Foster increased federal investment in surface transportation infrastructure, in collaboration with other organizations, and grow investment in asphalt pavement–related research and implementation.
FUNDING THE FUTURE
Persistent, predictable funding is at the heart of a well maintained and functional infrastructure – and at the heart of what we do every day in service to the industry and our country. Our legislative wins empower ongoing innovation and implementation. One soaring example is the AAPTP.
EXTENDING AAPTP
In September, NAPA and the FAA executed a cooperative agreement to extend the Airport Asphalt Pavement Technology Program (AAPTP), adding another $3 million to the efforts. The program is conducting efforts related to specifying the correct asphalt binder grade, aggregate gradation bands, balanced mix design, resilience, and RAP.
PAVEMENT FOR THE PEOPLE
Asphalt is the unquestionable pavement of choice. Through member, staff, lawmaker, public, and partner engagement, we shared that story at every opportunity.
NAPA Immediate Past Chair Jim Mitchell, CEO of Superior Paving Corp., hosted congressional staffers and invited guests at one of Superior’s asphalt mix plants as part of a National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) tour of facilities at the Luck Stone Quarry in Chantilly, Va. Attendees witnessed a live blasting of rock at the Northern Virginia site. Mitchell and other association leaders shared the importance of infrastructure investment, with an emphasis on sustainable practices in the industry as well as Buy America policies.
CELEBRATION OF CONSTRUCTION ON THE NATIONAL MALL
MAY 14-16
Dozens of construction machines were on public display for children and adults alike to climb onto, while representatives from Congress and federal agencies visited with equipment manufacturers and associations like NAPA. Women of Asphalt Maryland and NCAT chipped in to demonstrate the diversity of our workforce and our product.
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TCC FLY-IN
MAY 16-17
On the Hill, the annual gathering of the Transportation Construction Coalition featured four sittng members of Congress: Rep. Rick Larsen (D-WA), Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO), Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV). Permitting reform and enduring bipartisanship behind infrastructure investment were major topics of the event.
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FALL HILL DAYS
SEPTEMBER 26-27
NAPA participated in its first Fall Hill Days event in partnership with the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association (NSSGA) and National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA), bringing together more than 300 registrants. Divided into 45 groups based on geography, they aligned talking points to ensure smooth conversations throughout the halls of Congress. The event also included a panel discussion among the government affairs staff from each association, a Senate Chief-of-Staff roundtable, and remarks from Reps. Greg Stanton (D-AZ) and Troy Balderson (R-OH).
Read MoreAdvocate for and achieve fair, competitive, and science–based legislation and policies (regulations, rulemakings, and national standards and specifications) impacting asphalt pavement companies.
LEADING WITH LETTERS
Submitting comments and letters may seem mundane. But providing formal input to lawmakers and regulators is a critical way NAPA represents the industry and impacts proposed legislation and rules. Here are just a few of the issues we provided input on in 2023.
BUY AMERICA
In coalition with NSSGA, NRMCA, and PCA, we achieved a major victory with OMB’s final guidance enshrining exemptions for construction materials as established in IIJA, ensuring that asphalt mix producers will not be required to meet arbitrary sourcing requirements or seek individual waivers.
Highway Trust Fund
NAPA has long advocated for exploring any and all options to bolster the Fund, including raising the gas tax or vehicle miles traveled (VMTs). NAPA helped lead this effort to emphasize the importance of finding a long-term funding solution.
Walkaround Rule
NAPA joined coalition comments against this proposed rule to allow a company’s employees to choose third-party representatives to accompany OSHA safety inspectors.
EPA CHEMICAL REGULATION
In response to a proposed rule designating PFAS forever chemicals as Superfund hazardous substances, NAPA requested that EPA consider the industry as unsuspecting and passive receivers of such materials (typically used in firefighting foams at airport facilities) and exempt the road construction industry from contributory liability. Also, since TCE and other chlorinated solvents are used for asphalt binder extraction analysis, NAPA requested that EPA exempt such uses from a proposed 18-month phaseout in favor of a 10-year phaseout.
EPA Low Carbon Materials
Not to be outdone by GSA, EPA also attempted to make headway on low carbon construction material programs in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). NAPA staff worked with members to develop a consistent and practical message on how to implement portions of the IRA that could impact the asphalt industry.
Gsa Low Embodied Carbon
NAPA’s detailed comments addressed GSA’s intention to define low embodied carbon construction materials, recommending a path forward that suggested working with the industry to overcome several complex concerns.
