119-hr1534

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1534 Referred in Senate

    (RFS) ]

<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 1534

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 March 26, 2025

 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and 
 Natural Resources

_______________________________________________________________________

 AN ACT

 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.

 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 division D of the 
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58) is amended 
by adding at the end 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 
accomplish the following:
 ``

    (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.
 ``

    (4) Create quality domestic jobs.
 ``
            (c) Requirements.--In carrying out the program under subsection

    (b) , the Secretary shall carry out the following:
 ``

    (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.
 ``

    (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 under subsection

    (b) , 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 under 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 
 demonstrations; 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 
 demonstrations 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 the following:
 ``
        (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.
 ``
            (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 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.''.

 Passed the House of Representatives March 25, 2025.

 Attest:

 KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,

 Clerk.