The legal agreements – known as Administrative Orders on Consent – affect the following facilities, which serve approximately 1,300 people:
5 Cedars Community Water System
Rutsatz Road Community Water System
Sulwhanon Community Water System
Whispering Cedars Community Water System
Nooksack River Casino Water System
Northwood Casino Water System
These systems are owned and operated by the Nooksack Tribe located in and around the Nooksack Reservation, in Deming, Washington. The Orders establish a detailed list of requirements, including a schedule to correct several long-standing violations; obligation to file an annual Consumer Confidence Report; and designation of a Project Coordinator to oversee implementation.
“With these orders, the Nooksack Tribe is making a significant commitment to improving multiple water systems that these communities depend on for daily use,” said EPA Region 10 Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Director Ed Kowalski. “Drinking water system owners and operators must monitor their systems, act when needed and keep the public informed.”
Additional details are available in the following documents:
Administrative Order on Consent - 5 Cedars (SDWAl0-2024-0112) (pdf)
(5.5 MB)
Administrative Order on Consent - Nooksack River Casino (SDWA 10-2024-0113) (pdf)
(4.3 MB)
Administrative Order on Consent - Northwood Casino (SDWA-10-2024-0114) (pdf)
(7.6 MB)
Administrative Order on Consent - Rutsatz Road (SDWA-10-2024-0117) (pdf)
(5.7 MB)
Administrative Order on Consent - Sulwhanon (SDWA-10-2024-0116) (pdf)
(5.6 MB)
Administrative Order on Consent - Whispering Cedars (SDWA-10-2024-0115) (pdf)
(4 MB)
Background
EPA works collaboratively with Tribal governments, Tribal utilities and Tribal members to implement the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Read more about safe drinking water on Tribal lands
Read more about public water systems in Indian Country
Read more about the National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative
The legal agreements – known as Administrative Orders on Consent – affect the following facilities, which serve approximately 1,300 people:
5 Cedars Community Water System
Rutsatz Road Community Water System
Sulwhanon Community Water System
Whispering Cedars Community Water System
Nooksack River Casino Water System
Northwood Casino Water System
These systems are owned and operated by the Nooksack Tribe located in and around the Nooksack Reservation, in Deming, Washington. The Orders establish a detailed list of requirements, including a schedule to correct several long-standing violations; obligation to file an annual Consumer Confidence Report; and designation of a Project Coordinator to oversee implementation.
“With these orders, the Nooksack Tribe is making a significant commitment to improving multiple water systems that these communities depend on for daily use,” said EPA Region 10 Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Director Ed Kowalski. “Drinking water system owners and operators must monitor their systems, act when needed and keep the public informed.”
Additional details are available in the following documents:
Administrative Order on Consent - 5 Cedars (SDWAl0-2024-0112) (pdf)
(5.5 MB)
Administrative Order on Consent - Nooksack River Casino (SDWA 10-2024-0113) (pdf)
(4.3 MB)
Administrative Order on Consent - Northwood Casino (SDWA-10-2024-0114) (pdf)
(7.6 MB)
Administrative Order on Consent - Rutsatz Road (SDWA-10-2024-0117) (pdf)
(5.7 MB)
Administrative Order on Consent - Sulwhanon (SDWA-10-2024-0116) (pdf)
(5.6 MB)
Administrative Order on Consent - Whispering Cedars (SDWA-10-2024-0115) (pdf)
(4 MB)
Background
EPA works collaboratively with Tribal governments, Tribal utilities and Tribal members to implement the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Read more about safe drinking water on Tribal lands
Read more about public water systems in Indian Country
Read more about the National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative
EPA Completes Drinking Water and Wastewater Mission in Lahaina
LAHAINA, Hawaiʻi – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recently completed its Drinking Water and Wastewater mission in Lahaina as part of a multi-agency emergency response to the devastating Maui wildfires in 2023. This mission is helping the County of Maui restore drinking water and wastewater services to the community in the wildfire-impacted areas of Lahaina.
"It was our honor to serve alongside the Lahaina community to help restore, rebuild and repair drinking water and wastewater systems following the devastating wildfires that swept across the island of Maui,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “Access to safe drinking water is vital to protecting public health and the environment and getting this special community back on its feet. I want to thank all our local, state, and federal partners for their crucial partnership and collaboration, and look forward to continuing to work closely with them."
Following the wildfires in August 2023, as requested by the County of Maui and the State of Hawai‘i under the direction of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), EPA provided technical assistance and coordinated operations with both the Maui County Department of Environmental Management and Department of Water Supply.
Starting on January 4, 2024, over the course of seven months, EPA tested drinking water quality in 1308 lateral service lines that connect water mains to properties with burned structures. If contamination was detected, or if a lateral was too damaged to be sampled, the line was isolated from the main distribution line and marked for future replacement. EPA also sampled 135 fire hydrants, isolated 589 contaminated laterals and cleared and inspected 97,749 feet of sewer lines in Lahaina.
The County of Maui continues to use data generated from EPA’s operations to make determinations on whether the water is potable and ready for use in areas of Lahaina that are under an Unsafe Water Advisory.
“EPA has worked closely with county, state, and community leaders since the fires to first clean up hazardous waste, then help restore drinking water and wastewater services to Lahaina. We have been honored to do our part in getting families back home,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “EPA will continue to support recovery efforts through our Sustainability Advisor and will remain committed to our local and state partners as Maui progresses toward full recovery.”
Throughout the response, EPA staff conducted community outreach efforts across Maui, fielded questions, and provided information to community members about EPA’s work in variety of ways including presenting at weekly public meetings.
