NYSDOT gets $32 million to lower carbon in construction

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) has received a $32 million grant to support the use of low carbon materials in construction projects, Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Thursday. The funding, provided by the Federal Highway Administration as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, will help in the state’s ongoing efforts to combat climate change. 

“Whether it’s droughts, wildfires or record-breaking snowstorms, New Yorkers are feeling the effects of climate change in their daily lives, and these low carbon grants are an important tool in our efforts to stop it,” Hochul said. 

The DOT's primary goal with the grant is to advance the identification and usage of construction materials that have lower embodied carbon. Embodied carbon is the estimated amount of greenhouse gases that are released during an infrastructure’s life, and makes up about one-third of the total carbon emissions from the construction industry, according to a press release from the state.

“This funding from the Biden-Harris Administration will help us use cleaner materials in our transportation projects, which will reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere and advance our battle against climate change,” Hochul said. 

The DOT also aims to advance the overall standards for reducing the environmental impact of construction. This will include developing training for agency staff and industry stakeholders and establishing new procedures for evaluating and implementing strategies that reduce carbon emissions.