[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 148 (Monday, September 23, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5635-H5638]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
INNOVATIVE MITIGATION PARTNERSHIPS FOR ASPHALT AND CONCRETE
TECHNOLOGIES ACT
Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 7685) to strengthen and enhance the competitiveness of American
industry through the research and development of advanced technologies
to improve the efficiency of cement, concrete, and asphalt production,
and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 7685
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Innovative Mitigation
Partnerships for Asphalt and Concrete Technologies Act'' or
the ``IMPACT Act''.
SEC. 2. ADVANCED CEMENT, CONCRETE, AND ASPHALT PRODUCTION
RESEARCH PROGRAM.
(a) Program.--Part I of subtitle C of title V of the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58) is
amended by inserting after section 40522 the following new
section:
``SEC. 40523. ADVANCED CEMENT, CONCRETE, AND ASPHALT
PRODUCTION RESEARCH PROGRAM.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Advanced production.--The term `advanced production'
means production of cement, concrete, or asphalt with one or
more of the following improvements with respect to the
production of commercially available cement, concrete, or
asphalt:
``(A) Improved cost-effectiveness.
``(B) Improved quality, durability, engineering
performance, and resilience.
``(C) Improved efficiency of resource consumption and
material demand.
``(2) Alternative fuels.--The term `alternative fuels'
means any solid, liquid, or gaseous materials, or a
combination thereof, used to replace or supplement any
portion of fuels used in combustion or pyrolysis for low-
emissions cement, concrete, or asphalt.
``(3) Commercially available.--The term `commercially
available', with respect to cement, concrete, and asphalt,
means that the cement, concrete, or asphalt is--
``(A) readily and widely available for purchase in the
United States; and
``(B) produced using a production method of cement,
concrete, or asphalt products, as applicable, that is widely
in use.
``(4) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means
any of the following:
``(A) An institution of higher education.
``(B) An appropriate State or Federal entity, including a
federally funded research and development center of the
Department.
``(C) A nonprofit research institution.
``(D) A private entity.
``(E) Any other relevant entity the Secretary determines
appropriate.
``(F) A partnership or consortium of two or more entities
described in subparagraphs (A) through (E).
``(5) Engineering performance-based standard.--The term
`engineering performance-based standard' means an existing
engineering standard with respect to which the requirements
applicable to such standard are stated in terms of required
results, with criteria for verifying compliance rather than
specific composition, design, or procedure.
``(6) Institution of higher education.--The term
`institution of higher education' has the meaning given such
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001).
``(7) Low-emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt.--The
term `low-emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt' means
cement, concrete, asphalt binder, or asphalt mixture that
reduces, to the maximum extent practicable, greenhouse gas or
directly-related copollutant emissions to levels below
commercially available cement, concrete, or asphalt.
``(8) Rural area.--The term `rural area' has the meaning
given such term in section 343(a) of the Consolidated Farm
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)).
``(b) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall
establish a program of research, development, demonstration,
and commercial application of advanced tools, technologies,
and methods for advanced production and use of low-emissions
cement, concrete, and asphalt in order to--
``(1) increase the technological and economic
competitiveness of industry and production in the United
States;
``(2) expand and increase the stability of supply chains
through enhanced domestic production, nearshoring, and
cooperation with allies;
``(3) achieve measurable greenhouse gas or directly related
copollutant emissions reductions in the production processes
for cement, concrete, and asphalt products; and
``(4) create quality domestic jobs.
``(c) Requirements.--In carrying out the program under
subsection (b), the Secretary shall--
``(1) coordinate with the programs and activities
authorized under title VI of division Z of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2021 (relating to industrial and
manufacturing technologies) and the amendments made by such
title;
``(2) coordinate across all relevant program offices of the
Department, including the Office of Science, the Advanced
Research Projects Agency-Energy, the Office of Clean Energy
Demonstrations, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy, the Office of Fossil Energy, the Office of Industrial
Efficiency and Decarbonization, the Office of Manufacturing
and Energy Supply Chains, and the Office of Nuclear Energy;
``(3) leverage, to the extent practicable, the research
infrastructure of the Department, including scientific
computing user facilities, x-ray light sources, neutron
scattering facilities, and nanoscale science research
centers; and
[[Page H5636]]
``(4) conduct research, development, demonstration, and
commercial application of the advanced production of low-
emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt that have the
potential to increase domestic production and employment in
both advanced and commercially available processes.
