The bills promote research and deployment of innovative pavement technologies.
SEATTLE (Waste Advantage): The U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) and its member companies applaud the introduction of the Innovative Mitigation Partnerships for Asphalt and Concrete Technologies (IMPACT) Act, H.R. 1534, and its complement, IMPACT Act 2.0, H.R.2122, both introduced by U.S. Representatives Valerie Foushee (NC-04) and Max Miller (OH-07). The bills promote research and deployment of innovative pavement technologies, including rubber modified asphalt (RMA), which delivers proven economic, environmental and performance benefits.
RMA, a mixture of recycled ground tire rubber and asphalt, increases pavement service life and reduces road maintenance needs, creating significant cost savings compared to traditional asphalt. It provides performance and safety benefits by increasing skid resistance and reducing tire wear, road noise and road spray and could also reduce CO2 emissions by 32%, lowering energy consumption over the lifetime of pavement.
“Rubber modified asphalt fits the IMPACT Act goals of increasing performance metrics and protecting the environment by encouraging reuse and recycling,” said Anne Forristall Luke, President and CEO of USTMA. “Supporting this bill put us a step closer to ensuring America remains competitive in infrastructure design and resilience, through American leadership in advanced asphalt solutions like RMA.”
The IMPACT Act fosters collaboration between industry and the Department of Energy (DOE) to support research aimed at improving production methods and exploring new, low-emission manufacturing techniques for pavement materials. The bill also provides technical assistance to promote the commercial application of low-emission cement, concrete, and asphalt, aligning with national efforts to modernize America’s transportation infrastructure. Additionally, the IMPACT ACT 2.0 establishes performance-based, low-emissions transportation materials grants of $15 million through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to facilitate the purchase of low-emissions concrete and asphalt goods and incentivize states to improve state-level specifications and standards.
“Federal funding through the IMPACT Act 2.0 will reduce financial barriers for states seeking to adopt new and innovative paving methods and scale the use of rubber modified asphalt (RMA) across the United States,” said Forristall Luke. “By supporting IMPACT Act 2.0, Congress can ensure America leads in the adoption of advanced asphalt solutions like RMA and remains competitive in infrastructure design and resilience.”
Courtesy: www.wasteadvantagemag.com
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