In recognizing the immense cultural significance of Lahaina and Maui, EPA employed cultural advisers and monitors who accompanied teams in the field to help identify cultural and archeological artifacts. Their work helped ensure the town’s rich cultural history was preserved as much as possible during EPA’s operations. The advisers also provided critical guidance and feedback to the agency’s outreach and communication efforts.
Ongoing EPA work on Sustainability and Recovery
Although EPA’s emergency response missions on Maui are complete, the agency continues to carry out a mission assignment from FEMA for a long-term recovery Sustainability Advisor. The advisor assists in rebuilding communities and restoring watersheds with the aim of building resilience to future climate change impacts and disasters. The Sustainability Advisor is collaborating with local and state departments and federal agencies to understand local priorities and identify potential funding sources for long-term recovery.
For More Information
Residents can track where to access safe drinking water at the County of Maui’s website, mauirecovers.org/water, or by calling the county directly at (808) 270-7550. Residents can also find more information on sampling results on the Hawaiʻi Department of Health Environmental Monitoring Data Portal.
EPA’s Maui Wildfires webpage: epa.gov/maui-wildfires
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook and X.
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"It was our honor to serve alongside the Lahaina community to help restore, rebuild and repair drinking water and wastewater systems following the devastating wildfires that swept across the island of Maui,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “Access to safe drinking water is vital to protecting public health and the environment and getting this special community back on its feet. I want to thank all our local, state, and federal partners for their crucial partnership and collaboration, and look forward to continuing to work closely with them."
Following the wildfires in August 2023, as requested by the County of Maui and the State of Hawai‘i under the direction of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), EPA provided technical assistance and coordinated operations with both the Maui County Department of Environmental Management and Department of Water Supply.
Starting on January 4, 2024, over the course of seven months, EPA tested drinking water quality in 1308 lateral service lines that connect water mains to properties with burned structures. If contamination was detected, or if a lateral was too damaged to be sampled, the line was isolated from the main distribution line and marked for future replacement. EPA also sampled 135 fire hydrants, isolated 589 contaminated laterals and cleared and inspected 97,749 feet of sewer lines in Lahaina.
The County of Maui continues to use data generated from EPA’s operations to make determinations on whether the water is potable and ready for use in areas of Lahaina that are under an Unsafe Water Advisory.
“EPA has worked closely with county, state, and community leaders since the fires to first clean up hazardous waste, then help restore drinking water and wastewater services to Lahaina. We have been honored to do our part in getting families back home,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “EPA will continue to support recovery efforts through our Sustainability Advisor and will remain committed to our local and state partners as Maui progresses toward full recovery.”
Throughout the response, EPA staff conducted community outreach efforts across Maui, fielded questions, and provided information to community members about EPA’s work in variety of ways including presenting at weekly public meetings.
In recognizing the immense cultural significance of Lahaina and Maui, EPA employed cultural advisers and monitors who accompanied teams in the field to help identify cultural and archeological artifacts. Their work helped ensure the town’s rich cultural history was preserved as much as possible during EPA’s operations. The advisers also provided critical guidance and feedback to the agency’s outreach and communication efforts.
Ongoing EPA work on Sustainability and Recovery
Although EPA’s emergency response missions on Maui are complete, the agency continues to carry out a mission assignment from FEMA for a long-term recovery Sustainability Advisor. The advisor assists in rebuilding communities and restoring watersheds with the aim of building resilience to future climate change impacts and disasters. The Sustainability Advisor is collaborating with local and state departments and federal agencies to understand local priorities and identify potential funding sources for long-term recovery.
For More Information
Residents can track where to access safe drinking water at the County of Maui’s website, mauirecovers.org/water, or by calling the county directly at (808) 270-7550. Residents can also find more information on sampling results on the Hawaiʻi Department of Health Environmental Monitoring Data Portal.
EPA’s Maui Wildfires webpage: epa.gov/maui-wildfires
Learn more about EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region. Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook and X.
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Florida to benefit from $3,551,525 in grant funding by Biden-Harris Administration to support clean U.S. manufacturing of construction materials
TALLAHASSE, Fla. (July 17, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Florida will benefit from two grants totaling approximately $3.5M to support efforts to report and reduce climate pollution from the manufacturing of construction materials. EPA estimates that the construction of buildings and other built infrastructure accounts for more than 15% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions.
Billions of tons of concrete, asphalt, steel, glass and other construction materials and products are required to build, maintain and operate our country’s buildings and infrastructure. The U.S. leads the world in the production of clean construction materials, and these transformative awards from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in history--will reduce climate pollution by helping businesses measure the carbon emissions associated with extracting, transporting and manufacturing their products.
The grants will support the Biden-Harris Administration’s Federal Buy Clean Initiative, which leverages the U.S. government’s sway as the largest purchaser on Earth to catalyze demand for clean construction materials used in federal buildings, highways, and infrastructure projects. The grants will be awarded to businesses, universities and nonprofit organizations serving all 50 states and will help disclose the environmental impacts associated with manufacturing concrete, asphalt, glass, steel, wood and other materials.
The University of Texas at Austin has been selected to receive $3,268,757 for work in California, Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania to develop supply chain emission data sets for three salvage product categories: dimensional lumber, commercial doors and waste plastic. Using these data sets, the University intends to develop robust product category rules (PCRs) for salvaged materials and establish a framework for robust environmental product declarations (EPDs) for salvaged materials. The project also includes an open-source toolkit for computing the environmental impacts of salvaged construction products and materials.
