As the Biden administration begins implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) is urging congressional leadership to continue working on tire policy and related transportation sustainability initiatives.
While the IIJA includes several provisions that would advance scrap tire markets and improve the resiliency of the nation’s infrastructure, USTMA says they have identified six specific policy proposals – ranging from tax incentives to additional research dollars and procurement commitments – that will strengthen the American tire manufacturing industry and help the country develop roadways with the future in mind.
USTMA says the six policy areas identified in the letter to Congressional leadership include:
- Investments for the research and integration of rubber modified asphalt (RMA) to advance infrastructure projects;
- Research investments for tire-derived aggregate (TDA) 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 federal fleet management policy that ensures 100% of tires in the federal fleet enter circular and sustainable scrap tire markets.