``(d) Strategic Plan.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the
establishment of the program under subsection (b), the
Secretary shall develop a 5-year strategic plan identifying
research, development, demonstration, and commercial
application goals for such program. The Secretary shall
submit such plan to the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate.
``(2) Contents.--The strategic plan under paragraph (1)
shall--
``(A) identify programs at the Department related to the
advanced production of low-emissions cement, concrete, and
asphalt that support the research, development,
demonstration, and commercial application activities
described in this section, and the demonstration projects
under subsection (f);
``(B) establish technological and programmatic goals to
achieve the requirements specified in subsection (c); and
``(C) include timelines for the accomplishment of such
goals developed under the plan.
``(3) Updates to plan.--Not less than once every two years,
the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate an
updated version of the strategic plan under paragraph (1).
``(e) Focus Areas.--In carrying out the program established
in subsection (c), the Secretary shall focus on the
following:
``(1) Carbon capture technologies for low-emissions cement,
concrete, and asphalt production processes, which may include
the following:
``(A) Oxycombustion and chemical looping technologies.
``(B) Precombustion technologies.
``(C) Post combustion technologies.
``(D) Direct carbon dioxide separation technologies.
``(2) Materials, technologies, inputs, and processes that--
``(A) produce fewer greenhouse gas or directly related
copollutant emissions during production, use, and end use of
cement, concrete, and asphalt; or
``(B) provide quality, durability, resilience, engineering,
or other performance metrics equal to or greater than
commercially available products.
``(3) Medium- and high-temperature heat-generation
technologies used for the advanced production of low-
emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt which may include the
following:
``(A) Alternative fuels.
``(B) Renewable heat-generation and storage technology.
``(C) Electrification of heating processes.
``(D) Other clean heat-generation technologies and sources.
``(4) Technologies and practices that increase the
efficiency of energy use, natural resource consumption, or
material demand, which may include the following:
``(A) Designing products that encourage reuse,
refurbishment, remanufacturing, and recycling.
``(B) Minimizing waste, including waste heat, from low-
emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt production processes,
including through the reuse of waste as a resource in other
industrial processes for mutual benefit.
``(C) Increasing the overall energy efficiency of low-
emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt production processes,
including through life cycle assessments.
``(5) Technologies and approaches to reduce greenhouse gas
or directly related copollutant emissions from the advanced
production of cement, concrete, and asphalt.
``(6) High-performance computing to develop advanced
materials and production processes that may contribute to the
focus areas described in paragraphs (1) through (5),
including the following:
``(A) Modeling, simulation, and optimization of the design
of cost-effective and energy-efficient products and
processes.
``(B) The use of digital prototyping and additive
production to enhance product design.
``(7) Advanced sensor technologies and methods to monitor
and quantify the performance of low-emissions cement,
concrete, and asphalt materials at scale and under a variety
of conditions.
``(8) Technologies that can be retrofitted at cement,
concrete, and asphalt plants that represent the most common
facility types in the United States and in other countries,
with consideration for field validation of such retrofits.
``(9) Best practices for data standardization and data
sharing tools and technologies, in coordination with relevant
Federal agencies.
``(10) Fundamental research in chemistry and materials
science to identify the following:
``(A) Novel materials and alternative domestic feedstocks
and processing operations for the advanced production of low-
emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt.
``(B) Improved understanding by eligible entities of the
mechanisms that determine the performance and durability of
low-emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt over time.
``(f) Demonstrations.--
``(1) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary, in
carrying out the program established in subsection (b), and
in collaboration with the Secretary of Transportation, the
Administrator of General Services, industry partners,
institutions of higher education, and National Laboratories,
shall support demonstrations of advanced production of low-
emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt that uses either--
``(A) a single technology or practice; or
``(B) a combination of multiple technologies or practices.
