Date: 01/26/2023
Type: Implementation of IRA
On January 26, 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it would hold three public webinars and accept written comments on the use of funds appropriated by sections 60112 and 60116 of the IRA. The EPA is seeking input on two programs funded via the IRA:
- the Environmental Product Declaration Program, which was established in section 60112 of the IRA and aims to support activities related to “measuring, reporting, and steadily reducing the quantity of embodied carbon of construction materials and products;” and
- the Labelling of Low-Embodied Carbon Materials Program, which was established in section 60116 of the IRA and aims to improve the labelling of construction materials and products that have substantially lower levels of embodied greenhouse gas emissions associated with all relevant stages of production, use, and disposal, as compared to estimated industry averages of similar materials or products.
Questions EPA is seeking to answer to inform implementation of the programs include:
- What construction materials/products should EPA prioritize in implementation of these programs?
- What data accessibility and improvement approaches should EPA consider?
- What standardization, measurement, verification, and reporting approaches for use in procurement decision-making should EPA consider?
- What factors should EPA consider for the Environmental Product Declaration Assistance program?
- What should be considered for setting thresholds for “substantially lower levels” of embodied greenhouse gas emission for qualifying materials/products under a labeling program?
- What would be the key elements of an effective carbon labeling program?
The public webinars are scheduled for March 2, 2023, March 22, 2023, and April 19, 2023. EPA will also accept written comments through May 1, 2023.