Notice2023-01501
Stakeholder Engagement Opportunities on Inflation Reduction Act Programs To Reduce Embodied Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated With Construction Materials and Products
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
January 26, 2023
Issuing agencies
Environmental Protection Agency
Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the first opportunities for public input on new programs focused on lower carbon construction materials made possible by a $350 million investment from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The Agency will hold three public webinars and is accepting written feedback on establishing the new grant and technical assistance programs and a carbon labeling program for construction materials with substantially lower levels of embodied carbon.
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 17 (Thursday, January 26, 2023)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 17 (Thursday, January 26, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5002-5004]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-01501]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-HQ-OPPT-2022-0924; FRL-10439-01-OCSPP]
Stakeholder Engagement Opportunities on Inflation Reduction Act
Programs To Reduce Embodied Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated With
Construction Materials and Products
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 5003]]
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the
first opportunities for public input on new programs focused on lower
carbon construction materials made possible by a $350 million
investment from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The Agency will hold
three public webinars and is accepting written feedback on establishing
the new grant and technical assistance programs and a carbon labeling
program for construction materials with substantially lower levels of
embodied carbon.
DATES:
Webinars: March 2, 2023, 2:00-3:30 p.m. EST. Topic: Reducing
Embodied Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Construction Materials
Prioritization and Environmental Data Improvement. You must register
online at <a href="https://esindustrial.webex.com/weblink/register/r3e2a14dee9e470bbe09e0c27857121b0">https://esindustrial.webex.com/weblink/register/r3e2a14dee9e470bbe09e0c27857121b0</a>.
March 22, 2023, 2:00-3:30 p.m. EST. Topic: Reducing Embodied
Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Grants and Technical Assistance for
Environmental Product Declarations. You must register online at <a href="https://esindustrial.webex.com/weblink/register/r7672c2c41979f2125343935a12d2ccb6">https://esindustrial.webex.com/weblink/register/r7672c2c41979f2125343935a12d2ccb6</a>.
April 19, 2023, 2:00-3:30 p.m. EST. Topic: Reducing Embodied
Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Carbon Labeling. You must register online at
<a href="https://esindustrial.webex.com/weblink/register/rfdbb89ff0328b17c371bf47c74d7bae7">https://esindustrial.webex.com/weblink/register/rfdbb89ff0328b17c371bf47c74d7bae7</a>.
Special accommodations: To allow EPA time to process your request
for special accommodations, please submit the request on or before
February 14, 2023. For information on access or services for
individuals with disabilities, and to request accommodation for a
disability, please contact Alison Kinn Bennett, listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
Written comments: Comments must be received on or before May 1,
2023.
ADDRESSES:
Webinars: You must register online using the links listed under
DATES in order to receive the webcast meeting link and audio
teleconference information for the particular webinar.
Written Comments: Submit your comments, identified by docket
identification (ID) number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2022-0924, through the Federal
eRulemaking Portal at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a>. Follow the online
instructions for submitting comments. Do not submit electronically any
information you consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI)
or other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute.
Additional instructions on commenting or visiting the docket, along
with more information about dockets generally, is available at <a href="https://www.epa.gov/dockets">https://www.epa.gov/dockets</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Alison Kinn Bennett, Senior Advisor,
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program (7409M), Office of
Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, Environmental Protection
Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460-0001; telephone
number: (202) 564-8859; email address: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#81eae8efefafe0ede8f2eeefc1e4f1e0afe6eef7"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a6cdcfc8c888c7cacfd5c9c8e6c3d6c788c1c9d0">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Executive Summary
A. Does this action apply to me?
This is directed to the public in general. This notice may be of
specific interest to persons who represent industry, program operators,
institutional purchasers, researchers, academia, state, tribal, and
local governments including U.S. territories and the District of
Columbia, other federal agencies, community groups, non-governmental
organizations, the public, and international organizations.
B. What action is the Agency taking?
EPA is announcing stakeholder engagement opportunities through
upcoming webinars and a Request for Information (RFI) to help shape
implementation of IRA programs under the IRA sections 60112 and 60116.
C. What should I consider as I prepare my responses for EPA?
1. Submitting CBI. Do not submit CBI information to EPA through
<a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> or email. Clearly mark the part or all of the
information that you claim to be CBI. In addition to one complete
version of the comment that includes information claimed as CBI, a copy
of the comment that does not contain the information claimed as CBI
must be submitted for inclusion in the public docket. Information so
marked will not be disclosed except in accordance with procedures set
forth in 40 CFR part 2.
2. Multimedia submissions. Multimedia submissions (audio, video,
etc.) must be accompanied by a written comment. The written comment is
considered the official comment and should include discussion of all
points you wish to make. The EPA will generally not consider comments
or comment contents located outside of the primary submission (i.e., on
the web, cloud, or other file sharing system).
3. Tips for preparing your comments. When preparing and submitting
your comments, see the commenting tips at <a href="https://www.epa.gov/dockets/comments.html">https://www.epa.gov/dockets/comments.html</a>. Please note that once submitted, comments cannot be
edited or removed from the docket. The EPA may publish any comment
received to its public docket.
4. Request for information and comments. EPA has prepared a Request
for Information (RFI) document that is available in the docket and is
intended to facilitate your consideration and preparation of written
comments. Only comments submitted directly through the Federal
eRulemaking Portal at <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> will be accepted.
Electronic submission ensures timely receipt by the EPA and enables the
EPA to make comments immediately available to the public. Comments
posted in the <a href="https://www.regulations.gov">https://www.regulations.gov</a> website can be viewed by
other commenters and interested members of the public.
Information provided in response to this RFI will inform the
prioritization of work and key design elements of these new programs.
EPA's questions cover the following areas:
<bullet> What construction materials/products should EPA prioritize
in implementation of these programs?
<bullet> What data accessibility and improvement approaches should
EPA consider?
<bullet> What standardization, measurement, verification, and
reporting approaches for use in procurement decision-making should EPA
consider?
<bullet> What factors should EPA consider for the Environmental
Product Declaration Assistance program?
<bullet> What should be considered for setting thresholds for
``substantially lower levels'' of embodied greenhouse gas emission for
qualifying materials/products under a labeling program?
<bullet> What would be the key elements of an effective carbon
labeling program?
If you elect to comment, you do not need to address every question
and may focus on those where you have relevant expertise or experience.
Please identify the question(s) you are responding to by question
number in the RFI when submitting your comments.
II. Background
In August 2022, Congress passed and President Biden signed the IRA
into law, creating the largest investment to combat the climate crisis
in United States history. The IRA will bolster U.S. energy security,
help families save money on energy costs and prescription drugs, reduce
the deficit and create
[[Page 5004]]
good-paying jobs. EPA received $41.5 billion in appropriations to
develop and support 24 new and existing programs that monitor and
reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, protect health and
advance environmental justice.
These new programs funded by the IRA Sections 60112 and 60116 will
provide grants, technical assistance, and tools, including a carbon
label, to advance the President's bold agenda to combat the climate
crisis, protect public health and advance environmental justice. The
new programs will help manufacturers, institutional buyers, real estate
developers, builders and others measure, report and substantially lower
the levels of embodied carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions
associated with the production, use and disposal of construction
materials and products including steel, concrete, asphalt and glass.
Additionally, this work will support President Biden's Buy Clean Task
Force which is developing recommendations for Federal procurement and
federally funded projects that would expand consideration of greenhouse
gas emissions and other pollutants associated with construction
materials.
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1310.
Dated: January 18, 2023.
Michal Freedhoff,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution
Prevention.
[FR Doc. 2023-01501 Filed 1-25-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on January 26, 2023.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.