IMPACT Act 2.0 is a proposed federal measure aimed at accelerating the use of low-emission materials in highway construction and maintenance. The bill would create federal grant programs through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to reimburse states for the higher costs of using low-emissions cement, concrete, asphalt binder, and asphalt mixtures, and it would provide incentives, technical assistance, and tools to benchmark and reduce embodied greenhouse gas emissions. It also establishes a publicly accessible directory of eligible low-emission materials and authorizes an Advance Purchase Commitment Program to help states enter into multi-year contracts for innovative domestically produced materials. The overarching goal is to strengthen U.S. competitiveness in production of these materials while driving emissions reductions from highway projects. Key features include shifting state specifications toward performance-based standards, offering cost-reimbursement and incentives for adopting low-emission materials, creating a materials directory, and allowing advance procurement contracts for innovative materials under defined safeguards. The bill defines “low-emissions” materials, sets conditions for multi-year contracts, and authorizes $15 million for 2025–2027 to fund these activities. It also seeks to leverage DOT’s Every Day Counts Initiative to speed commercialization and adoption of low-emission technologies.
Key Points
- 1Performance-Based Low-Emissions Transportation Materials Grants (FHWA)
- 2- Purpose: Encourage states to adopt performance-based specifications for low-emission materials and to reimburse the incremental cost of using these materials in highway projects; provide incentives and technical assistance; and benchmark embodied greenhouse gas emissions.
- 3- Reimbursement: Equals the incremental cost increase of using low-emission materials versus traditional materials, verified by the state and FHWA.
- 4- Incentives: Equal to 2% of the cost of using low-emission materials on a highway project.
- 5- Technical assistance: Help states update specs and quantify emissions.
- 6- Funding: Authorized $15 million for 2025–2027.
- 7Directory of Low-Emission Materials
- 8- FHWA must create and maintain a public directory of eligible low-emission materials submitted by states.
- 9- States can apply to have materials added; approvals or denials must be issued within 180 days, with written explanations if denied.
- 10- Materials approved for the directory may be used in any highway project.
- 11Advance Purchase Commitment Program
- 12- Allows states to purchase or guarantee the purchase of conforming low-emission materials and to enter into advance multi-year contracts for specified quantities and prices.
- 13- Focuses on innovative, domestically produced cement, concrete, asphalt binder, or asphalt mixtures manufactured with a process described in the act.
- 14Advance Multi-Year Contracts (Procurement Rules)
- 15- Establishes conditions for multi-year contracts, including protections against paying for unfunded units, cost transparency, and demonstrating progress toward commercial production.
- 16- States must ensure contract terms include performance, delivery, and preference criteria set by the state.
- 17Definitions and Scope
- 18- “Low-emissions” materials are those that reduce greenhouse gas emissions below commercially available materials to the maximum extent practicable.
- 19- The act emphasizes a move toward performance standards, environmental and energy efficiency benefits, and domestic production.
- 20Overall Purpose
- 21- To strengthen U.S. competitiveness in cement, concrete, asphalt binder, and asphalt mixture production by accelerating R&D, demonstration, and commercialization of low-emission technologies and materials.