Low Carbon Transportation Materials Grants Program Thresholds
As part of the LCTM Program and as defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Interim Determination, recipients must identify global warming potential (GWP) thresholds for qualifying each material/product. To support establishment of thresholds for the LCTM Program, FHWA has engaged with stakeholders from concrete, glass, asphalt, and steel industries to provide industry data. This webpage presents thresholds and related resources that can be used to qualify materials for the LCTM Program.
This webpage will continue to be updated as additional information becomes available.
Background
Per State Request for Application (RFA) page 4 and Notice of Funding Opportunity for non-State DOTs (NOFO) page 5, an agency shall determine the substantially lower embodied carbon thresholds (i.e., best performing 20 percent, 40 percent, and industry averages) for materials/products eligible for reimbursement or incentive under this program through the following options:
Option (1): An agency may reference the established thresholds as published on FHWA Website (i.e., this website).
Option (2): An agency may determine local or regional thresholds for concrete (and cement), glass, asphalt mix, and/or steel.
Development and Use of Embodied Carbon Benchmarks for Setting GWP Thresholds for LCTM: This document provides technical considerations for implementing Option (1) and Option (2) as well as the details of FHWA’s engagement with industry to identify industry average information.
LCTM Thresholds
Recipients can find detailed information regarding threshold values for the following material categories at the links below:
- Asphalt Mix
- Concrete
- Steel
- Glass - TBD
Federal Agency Collaboration on EPA’s Label Program for Low Embodied Carbon Construction Materials
Following learnings from implementation of the Interim Determination and as outlined in EPA’s Label Program Approach, EPA is establishing a label program for substantially lower embodied carbon construction materials per IRA Section 60116. As part of this effort, EPA in collaboration with FHWA, GSA and other Federal agencies has released Product Category Rule (PCR) Criteria and other key documents for EPD standardization and data quality improvement. Furthermore, EPA will be establishing GHG intensity (GWP) thresholds for key product types within material categories that are eligible to earn the label.
When EPA sets thresholds for a specific product type covered under the Interim Determination, FHWA in close collaboration with EPA will indicate to recipients how these thresholds will apply to the FHWA LCTM Program. As indicated by EPA in their Interim Determination, any new EPA determination, such as EPA-established thresholds, will be applicable only to LCTM grants awarded after the issuance of EPA’s final thresholds.
For more information on EPA’s Label Program, including stakeholder engagement opportunities, please visit the website.