IMPACT Act

The Innovative Mitigation Partnerships for Asphalt and Concrete Technologies Act, or IMPACT Act, establishes a comprehensive program for research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of advanced technologies in cement, concrete, and asphalt production. This initiative aims to bolster American industry competitiveness, strengthen supply chains, and foster domestic job creation. A primary goal is to achieve measurable reductions in greenhouse gas and other copollutant emissions from these essential construction materials.

The program, to be established by the Secretary within 180 days, will focus on various areas including carbon capture technologies, the development of materials and processes that reduce emissions or improve performance, and medium- and high-temperature heat generation using alternative fuels or electrification. It also emphasizes technologies that increase efficiency in resource consumption, such as designing products for reuse and minimizing waste. Furthermore, the bill promotes the use of high-performance computing for material design and advanced sensor technologies for performance monitoring.

To accelerate adoption, the Act mandates the establishment of demonstration projects for low-emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt, encouraging regional and technological diversity among participants. These demonstrations will be coordinated with federal agencies, industry, and academia, with a focus on projects that achieve significant greenhouse gas reductions. Additionally, a technical assistance program will support eligible entities in commercializing these technologies, offering help with data collection for code updates, lifecycle assessments, and environmental impact comparisons. The program is set to terminate seven years after enactment.