Partnering with Urban Machine, re:3D, Doors Unhinged, The Reuse People and Florida A&M University, this project aims to develop PCRs for salvaged and remanufactured construction materials. The project seeks to quantify the greenhouse gas and air quality impacts associated with remanufacturing processes by conducting a comprehensive uncertainty assessment for materials such as dimensional lumber, commercial doors and 3D printed waste plastic. This data will help create transparent EPDs, enhancing confidence in the environmental benefits of using remanufactured materials over raw/virgin products. This project will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to support a growing marketplace for sustainable construction materials.
Ocala-based Global Bamboo Technologies, Inc. (BamCore) has been selected to receive $282,768. BamCore is a U.S.-based building components manufacturer specializing in the use of structural biogenic fibers to help drive decarbonization of the built environment. BamCore’s project will develop an industry-consensus approach for how to dynamically calculate biogenic carbon in EPDs as input into the American Center for Life Cycle Assessment’s (ACLCA’s) PCR Open Standard. As a proof of concept, the project team intends to create prototype PCRs and EPDs that conform to this new standard. The goal of the project is to increase standardization of all EPDs that leverage biogenic materials. The proposed approach will also include a mechanism for fair and accurate comparison of biogenic and non-biogenic materials.
The project will assist businesses in disclosing and verifying data by providing clear, industry-led, consensus-driven guidance on biogenic carbon accounting that will be incorporated into all PCRs and EPDs and align with the ACLCA’s PCR Open Standard. The project will also enhance the accuracy of environmental claims associated with biogenic materials and empower decision makers to make more informed choices, thus spurring market demand for low embodied carbon products.
“As America continues to build more and upgrade our nation’s infrastructure under President Biden’s leadership, cleaner construction materials like concrete and steel are increasingly essential for the nation’s prosperity,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “These historic investments will expand market access for a new generation of more climate-friendly construction materials, and further grow American jobs that are paving the way to the clean energy economy.”
The grants will help businesses develop robust, high-quality EPDs, which show environmental impacts across the life of a product and can catalyze more sustainable purchasing decisions by allowing buyers to compare. Investments in data and tools will make high-quality EPDs available for 14 material categories, which include both new and salvaged or reused materials. These efforts will help standardize and expand the market for construction products with lower greenhouse gas emissions. They will make it easier for federal, state and local governments and other institutional buyers to ensure the construction projects they fund use more climate-friendly products and materials.
EPA is also announcing expanded technical assistance opportunities to businesses, the federal government and other organizations across America. EPA will initially offer EPD development support and direct businesses to resources to help them measure and reduce the embodied carbon associated with their materials, such as those provided by the ENERGY STAR Industrial program. Federal agencies and their suppliers will be able to compare the climate impact of various materials to drive near-term greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Robust EPD data will be further strengthened by a new label program under development that will identify low carbon construction materials for the growing Buy Clean marketplace.
Together, the grants and technical assistance programs will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support American jobs. These programs are made possible by the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which creates significant investments aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with the extraction, transport and manufacturing of construction materials and products. The Inflation Reduction Act also provides more than $2 billion to the General Services Administration to use low embodied carbon materials in the construction and renovation of federal buildings and $2 billion to the Federal Highway Administration to incentivize or reimburse the use of low embodied carbon construction materials in certain transportation projects.
Selections are contingent upon completion of legal and administrative requirements and grantees are tentatively expected to receive their funding in late summer.
Learn more about EPA’s Grant Program for Reducing Embodied Greenhouse Gases in Construction Materials and Products.
Billions of tons of concrete, asphalt, steel, glass and other construction materials and products are required to build, maintain and operate our country’s buildings and infrastructure. The U.S. leads the world in the production of clean construction materials, and these transformative awards from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in history--will reduce climate pollution by helping businesses measure the carbon emissions associated with extracting, transporting and manufacturing their products.
The grants will support the Biden-Harris Administration’s Federal Buy Clean Initiative, which leverages the U.S. government’s sway as the largest purchaser on Earth to catalyze demand for clean construction materials used in federal buildings, highways, and infrastructure projects. The grants will be awarded to businesses, universities and nonprofit organizations serving all 50 states and will help disclose the environmental impacts associated with manufacturing concrete, asphalt, glass, steel, wood and other materials.
The University of Texas at Austin has been selected to receive $3,268,757 for work in California, Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania to develop supply chain emission data sets for three salvage product categories: dimensional lumber, commercial doors and waste plastic. Using these data sets, the University intends to develop robust product category rules (PCRs) for salvaged materials and establish a framework for robust environmental product declarations (EPDs) for salvaged materials. The project also includes an open-source toolkit for computing the environmental impacts of salvaged construction products and materials.
Partnering with Urban Machine, re:3D, Doors Unhinged, The Reuse People and Florida A&M University, this project aims to develop PCRs for salvaged and remanufactured construction materials. The project seeks to quantify the greenhouse gas and air quality impacts associated with remanufacturing processes by conducting a comprehensive uncertainty assessment for materials such as dimensional lumber, commercial doors and 3D printed waste plastic. This data will help create transparent EPDs, enhancing confidence in the environmental benefits of using remanufactured materials over raw/virgin products. This project will contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to support a growing marketplace for sustainable construction materials.
Ocala-based Global Bamboo Technologies, Inc. (BamCore) has been selected to receive $282,768. BamCore is a U.S.-based building components manufacturer specializing in the use of structural biogenic fibers to help drive decarbonization of the built environment. BamCore’s project will develop an industry-consensus approach for how to dynamically calculate biogenic carbon in EPDs as input into the American Center for Life Cycle Assessment’s (ACLCA’s) PCR Open Standard. As a proof of concept, the project team intends to create prototype PCRs and EPDs that conform to this new standard. The goal of the project is to increase standardization of all EPDs that leverage biogenic materials. The proposed approach will also include a mechanism for fair and accurate comparison of biogenic and non-biogenic materials.
