The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee successfully approved, by a vote of 20-0, its bipartisan Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 2021, which includes S. 1672, the Rebuilding Our Communities by Keeping Aggregates Sustainable (ROCKS) Act.
“The Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 2021 is the result of months of hard work and a genuine team effort on which I was pleased to join with Sens. Capito, Cardin and Cramer, our respective staffs and many members of this committee,” said EPW Chairman Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) “The bill before us today is a testament to our team’s relentless drive and tireless commitment to crafting a bipartisan agreement that will enable us to create a transportation system that the 21st century will require if the U.S. is to remain a leader among nations. This reauthorization bill before us today calls for historic levels of highway funding – $303.5 billion worth over the next five years.
“This bill also commits $18 billion towards reducing our carbon emissions, as well as $500 million to mitigate climate impacts on the most vulnerable amongst us – typically communities of color, tribal communities and other disadvantaged communities. The bill would also provide another $500 million to upgrade our existing transportation infrastructure to withstand the inevitable effects of our changing climate.
“As most of us know, the transportation sector is the largest source of carbon emissions in our nation, so if we want to preserve our planet for our children and grandchildren, it’s imperative that we tackle this major contributor to the climate crisis. This bill before us today helps to puts us on the right track, with an $18 billion climate title, of which $2.5 billion is dedicated to building electric vehicle charging and hydrogen fueling stations on highways and in locations like schools, workplaces, parks, and publicly accessible areas for communities.”
The National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association’s (NSSGA) Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs Michele Stanley issued the following statement on the Act:
“During the markup of the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 2021, we greatly appreciate the Committee’s approval of S. 1672, the ROCKS Act. This important amendment, which was introduced by Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), ensures every community has sustainable access to aggregates. Today’s action is a strong signal of the bipartisan support for the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act of 2021, including the ROCKS Act,” she stated.
“This amendment requires the Secretary of Transportation to establish a working group to study the use of aggregates and recommend practices and policies to ensure continued access to this important resource. NSSGA applauds the bipartisan process the committee has taken to advance the ROCKS Act. We thank Senator Kelly for his strong leadership to drive this effort.
“With today’s markup, the ROCKS Act has now been approved by the Senate EPW Committee, the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee and the full House of Representatives. NSSGA will continue to advocate to ensure the ROCKS Act is signed into law.”