WASHINGTON—Calling the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act a "once-in-a-generation" opportunity, the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association has penned a letter to Congress urging a continued focus on sustainability through six policy proposals.
Among other areas, the letter focuses on energy efficiency, circularity and stormwater mitigation as they relate to tire policy and "related transportation sustainability initiatives."
"We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to truly transform the country's infrastructure by focusing on our shared priorities," said Anne Forristall Luke, USTMA president and CEO. "The tire industry is ready to lead, with innovative technologies that not only improve the fuel efficiency of vehicles but also enhance the performance and durability of our roadways. By embracing these new technologies, we can create highly resilient infrastructure capable of carrying our nation well into the future, while bolstering the American tire manufacturing industry and propelling the United States as a leader in tire technology research."
The six policy areas identified in the Feb. 4 letter to Congress (and not contained in the IIJA) from the USTMA—representing 12 of the world's largest tire manufacturers—include:
• Investments for the research and integration of rubber-modified asphalt to advance infrastructure projects;
• Research investments for tire-derived aggregate in stormwater infiltration galleries;
• Research investments for stormwater runoff and roadway runoff mitigation efforts;
• Incentives for the use and manufacturing of retreaded tires;
• Incentives for the use of low rolling resistance tires for public and private use; and
• A federal fleet management policy that ensures 100 percent of tires in the federal fleet enter circular and sustainable scrap tire markets.
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