``(2) Selection requirements.--In carrying out the
demonstrations under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall
select eligible entities to carry out demonstration projects
and to the maximum extent practicable--
``(A) encourage regional diversity among eligible entities,
including participation by entities located in rural areas;
``(B) encourage technological diversity among eligible
entities; and
``(C) ensure that specific projects selected--
``(i) expand on the existing technology demonstration
programs of the Department;
``(ii) are based on the extent of greenhouse gas emissions
reductions achieved; and
``(iii) prioritize leveraging matching funds from non-
Federal sources.
``(3) Reports.--The Secretary shall submit to the Committee
on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate--
``(A) not less frequently than once every two years for the
duration of the demonstrations under paragraph (1), a report
describing the performance of such demonstration; and
``(B) if any such demonstration is terminated, an
assessment of the success of, and education provided by, the
measures carried out by such demonstration.
``(4) Termination.--The Secretary may terminate the
demonstratives under paragraph (1) if the Secretary
determines that sufficient low-emissions cement, concrete,
and asphalt produced through advanced production are
commercially available domestically at a price comparable to
the price of cement, concrete, and asphalt produced through
traditional methods of production.
``(g) Technical Assistance Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the
Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Commerce
(acting through the Director of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology), the Administrator of General
Services, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency, and appropriate representatives of relevant standards
development organizations, shall provide technical assistance
to eligible entities to carry out an activity described in
paragraph (2) to promote the commercial application of
technologies for the production and use of low-emissions
cement, concrete, and asphalt.
``(2) Activities described.--An activity referred to in
paragraph (1) is any of the following:
``(A) Efforts related to collecting data that could be used
in the updating of local codes, specifications, and standards
to engineering performance-based standards.
``(B) A lifecycle assessment of the final product.
``(C) An environmental impact comparison between different
cements, concretes, and asphalts.
``(D) A techno-economic assessment.
``(E) An environmental permitting or other regulatory
process.
``(F) An evaluation or testing activity.
``(G) Any other activity that promotes the commercial
application of technologies developed through the program
under subsection (b).
``(3) Applications.--The Secretary shall seek applications
for technical assistance under this subsection--
``(A) on a competitive basis; and
``(B) on a periodic basis, but not less frequently than
once every 12 months.
``(4) Regional centers.--The Secretary may designate or
establish one or more regional centers to provide technical
assistance to eligible entities to carry out the activity
described in paragraph (2)(A).
``(h) Additional Coordination.--
``(1) Manufacturing usa.--In carrying out this section the
Secretary shall consider--
``(A) leveraging the resources of relevant existing
Manufacturing USA Institutes described in section 34(d) of
the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15
U.S.C. 278s(d));
``(B) integrating program activities into a relevant
existing Manufacturing USA Institute; or
``(C) awarding financial assistance, consistent with
section 34(e) of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278s(e)), to a person or group of
persons to assist the person or group of persons in planning,
establishing, or supporting a Manufacturing U.S.A. institute
focused on advanced production of low-emissions cement,
concrete, and asphalt.
``(2) Other federal agencies.--In carrying out this
section, the Secretary shall coordinate with other Federal
agencies, including the Department of Defense, the Department
of Transportation, and the National Institute of Standards
and Technology, that are carrying out research and
development initiatives to increase industrial
competitiveness and achieve measurable greenhouse gas
[[Page H5637]]
or directly related copollutant emissions reductions through
the advanced production of cement, concrete, and asphalt.
``(i) Sunset.--This section shall terminate seven years
after the date of the enactment of this section.
``(j) Research Security.--The activities authorized under
this section shall be applied in a manner consistent with
subtitle D of title VI of the Research and Development,
Competition, and Innovation Act (enacted as division B of
Public Law 117-167 (42 U.S.C. 19231 et seq.)).
``(k) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be
construed to amend, alter, or affect the authorities of the
Secretary to define, establish, or enforce new environmental
industry standards for, or related to, cement, concrete, or
asphalt.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section
1(b) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is amended
by inserting after the item relating to section 40522 the
following new item:
``Sec. 40523. Advanced cement, concrete, and asphalt production
research program.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) and the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oklahoma.
General Leave
Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on H.R. 7685, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Oklahoma?
There was no objection.
Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 7685, the Innovative Mitigation
Partnerships for Asphalt and Concrete Technologies, or the IMPACT Act.