The project will assist businesses in disclosing and verifying data by providing clear, industry-led, consensus-driven guidance on biogenic carbon accounting that will be incorporated into all PCRs and EPDs and align with the ACLCA’s PCR Open Standard. The project will also enhance the accuracy of environmental claims associated with biogenic materials and empower decision makers to make more informed choices, thus spurring market demand for low embodied carbon products.
“As America continues to build more and upgrade our nation’s infrastructure under President Biden’s leadership, cleaner construction materials like concrete and steel are increasingly essential for the nation’s prosperity,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “These historic investments will expand market access for a new generation of more climate-friendly construction materials, and further grow American jobs that are paving the way to the clean energy economy.”
The grants will help businesses develop robust, high-quality EPDs, which show environmental impacts across the life of a product and can catalyze more sustainable purchasing decisions by allowing buyers to compare. Investments in data and tools will make high-quality EPDs available for 14 material categories, which include both new and salvaged or reused materials. These efforts will help standardize and expand the market for construction products with lower greenhouse gas emissions. They will make it easier for federal, state and local governments and other institutional buyers to ensure the construction projects they fund use more climate-friendly products and materials.
EPA is also announcing expanded technical assistance opportunities to businesses, the federal government and other organizations across America. EPA will initially offer EPD development support and direct businesses to resources to help them measure and reduce the embodied carbon associated with their materials, such as those provided by the ENERGY STAR Industrial program. Federal agencies and their suppliers will be able to compare the climate impact of various materials to drive near-term greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Robust EPD data will be further strengthened by a new label program under development that will identify low carbon construction materials for the growing Buy Clean marketplace.
Together, the grants and technical assistance programs will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support American jobs. These programs are made possible by the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which creates significant investments aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with the extraction, transport and manufacturing of construction materials and products. The Inflation Reduction Act also provides more than $2 billion to the General Services Administration to use low embodied carbon materials in the construction and renovation of federal buildings and $2 billion to the Federal Highway Administration to incentivize or reimburse the use of low embodied carbon construction materials in certain transportation projects.
Selections are contingent upon completion of legal and administrative requirements and grantees are tentatively expected to receive their funding in late summer.
Learn more about EPA’s Grant Program for Reducing Embodied Greenhouse Gases in Construction Materials and Products.
Biden-Harris Administration announces the University of Kentucky Research Foundation as the recipient of $2,097,521 to support Clean U.S. Manufacturing of Construction Materials
LOUISVILLE, KY. (July 17, 2024) - Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the University of Kentucky Research Foundation as the recipient of approximately $2,097,521 in grant funding to support efforts to report and reduce climate pollution from the manufacturing of construction materials. EPA estimates that the construction materials used in buildings and other built infrastructure account for more than 15% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions.
Billions of tons of concrete, asphalt, steel, glass and other construction materials and products are required to build, maintain and operate our country’s buildings and infrastructure. The U.S. leads the world in the production of clean construction materials, and these transformative awards from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in history--will reduce climate pollution by helping businesses measure the carbon emissions associated with extracting, transporting and manufacturing their products.
The grants will support the Biden-Harris Administration’s Federal Buy Clean Initiative, which leverages the U.S. government’s sway as the largest purchaser on Earth to catalyze demand for clean construction materials used in federal buildings, highways, and infrastructure projects. The grants will be awarded to businesses, universities and nonprofit organizations serving all 50 states and will help disclose the environmental impacts associated with manufacturing concrete, asphalt, glass, steel, wood and other materials.
The University of Kentucky Research Foundation’s project will develop a digital platform for data collection and quality enhancement and define the mechanism and workflow for data screening, verification and management. Fifteen projects from across the United States will act as a data source, with the intent to develop a blueprint for use throughout the construction industry.
This project will address critical data gaps in the construction industry, focusing on transport, construction, and use stages. In collaboration with industry stakeholders and guided by a technical advisory committee, the project will set a new standard for data-driven decision-making in the construction industry and promoting the use of environmental product declarations (EPDs) and life cycle assessments to achieve optimal environmental outcomes.
“As America continues to build more and upgrade our nation’s infrastructure under President Biden’s leadership, cleaner construction materials like concrete and steel are increasingly essential for the nation’s prosperity,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “These historic investments will expand market access for a new generation of more climate-friendly construction materials, and further grow American jobs that are paving the way to the clean energy economy.”
The grants will help businesses develop robust, high-quality environmental product declarations (EPDs), which show environmental impacts across the life of a product and can catalyze more sustainable purchasing decisions by allowing buyers to compare. Investments in data and tools will make high-quality EPDs available for 14 material categories, which include both new and salvaged or reused materials. These efforts will help standardize and expand the market for construction products with lower greenhouse gas emissions. They will make it easier for federal, state and local governments and other institutional buyers to ensure the construction projects they fund use more climate-friendly products and materials.
EPA is also announcing expanded technical assistance opportunities to businesses, the federal government and other organizations across America. EPA will initially offer EPD development support and direct businesses to resources to help them measure and reduce the embodied carbon associated with their materials, such as those provided by the ENERGY STAR Industrial program. Federal agencies and their suppliers will be able to compare the climate impact of various materials to drive near-term greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Robust EPD data will be further strengthened by a new label program under development that will identify low carbon construction materials for the growing Buy Clean marketplace.