FAA Advisory Circular Update
In a first, the FAA formally requested NAPA review its Advisory Circular and requirements for asphalt mixtures. NAPA engaged the Council for Engineering, Research & Sustainability; Committee for Engineering Application and Practice; and Airfields Task Force to draft and submit comments.
Death Tax Repeal
NAPA joined a chorus of industries via the Family Business Estate Tax Coalition in support of repealing the estate tax, because many family-owned businesses become increasingly difficult to afford and pass on to future generations under the current estate tax code.
Be the trusted organization with expertise in the national issues impacting the asphalt pavement industry, identify opportunities for the industry and members working alongside decision makers and stakeholders, and provide support for state issues.
HEY NAPA
The widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in 2023 empowered people across the world to achieve more, and workers in the asphalt pavement industry were on the cutting edge of those large language model technologies thanks to a partnership between XBE & NAPA.
The result: Hey NAPA, a research assistant that allows web users to learn more about our product, its applications, and the best practices for roadbuilding from decades of NAPA (and external) publications. A gift to the industry from XBE, Hey NAPA answers user-submitted questions by examining expert-curated research.
It can address simple and complex questions instantly for producers, contractors, and the general public, while documenting answer sources for further research. XBE CEO Sean Devine unveiled Hey NAPA at the Midyear Meeting in Kansas City in July. “Focus on the intelligence. The artificial point, that’s the distraction: The intelligence is the secret. Intelligence is the number one predictor of job performance,” he said.
To try it out for yourself, visit HeyNAPA.com.
UPDATED MIX TYPE SELECTION GUIDE
A newly updated Asphalt Pavement Mix Type Selection Guide debuted in March. Completed by NCAT with PEC funding, the updated guide is free to NAPA members. It provides guidance for selecting appropriate mixture types, while considering factors such as traffic, environment, subsurface pavement structure, existing pavement condition and preparation, and economics.
RESOURCES FOR WORKER SAFETY
From plants to paving sites, creating and maintaining a safe working environment is job number one. While we generate industry and public awareness each spring through our Watch For Us campaign, our work zone and worker safety efforts never rest. In 2023, we activated even more safety resources:
FREE WORK ZONE SAFETY TRAINING
Our web-based CrewSafety training helps employees recognize unsafe work zone situations and understand how they can proactively ensure their safety. To grant even greater access to this important industry-specific training, we made it available at no charge.
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WATCH FOR US
The annual spring campaign provides contractors with tools and ideas to catch the public’s attention and inspire personal responsibility along with changes in behavior. The 2023 toolkit was streamlined for ease of use, while the campaign was extended beyond April with Watch For Us Wednesdays on social media and regular coverage in our magazine.
READ ABOUT THE 2023 CAMPAIGNTHE 2023 CAMPAIGN GENERATED:
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30K
IMPRESSIONS
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14K
INTERACTIONS
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5
MEMBERS SUBMITTED PHOTOS
PREVENTING HEAT ILLNESS
NAPA, in partnership with ARTBA, provided a template for companies to develop and publish their own heat illness prevention plan, a safety priority given the usual paving season and OSHA’s National Emphasis Program on Heat Illness. Download the template or read more on the topic from our Midyear Meeting.
Read MoreTEMPLATE
Safety Advocacy
Ahead of the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee’s November hearing on Roadway Safety Challenges, NAPA submitted detailed comments, reinforced by Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) in his remarks on the dangers crews face inside the work zone.
Watch NowPRODUCT AND OPERATIONAL STEWARDSHIP
NAPA invests substantial resources to investigate the impact of our industry’s materials and to highlight product and operational stewardship successes. While our efforts to help industry manage these issues and leverage credible science to offset misperception are ongoing, some of our efforts this year included:
Dispelling myths about typical RAP stockpile leachate. Asphalt is inert and RAP stockpiles that might contain vehicle drippings and other atmospheric depositions have been thoroughly studied to show no adverse environmental impact.
Joining the Asphalt Pavement Association of Michigan in February to submit an amicus brief in Michigan Circuit Court, calling into question the state’s environmental agency’s authority to issue highly restrictive operational criteria and dispelling common myths promoted by appellants.
Completing a deep dive on the environmental impact of tire-rubber asphalt mixtures and determining whether some known tire-rubber compounds are safe to use in pavements.
Gearing up to research the misperception that asphalt roads cause urban smog.
Promoting research to better understand whether recycling airport millings, which may contain PFAS from firefighting foam, are protective to the environment.
RESOURCES FOR RECRUITING WORKERS
Videos Spark Asphalt Careers
At our 2023 Annual Meeting, we debuted two new videos on careers in the asphalt pavement industry – one highlighting the exciting work at Road America and the other spotlighting paving crews in their own words.
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