Reduced Carbon Concrete Consortium assists FHWA grant-eligible parties

Sources: Reduced Carbon Concrete Consortium, Rosemont, Ill.; CP staff

The American Concrete Pavement Association-led Reduced Carbon Concrete Consortium (RC3) is reaffirming its commitment to assist non-State agencies or organizations in Federal Highway Administration Low-Carbon Transportation Materials (LCTM) program grant pursuits. The FHWA just announced an LCTM Notice of Funding Opportunity for non-State applicants seeking assistance on projects using concrete, asphalt, glass or steel whose production exhibits substantially lower levels of greenhouse gas emissions than conventional alternatives. Eligible non-State applicants include local governments, political subdivisions of a State, U.S. territories, federally recognized tribes, Federal Land Management Agencies, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, and special purpose districts or public authorities with a transportation function. FHWA will award grants from an $800 million, Inflation Reduction Act-funded pool and is accepting applications through November 25 at an LCTM portal. Concurrent with non-State applicant grant determinations, FHWA is processing applications from States qualifying for an initial $1.2 billion LCTM funding round earlier this year.

RC3 was formed to help State and non-State agencies with LCTM application processes plus program execution and disseminate information on reducing carbon in construction specifications. FHWA encourages non-State applicants to partner with States on applications and projects. In turn, RC3 is well-positioned to help organizations across the country optimize partnering opportunities leading to grants for projects with low carbon concrete specifications. Joining ACPA in the Consortium are the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center at Iowa State University, Concrete Advancement Foundation, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, and MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub.

“The RC3 is ready to help applicants with the grant process. We are here to help ensure that sustainability and resiliency efforts can be maximized—both with agencies and on-the-grade. Just as we did earlier in the year, we can be an asset and a resource to those who apply,” says ACPA CEO Laura O’Neill Kaumo.

“This is the next step in the unprecedented FHWA investment in the sustainability and resilience of our nation’s transportation infrastructure. We applaud it as bringing much-needed resources to local agencies,” adds Michigan-based concrete consultant Larry Sutter, Ph.D., P.E. An individual RC3 member, he can be reached for more LCTM information at [email protected]. Also available for LCTM insights are his fellow RC3 individual members Wiss, Janney, Elstner Principal Thomas Van Dam, Ph.D., P.E., [email protected]; and, NCE Principal Kevin Senn, P.E., [email protected].