Together, the grants and technical assistance programs will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support American jobs. These programs are made possible by the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which creates significant investments aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with the extraction, transport and manufacturing of construction materials and products. The Inflation Reduction Act also provides more than $2 billion to the General Services Administration to use low embodied carbon materials in the construction and renovation of federal buildings and $2 billion to the Federal Highway Administration to incentivize or reimburse the use of low embodied carbon construction materials in certain transportation projects.
Selections are contingent upon completion of legal and administrative requirements and grantees are tentatively expected to receive their funding in late summer.
Learn more about EPA’s Grant Program for Reducing Embodied Greenhouse Gases in Construction Materials and Products.
###
Billions of tons of concrete, asphalt, steel, glass and other construction materials and products are required to build, maintain and operate our country’s buildings and infrastructure. The U.S. leads the world in the production of clean construction materials, and these transformative awards from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in history--will reduce climate pollution by helping businesses measure the carbon emissions associated with extracting, transporting and manufacturing their products.
The grants will support the Biden-Harris Administration’s Federal Buy Clean Initiative, which leverages the U.S. government’s sway as the largest purchaser on Earth to catalyze demand for clean construction materials used in federal buildings, highways, and infrastructure projects. The grants will be awarded to businesses, universities and nonprofit organizations serving all 50 states and will help disclose the environmental impacts associated with manufacturing concrete, asphalt, glass, steel, wood and other materials.
The University of Kentucky Research Foundation’s project will develop a digital platform for data collection and quality enhancement and define the mechanism and workflow for data screening, verification and management. Fifteen projects from across the United States will act as a data source, with the intent to develop a blueprint for use throughout the construction industry.
This project will address critical data gaps in the construction industry, focusing on transport, construction, and use stages. In collaboration with industry stakeholders and guided by a technical advisory committee, the project will set a new standard for data-driven decision-making in the construction industry and promoting the use of environmental product declarations (EPDs) and life cycle assessments to achieve optimal environmental outcomes.
“As America continues to build more and upgrade our nation’s infrastructure under President Biden’s leadership, cleaner construction materials like concrete and steel are increasingly essential for the nation’s prosperity,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “These historic investments will expand market access for a new generation of more climate-friendly construction materials, and further grow American jobs that are paving the way to the clean energy economy.”
The grants will help businesses develop robust, high-quality environmental product declarations (EPDs), which show environmental impacts across the life of a product and can catalyze more sustainable purchasing decisions by allowing buyers to compare. Investments in data and tools will make high-quality EPDs available for 14 material categories, which include both new and salvaged or reused materials. These efforts will help standardize and expand the market for construction products with lower greenhouse gas emissions. They will make it easier for federal, state and local governments and other institutional buyers to ensure the construction projects they fund use more climate-friendly products and materials.
EPA is also announcing expanded technical assistance opportunities to businesses, the federal government and other organizations across America. EPA will initially offer EPD development support and direct businesses to resources to help them measure and reduce the embodied carbon associated with their materials, such as those provided by the ENERGY STAR Industrial program. Federal agencies and their suppliers will be able to compare the climate impact of various materials to drive near-term greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Robust EPD data will be further strengthened by a new label program under development that will identify low carbon construction materials for the growing Buy Clean marketplace.
Together, the grants and technical assistance programs will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support American jobs. These programs are made possible by the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which creates significant investments aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with the extraction, transport and manufacturing of construction materials and products. The Inflation Reduction Act also provides more than $2 billion to the General Services Administration to use low embodied carbon materials in the construction and renovation of federal buildings and $2 billion to the Federal Highway Administration to incentivize or reimburse the use of low embodied carbon construction materials in certain transportation projects.
Selections are contingent upon completion of legal and administrative requirements and grantees are tentatively expected to receive their funding in late summer.
Learn more about EPA’s Grant Program for Reducing Embodied Greenhouse Gases in Construction Materials and Products.
###
Alabama to benefit from $20,832,304 grant funding by Biden-Harris Administration to support clean U.S. manufacturing of construction materials
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (July 17, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Alabama will benefit from four grants totaling approximately $20.8M to support efforts to report and reduce climate pollution from the manufacturing of construction materials. EPA estimates that the construction materials used in buildings and other built infrastructure account for more than 15% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions.
Billions of tons of concrete, asphalt, steel, glass and other construction materials and products are required to build, maintain and operate our country’s buildings and infrastructure. The U.S. leads the world in the production of clean construction materials, and these transformative awards from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in history--will reduce climate pollution by helping businesses measure the carbon emissions associated with extracting, transporting and manufacturing their products.
The grants will support the Biden-Harris Administration’s Federal Buy Clean Initiative, which leverages the U.S. government’s sway as the largest purchaser on Earth to catalyze demand for clean construction materials used in federal buildings, highways, and infrastructure projects. The grants will be awarded to businesses, universities and nonprofit organizations serving all 50 states and will help disclose the environmental impacts associated with manufacturing concrete, asphalt, glass, steel, wood and other materials.
Knauf Insulation, Inc. (Knauf) has been selected to receive $3,283,879 for work in Alabama, California, Indiana, Michigan, Texas and West Virginia. Knauf is a building materials company that manufactures fiberglass insulation, delivering thermal and acoustical solutions for residential, commercial, industrial and OEM applications. Knauf’s project will aim to improve the quantity, quality and robustness of data used to develop Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), exemplify best practices as related to data disclosure and verification, and spur market demand for low embodied carbon construction products. Knauf’s goal is to develop EPDs for 100% of Knauf's product portfolio, including new and optimized versions of current EPDs. In addition, Knauf will produce a best practice manual on EPD development for industry-wide stakeholders and provide educational seminars to employees at Knauf manufacturing facilities on greenhouse gas reductions.
