NAPA to Receive $10 Million for Continued Low-Embodied Carbon Study

During a press conference held at Superior Paving’s asphalt facility in Chantilly, Virginia, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe announced $160 million in grant selections for low-embodied carbon construction materials, including $10 million for the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) to continue its work with environmental product declarations (EPDs) for the industry.

Speakers explained low-embodied carbon materials are anticipated to become the norm and EPA is accelerating the research and development around these 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 non-profit organizations serving all 50 states and will help disclose the environmental impacts associated with manufacturing concrete, asphalt, glass, steel, wood and other materials.

A reported 105 applications for grants were received; 38 grants are being awarded with work expected to begin later this year and projects to be completed by 2029.

NAPA President Audrey Copeland, P.E., shared in her remarks that during the first few years after 2017, when NAPA rolled out its Emerald Eco-Label tool, 18 hot-mix asphalt (HMA) plants participated in publishing 44 EPDs. Now the asphalt industry has around 300 HMA plants participating and more than 2,500 EPDs published. The grant, Copeland explained, will allow the association:

• To further improve asphalt EPDs. This will include removing barriers such as cost while highlighting such energy-saving and emissions-reduction measures as increased warm-mix asphalt implementation and better stockpile management for reduced fuel use in aggregate drying, and more.
• To help owners consider the whole life cycle impact.
• To empower the workforce to better understand life cycle analysis and EPDs and how these are interrelated.

Other asphalt-related entities receiving grant awards include Holcim U.S., Inc., and Oldcastle Infrastructure Inc.

Learn more about EPA’s Grant Program for Reducing Embodied Greenhouse Gases in Construction Materials and Products.