Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity for approximately $800 million in discretionary grant funding through the Low Carbon Transportation Materials (LCTM) Program. This is a new program. The NOFO was released on August 27, 2024 and will remain open through November 25, 2024.
The LCTM program provides funding for the use of construction materials that have substantially lower levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The program will distribute grants with the goals to increase the use of lower carbon materials and products that are used in projects funded under Title 23 of the United States Code, facilitate the use of low carbon transportation materials while ensuring appropriateness for use in projects eligible under Title 23, promote technology transfer and enhance workforce development to increase the adoption of environmental quantification techniques used in decision making by transportation agencies, and encourage eligible recipients to begin LCTM activities and build successful low carbon transportation material identification frameworks. Activities anticipated to be funded under this program are identification frameworks for eligible materials, work needed to determine their appropriateness for use on eligible projects, and the use of low carbon transportation materials on eligible construction projects.
The City meets the criteria to be eligible to submit a LCTM program application. A successful application would ensure the Public Service Department had the equipment, skills, and processes necessary to begin incorporating LCTM into its construction program. The Department estimates the total project cost will be at least $3 million, and it intends to request up to 100% of the future eligible project costs in LCTM funding from USDOT.
This legislation will authorize the Director of Public Service to formally apply for a LCTM program grant. It also authorizes the...
Click here for full text