HOLCIM US, Inc. has been selected to receive $1,371,814 for work in Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Utah. In the U.S., Holcim is the largest cement manufacturer and top five producer in aggregates and ready-mix concrete, with approximately 7,000 employees. Holcim’s EPD Accelerator Project will increase the transparency of data on environmental emissions associated with the production of construction materials, generate robust EPDs with a diversity of manufacturers from across the U.S., and drive market demand for lower carbon construction materials.
Hemp Building Institute (HBI) has been selected to receive $6,186,200 for work in Alabama, California, Maryland and Tennessee. HBI is nonprofit organization that provides support for entities that manufacture, remanufacture and refurbish construction materials and products. Biogenic materials from agricultural crops such as hemp, soy, and straw bale provide a unique opportunity to directly address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment. The Biogenic Building Materials project will focus on developing EPDs and life cycle assessments for biogenic materials. This project will create a standardized cradle-to-gate product category rules (PCRs) for agricultural crop components that will be combined with gate-to-grave, industry-determined PCRs to create a practical EPD generator tool for biogenic building materials. The overall goal of the project is to assemble the assessments, protocols, tools and training in an ecosystem designed to increase adoption of biogenic building materials from agricultural crops.
Oklahoma State University has been selected to receive $9,990,311 for work in Alabama, Guam, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico and Washington. Oklahoma State University is leading the creation of the National Center for Sustainable Construction Materials to promote low carbon construction materials (LCCMs) and generate robust EPDs for materials such as asphalt, concrete, steel and their additives. In collaboration with 11 universities across the United States, including the University of Illinois and University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the project will provide extensive training, create educational programs, and design tools and incentives for adopting LCCMs.
“As America continues to build more and upgrade our nation’s infrastructure under President Biden’s leadership, cleaner construction materials like concrete and steel are increasingly essential for the nation’s prosperity,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “These historic investments will expand market access for a new generation of more climate-friendly construction materials, and further grow American jobs that are paving the way to the clean energy economy.”
The grants will help businesses develop robust, high-quality EPDs, which show environmental impacts across the life of a product and can catalyze more sustainable purchasing decisions by allowing buyers to compare. Investments in data and tools will make high-quality EPDs available for 14 material categories, which include both new and salvaged or reused materials. These efforts will help standardize and expand the market for construction products with lower greenhouse gas emissions. They will make it easier for federal, state and local governments and other institutional buyers to ensure the construction projects they fund use more climate-friendly products and materials.
EPA is also announcing expanded technical assistance opportunities to businesses, the federal government and other organizations across America. EPA will initially offer EPD development support and direct businesses to resources to help them measure and reduce the embodied carbon associated with their materials, such as those provided by the ENERGY STAR Industrial program. Federal agencies and their suppliers will be able to compare the climate impact of various materials to drive near-term greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Robust EPD data will be further strengthened by a new label program under development that will identify low carbon construction materials for the growing Buy Clean marketplace.
Together, the grants and technical assistance programs will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support American jobs. These programs are made possible by the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which creates significant investments aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with the extraction, transport and manufacturing of construction materials and products. The Inflation Reduction Act also provides more than $2 billion to the General Services Administration to use low embodied carbon materials in the construction and renovation of federal buildings and $2 billion to the Federal Highway Administration to incentivize or reimburse the use of low embodied carbon construction materials in certain transportation projects.
Selections are contingent upon completion of legal and administrative requirements and grantees are tentatively expected to receive their funding in late summer.
Learn more about EPA’s Grant Program for Reducing Embodied Greenhouse Gases in Construction Materials and Products.
###
Billions of tons of concrete, asphalt, steel, glass and other construction materials and products are required to build, maintain and operate our country’s buildings and infrastructure. The U.S. leads the world in the production of clean construction materials, and these transformative awards from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in history--will reduce climate pollution by helping businesses measure the carbon emissions associated with extracting, transporting and manufacturing their products.
The grants will support the Biden-Harris Administration’s Federal Buy Clean Initiative, which leverages the U.S. government’s sway as the largest purchaser on Earth to catalyze demand for clean construction materials used in federal buildings, highways, and infrastructure projects. The grants will be awarded to businesses, universities and nonprofit organizations serving all 50 states and will help disclose the environmental impacts associated with manufacturing concrete, asphalt, glass, steel, wood and other materials.
Knauf Insulation, Inc. (Knauf) has been selected to receive $3,283,879 for work in Alabama, California, Indiana, Michigan, Texas and West Virginia. Knauf is a building materials company that manufactures fiberglass insulation, delivering thermal and acoustical solutions for residential, commercial, industrial and OEM applications. Knauf’s project will aim to improve the quantity, quality and robustness of data used to develop Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), exemplify best practices as related to data disclosure and verification, and spur market demand for low embodied carbon construction products. Knauf’s goal is to develop EPDs for 100% of Knauf's product portfolio, including new and optimized versions of current EPDs. In addition, Knauf will produce a best practice manual on EPD development for industry-wide stakeholders and provide educational seminars to employees at Knauf manufacturing facilities on greenhouse gas reductions.
HOLCIM US, Inc. has been selected to receive $1,371,814 for work in Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Utah. In the U.S., Holcim is the largest cement manufacturer and top five producer in aggregates and ready-mix concrete, with approximately 7,000 employees. Holcim’s EPD Accelerator Project will increase the transparency of data on environmental emissions associated with the production of construction materials, generate robust EPDs with a diversity of manufacturers from across the U.S., and drive market demand for lower carbon construction materials.