Today, much of the world is reliant on cement and concrete produced
in China, which has the world's largest cement industry. It should go
without saying that it is deeply troubling to be at the whims of the
Chinese Communist Party when it comes to materials that are critical to
our national defense and economic security.
Besides that, this dependence comes with severe negative
environmental impacts. China's greenhouse gas emissions exceed all of
the developed nations in the world combined. In fact, U.S. industrial
manufacturing is nearly 28 percent cleaner than our competitors,
including China.
If we want a cleaner, healthier environment on top of global
security, U.S. leadership in this industry is an absolute must. The
IMPACT Act ensures that leadership in the cement, concrete, and asphalt
industry. It will increase the competitiveness of the United States
while also achieving significant reductions in emissions from
manufacturing processes.
Specifically, this bill supports the research and development of
innovative technologies, primarily at the Department of Energy. It
builds off of the cross-cutting Industrial Emissions Reduction
Technology Development Program established by the Energy Act of 2020
and provides specific direction for the development of advanced tools,
technologies, and methods related to cement, concrete, and asphalt
production.
Concrete is the second most widely used material in the world only
behind water. The demand isn't going to decrease anytime soon, so it is
essential we direct the best scientific resources of the Federal
Government to help manufacturers meet our environmental goals without
reducing the concrete supply that keeps our economy growing.
The IMPACT Act positions our country to rise to that challenge and
become a resource for the entire globe.
I thank my Science Committee colleagues, Mr. Miller and Mrs. Foushee,
for cosponsoring this bill and working in a bipartisan fashion. I urge
all of my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of
my time, Mr. Speaker.
Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of the Innovative Mitigation Partnerships for
Asphalt and Concrete Technologies Act, otherwise known as the IMPACT
Act.
Mr. Speaker, at the Science Committee, we look to address problems
beyond the conventional approaches, and we take a broad, long-term
perspective. For example, we look for greenhouse gas emissions beyond
the smokestack and tailpipe in order to have a holistic image of the
climate change challenge we face. The bill before us today seeks to
address an often overlooked contributor to carbon dioxide emissions.
Globally, cement facilities account for 8 percent of anthropogenic
carbon dioxide emissions, which is about the same amount as one-third
of all power plant emissions, really a stunning source of this
pollution. The projected demand for cement is expected to increase
substantially. To address the challenge, there is a need for Federal
investment in next-generation cement, concrete, and asphalt emission
reduction technologies.
The IMPACT Act establishes a dedicated program and directs DOE to
develop tools, technologies, and methods for the manufacture of low-
emission cement, concrete, and asphalt, using both advanced and
currently commercially available production processes.
It also authorizes DOE to provide technical assistance to eligible
entities in order to increase the efficiency of current production
processes, active engagement that will help the industry adapt and
innovate.
Now, in order to carry out this ambitious mission, the Secretary is
directed to focus on a range of key technology areas, including carbon
capture, resource efficiency, and high-performance computing.
This is actually an exciting bill, and it has potential to strengthen
and enhance the competitiveness of American manufacturing while at the
same time reducing a major greenhouse gas contributor.
I thank Representative Miller and Representative Foushee on their
impressive legislation. I hope that all of us will support this bill,
and I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 2000
Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Miller) to speak on his bill.
Mr. MILLER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R.
7685, the Innovative Mitigation Partnerships for Asphalt and Concrete
Technologies Act, or more simply, the IMPACT Act.
I introduced this bill with my Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology colleague, Mrs. Foushee, because we understand that the
production of cement, concrete, and asphalt plays a fundamental role in
supporting United States infrastructure, national defense, and economic
security.
The cement and concrete industry contributes over $100 billion to the
United States economy and employs over 600,000 people. In Ohio alone,
this industry accounts for 18,000 cement and concrete industry-related
employees with a payroll over $900 million.
It is no secret that the processes behind these products are
extremely difficult to decarbonize and that American cement and
concrete manufacturers must compete in a market that increasingly
values lower-carbon products.
The leading companies and associations of this industry have
committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and have made
impressive progress thus far, reducing its carbon footprint by 21
percent since 2014, but more progress can be made.
