New York Construction Report staff writer
The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) will receive a $32 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration to advance the use of low-carbon materials in state infrastructure projects. The funding, provided through the Low-Carbon Transportation Materials Grants program, was made possible under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation construction.
The grant will support NYSDOT’s Low Carbon Transportation Materials program, which focuses on identifying and using construction materials that produce significantly lower levels of embodied carbon. Embodied carbon refers to the greenhouse gas emissions generated during the manufacturing, transportation and installation of building and infrastructure materials. As one of the largest sources of carbon emissions in the construction industry, embodied carbon accounts for about one-third of the sector’s total emissions.
“Whether it’s droughts, wildfires or record-breaking snowstorms, New Yorkers are feeling the effects of climate change in their daily lives, and these low-carbon grants are an important tool in our efforts to stop it,” said Gov. Kathy Hochul. “This funding from the Biden-Harris Administration will help us use cleaner materials in our transportation projects, reducing the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere and advancing our battle against climate change.”
The program will allow NYSDOT to develop and implement new standards for low-carbon materials, ensuring that they meet technical and performance requirements for state transportation projects. Specifically, the funding will be used to:
- Develop outreach and training programs for agency staff and industry stakeholders to promote the use of low-carbon materials.
- Evaluate low-carbon materials to ensure they meet safety and performance standards.
- Update technical specifications for construction materials to incorporate low-carbon options.
- Create a process to identify, verify and use materials with lower levels of embodied carbon.
The Low-Carbon Transportation Materials Grants program was established as part of the Inflation Reduction Act to provide states with resources to implement sustainable practices in the transportation sector, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of road and bridge construction projects.