Hemp Building Institute (HBI) has been selected to receive $6,186,200 for work in Alabama, California, Maryland and Tennessee. HBI is nonprofit organization that provides support for entities that manufacture, remanufacture and refurbish construction materials and products. Biogenic materials from agricultural crops such as hemp, soy, and straw bale provide a unique opportunity to directly address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the built environment. The Biogenic Building Materials project will focus on developing EPDs and life cycle assessments for biogenic materials. This project will create a standardized cradle-to-gate product category rules (PCRs) for agricultural crop components that will be combined with gate-to-grave, industry-determined PCRs to create a practical EPD generator tool for biogenic building materials. The overall goal of the project is to assemble the assessments, protocols, tools and training in an ecosystem designed to increase adoption of biogenic building materials from agricultural crops.
Oklahoma State University has been selected to receive $9,990,311 for work in Alabama, Guam, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Puerto Rico and Washington. Oklahoma State University is leading the creation of the National Center for Sustainable Construction Materials to promote low carbon construction materials (LCCMs) and generate robust EPDs for materials such as asphalt, concrete, steel and their additives. In collaboration with 11 universities across the United States, including the University of Illinois and University of North Carolina at Charlotte, the project will provide extensive training, create educational programs, and design tools and incentives for adopting LCCMs.
“As America continues to build more and upgrade our nation’s infrastructure under President Biden’s leadership, cleaner construction materials like concrete and steel are increasingly essential for the nation’s prosperity,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “These historic investments will expand market access for a new generation of more climate-friendly construction materials, and further grow American jobs that are paving the way to the clean energy economy.”
The grants will help businesses develop robust, high-quality EPDs, which show environmental impacts across the life of a product and can catalyze more sustainable purchasing decisions by allowing buyers to compare. Investments in data and tools will make high-quality EPDs available for 14 material categories, which include both new and salvaged or reused materials. These efforts will help standardize and expand the market for construction products with lower greenhouse gas emissions. They will make it easier for federal, state and local governments and other institutional buyers to ensure the construction projects they fund use more climate-friendly products and materials.
EPA is also announcing expanded technical assistance opportunities to businesses, the federal government and other organizations across America. EPA will initially offer EPD development support and direct businesses to resources to help them measure and reduce the embodied carbon associated with their materials, such as those provided by the ENERGY STAR Industrial program. Federal agencies and their suppliers will be able to compare the climate impact of various materials to drive near-term greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Robust EPD data will be further strengthened by a new label program under development that will identify low carbon construction materials for the growing Buy Clean marketplace.
Together, the grants and technical assistance programs will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support American jobs. These programs are made possible by the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which creates significant investments aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with the extraction, transport and manufacturing of construction materials and products. The Inflation Reduction Act also provides more than $2 billion to the General Services Administration to use low embodied carbon materials in the construction and renovation of federal buildings and $2 billion to the Federal Highway Administration to incentivize or reimburse the use of low embodied carbon construction materials in certain transportation projects.
Selections are contingent upon completion of legal and administrative requirements and grantees are tentatively expected to receive their funding in late summer.
Learn more about EPA’s Grant Program for Reducing Embodied Greenhouse Gases in Construction Materials and Products.
###
Biden-Harris Administration announces the University of Mississippi as the recipient of $749,476 to support Clean U.S. Manufacturing of Construction Materials
JACKSON, Miss. (July 17, 2024) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the University of Mississippi as the recipient of approximately $749,476 in grant funding to support efforts to report and reduce climate pollution from the manufacturing of construction materials. EPA estimates that the construction materials used in buildings and other built infrastructure account for more than 15% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions.
Billions of tons of concrete, asphalt, steel, glass and other construction materials and products are required to build, maintain and operate our country’s buildings and infrastructure. The U.S. leads the world in the production of clean construction materials, and these transformative awards from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in history--will reduce climate pollution by helping businesses measure the carbon emissions associated with extracting, transporting and manufacturing their products.
The grants will support the Biden-Harris Administration’s Federal Buy Clean Initiative, which leverages the U.S. government’s sway as the largest purchaser on Earth to catalyze demand for clean construction materials used in federal buildings, highways, and infrastructure projects. The grants will be awarded to businesses, universities and nonprofit organizations serving all 50 states and will help disclose the environmental impacts associated with manufacturing concrete, asphalt, glass, steel, wood and other materials.
The University of Mississippi’s project will focus on investigating the potential reduction of embodied greenhouse gas emissions by implementing warm mix asphalt (WMA) technologies that integrate reclaimed asphalt pavement. To achieve this goal, the University of Mississippi will assess the effects of WMA technologies on greenhouse gas emissions through life cycle assessment and life cycle impact assessment. Additionally, the research will entail an evaluation of the mechanical properties and durability characteristics of asphalt mixtures through a comprehensive experimental program. This approach will enable the development of balanced mix design criteria using three-dimensional performance interaction diagrams.
The research will incorporate a multi-objective optimization technique and machine learning techniques to optimize the design of asphalt mixtures while considering cost, carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption.
The University of Mississippi will collaborate with various stakeholders to advance this project, including state transportation agencies, technical assistance providers, private businesses, local communities, trade associations and nonprofit organizations. This collaborative effort will ensure that the project's findings and innovations can be widely adopted and implemented. By integrating environmental and mechanical evaluations with advanced optimization techniques, this research willl identify sustainable, durable and cost-effective asphalt mixtures to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“As America continues to build more and upgrade our nation’s infrastructure under President Biden’s leadership, cleaner construction materials like concrete and steel are increasingly essential for the nation’s prosperity,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “These historic investments will expand market access for a new generation of more climate-friendly construction materials, and further grow American jobs that are paving the way to the clean energy economy.”