With projected demand for cement expected to increase 12 percent by
2050, utilizing the best scientific resources of the Federal Government
will help manufacturers further reduce emissions of the products
essential to our economy and civilization.
The IMPACT Act will support these resources while strengthening and
enhancing the competitiveness of American manufacturing through
advanced technologies that can be exported around the globe.
We all want to see cement, concrete, and asphalt production continue
to rise and help grow our country. That is critical to our economic
well-being. We all want to see this growth go hand in hand with
environmental stewardship, leaving our air and water just as pristine
for the next generation.
The IMPACT Act builds on previous industrial decarbonization efforts
by focusing specifically on cement, concrete, and asphalt. It enables
the industry and the Department of Energy to work collaboratively on
fundamental
[[Page H5638]]
research that will enhance existing production methods and unlock new
innovative techniques. This will ensure the world-class tools and
technologies at DOE are being used by the very taxpayers who funded
them.
It also enables DOE, in consultation with other Federal agencies, to
offer technical assistance to entities seeking to promote the
commercial application of low-emission cement, concrete, and asphalt.
This ensures that industry can continue its cutting-edge research
unencumbered, but if they do hit a roadblock, there are subject matter
experts available to assist them.
This bill is the perfect example of how the Federal Government can
advance tangible environmental goals for construction material
production without sacrificing material performance or, more
importantly, economic growth that benefits every citizen.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from North Carolina (Mrs. Foushee)
for cosponsoring this bill and working in a bipartisan fashion to get
it here today, and I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill.
Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, we are fortunate that Representative Foushee is a Member
of this body and a member of the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology. She is a new Member to Congress, but she is an experienced
legislator, and I think that background allows her to successfully
craft complex but practical and important legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman
from North Carolina (Mrs. Foushee).
Mrs. FOUSHEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7685, the
bipartisan Innovative Mitigation Partnerships for Asphalt and Concrete
Technologies Act, or the IMPACT Act, which will boost the
competitiveness of American manufacturing through innovation and
development of technologies to decarbonize and improve the efficiency
of cement, concrete, and asphalt production.
The climate crisis is one of the most pressing issues of our
lifetime, and it is critical that we continue to take significant
strides to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors.
Globally, we know that concrete accounts for 8 percent of all carbon
emissions, but we can reduce pollution in the cement and concrete
production process right now by creating new innovation and
manufacturing opportunities here at home that can take the place of
aging processes based on fossil fuels.
This bill marks a critical step forward to innovate and decarbonize
America's concrete and asphalt sectors, and it will enable partnerships
between industry, innovators, and the U.S. Government to enhance
existing production methods, unlock new and innovative techniques, and
offer technical assistance to entities seeking to promote the
application of low-emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt.
The United States is leading the way into the 21st century, where we
know that our Nation is poised to play a critical role in reducing
industrial emissions through modernizing our manufacturing processes
and implementing clean technology strategies.
This can be seen in my own district, North Carolina's Fourth, where
local startup Biomason is helping lead the way in advancing low-carbon
concrete and asphalt production.
Just earlier this year, I was proud to join the first-ever White
House Concrete Innovation Summit, with innovators, researchers,
startups, industry, and leaders from across the country, to further
build consensus on our path forward for a more sustainable future.
As we consider the future of American R&D, we must prioritize
investments and advancement in materials, science, and manufacturing by
fostering and building out an innovation pipeline that creates good-
paying, clean American jobs and enhances our competitiveness on the
world stage, and this bill does just that.
This bill will also help to achieve measurable and meaningful
greenhouse gas emissions reductions, improve public health, and
modernize the current manufacturing processes of sustainable building
materials that are essential for our Nation's infrastructure.
I am glad to join Representative Max Miller in sponsoring the IMPACT
Act, which passed through the House Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology unanimously. I encourage my colleagues to support this
legislation, which will prioritize innovation in clean manufacturing
and production to improve public health and protect our planet.
Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, we have no further requests, so I am happy
to urge all Members to vote for the bill, and I yield back the balance
of my time.
Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests, and I simply note
this is a good bill. Let's vote for it. I yield back the balance of my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Weber of Texas). The question is on the
motion offered by the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lucas) that the
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 7685, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________