42 U.S.C. § 6966 — Increased use of recovered mineral component in federally funded projects involving procurement of cement or concrete

**(a) Definitions** In this section: (1) **Agency head** — The term “agency head” means— (A) the Secretary of Transportation; and (B) the head of any other Federal agency that, on a regular basis, procures, or provides Federal funds to pay or assist in paying the cost of procuring, material for cement or concrete projects. (2) **Cement or concrete project** — The term “cement or concrete project” means a project for the construction or maintenance of a highway or other transportation facility or a Federal, State, or local government building or other public facility that— (A) involves the procurement of cement or concrete; and (B) is carried out, in whole or in part, using Federal funds. (3) **Recovered mineral component** — The term “recovered mineral component” means— (A) ground granulated blast furnace slag, excluding lead slag; (B) coal combustion fly ash; and (C) any other waste material or byproduct recovered or diverted from solid waste that the Administrator, in consultation with an agency head, determines should be treated as recovered mineral component under this section for use in cement or concrete projects paid for, in whole or in part, by the agency head. **(b) Implementation of requirements** (1) **In general** — Not later than 1 year after August 8, 2005, the Administrator and each agency head shall take such actions as are necessary to implement fully all procurement requirements and incentives in effect as of August 8, 2005 (including guidelines under [section 6962 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section6962&num=0&edition=prelim)) that provide for the use of cement and concrete incorporating recovered mineral component in cement or concrete projects. (2) **Priority** — In carrying out paragraph (1), an agency head shall give priority to achieving greater use of recovered mineral component in cement or concrete projects for which recovered mineral components historically have not been used or have been used only minimally. (3) **Federal procurement requirements** — The Administrator and each agency head shall carry out this subsection in accordance with [section 6962 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section6962&num=0&edition=prelim). **(c) Full implementation study** (1) **In general** — The Administrator, in cooperation with the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Energy, shall conduct a study to determine the extent to which procurement requirements, when fully implemented in accordance with subsection (b), may realize energy savings and environmental benefits attainable with substitution of recovered mineral component in cement used in cement or concrete projects. (2) **Matters to be addressed** — The study shall— (A) quantify— (i) the extent to which recovered mineral components are being substituted for Portland cement, particularly as a result of procurement requirements; and (ii) the energy savings and environmental benefits associated with the substitution; (B) identify all barriers in procurement requirements to greater realization of energy savings and environmental benefits, including barriers resulting from exceptions from the law; and (C) (i) identify potential mechanisms to achieve greater substitution of recovered mineral component in types of cement or concrete projects for which recovered mineral components historically have not been used or have been used only minimally; (ii) evaluate the feasibility of establishing guidelines or standards for optimized substitution rates of recovered mineral component in those cement or concrete projects; and (iii) identify any potential environmental or economic effects that may result from greater substitution of recovered mineral component in those cement or concrete projects. (3) **Report** — Not later than 30 months after August 8, 2005, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report on the study. **(d) Additional procurement requirements** Unless the study conducted under subsection (c) identifies any effects or other problems described in subsection (c)(2)(C)(iii) that warrant further review or delay, the Administrator and each agency head shall, not later than 1 year after the date on which the report under subsection (c)(3) is submitted, take additional actions under this chapter to establish procurement requirements and incentives that provide for the use of cement and concrete with increased substitution of recovered mineral component in the construction and maintenance of cement or concrete projects— (1) to realize more fully the energy savings and environmental benefits associated with increased substitution; and (2) to eliminate barriers identified under subsection (c)(2)(B). **(e) Effect of section** Nothing in this section affects the requirements of [section 6962 of this title](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section6962&num=0&edition=prelim) (including the guidelines and specifications for implementing those requirements).