The grants will help businesses develop robust, high-quality environmental product declarations (EPDs), which show environmental impacts across the life of a product and can catalyze more sustainable purchasing decisions by allowing buyers to compare. Investments in data and tools will make high-quality EPDs available for 14 material categories, which include both new and salvaged or reused materials. These efforts will help standardize and expand the market for construction products with lower greenhouse gas emissions. They will make it easier for federal, state and local governments and other institutional buyers to ensure the construction projects they fund use more climate-friendly products and materials.
EPA is also announcing expanded technical assistance opportunities to businesses, the federal government and other organizations across America. EPA will initially offer EPD development support and direct businesses to resources to help them measure and reduce the embodied carbon associated with their materials, such as those provided by the ENERGY STAR Industrial program. Federal agencies and their suppliers will be able to compare the climate impact of various materials to drive near-term greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Robust EPD data will be further strengthened by a new label program under development that will identify low carbon construction materials for the growing Buy Clean marketplace.
Together, the grants and technical assistance programs will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support American jobs. These programs are made possible by the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which creates significant investments aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with the extraction, transport and manufacturing of construction materials and products. The Inflation Reduction Act also provides more than $2 billion to the General Services Administration to use low embodied carbon materials in the construction and renovation of federal buildings and $2 billion to the Federal Highway Administration to incentivize or reimburse the use of low embodied carbon construction materials in certain transportation projects.
Selections are contingent upon completion of legal and administrative requirements and grantees are tentatively expected to receive their funding in late summer.
Learn more about EPA’s Grant Program for Reducing Embodied Greenhouse Gases in Construction Materials and Products.
###
Billions of tons of concrete, asphalt, steel, glass and other construction materials and products are required to build, maintain and operate our country’s buildings and infrastructure. The U.S. leads the world in the production of clean construction materials, and these transformative awards from President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act—the largest climate investment in history--will reduce climate pollution by helping businesses measure the carbon emissions associated with extracting, transporting and manufacturing their products.
The grants will support the Biden-Harris Administration’s Federal Buy Clean Initiative, which leverages the U.S. government’s sway as the largest purchaser on Earth to catalyze demand for clean construction materials used in federal buildings, highways, and infrastructure projects. The grants will be awarded to businesses, universities and nonprofit organizations serving all 50 states and will help disclose the environmental impacts associated with manufacturing concrete, asphalt, glass, steel, wood and other materials.
The University of Mississippi’s project will focus on investigating the potential reduction of embodied greenhouse gas emissions by implementing warm mix asphalt (WMA) technologies that integrate reclaimed asphalt pavement. To achieve this goal, the University of Mississippi will assess the effects of WMA technologies on greenhouse gas emissions through life cycle assessment and life cycle impact assessment. Additionally, the research will entail an evaluation of the mechanical properties and durability characteristics of asphalt mixtures through a comprehensive experimental program. This approach will enable the development of balanced mix design criteria using three-dimensional performance interaction diagrams.
The research will incorporate a multi-objective optimization technique and machine learning techniques to optimize the design of asphalt mixtures while considering cost, carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption.
The University of Mississippi will collaborate with various stakeholders to advance this project, including state transportation agencies, technical assistance providers, private businesses, local communities, trade associations and nonprofit organizations. This collaborative effort will ensure that the project's findings and innovations can be widely adopted and implemented. By integrating environmental and mechanical evaluations with advanced optimization techniques, this research willl identify sustainable, durable and cost-effective asphalt mixtures to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“As America continues to build more and upgrade our nation’s infrastructure under President Biden’s leadership, cleaner construction materials like concrete and steel are increasingly essential for the nation’s prosperity,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “These historic investments will expand market access for a new generation of more climate-friendly construction materials, and further grow American jobs that are paving the way to the clean energy economy.”
The grants will help businesses develop robust, high-quality environmental product declarations (EPDs), which show environmental impacts across the life of a product and can catalyze more sustainable purchasing decisions by allowing buyers to compare. Investments in data and tools will make high-quality EPDs available for 14 material categories, which include both new and salvaged or reused materials. These efforts will help standardize and expand the market for construction products with lower greenhouse gas emissions. They will make it easier for federal, state and local governments and other institutional buyers to ensure the construction projects they fund use more climate-friendly products and materials.
EPA is also announcing expanded technical assistance opportunities to businesses, the federal government and other organizations across America. EPA will initially offer EPD development support and direct businesses to resources to help them measure and reduce the embodied carbon associated with their materials, such as those provided by the ENERGY STAR Industrial program. Federal agencies and their suppliers will be able to compare the climate impact of various materials to drive near-term greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Robust EPD data will be further strengthened by a new label program under development that will identify low carbon construction materials for the growing Buy Clean marketplace.
Together, the grants and technical assistance programs will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support American jobs. These programs are made possible by the Biden Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which creates significant investments aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with the extraction, transport and manufacturing of construction materials and products. The Inflation Reduction Act also provides more than $2 billion to the General Services Administration to use low embodied carbon materials in the construction and renovation of federal buildings and $2 billion to the Federal Highway Administration to incentivize or reimburse the use of low embodied carbon construction materials in certain transportation projects.
Selections are contingent upon completion of legal and administrative requirements and grantees are tentatively expected to receive their funding in late summer.
Learn more about EPA’s Grant Program for Reducing Embodied Greenhouse Gases in Construction Materials and Products.
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