The Portland Cement Association (PCA) applauded Reps. John Curtis (R-Utah) and Scott Peters (D-Calif.) for introducing the Providing Reliable, Objective, Verifiable Emissions Intensity and Transparency (PROVE IT) Act.
The bill is designed to provide high-quality, verifiable data to support American businesses and ensure fair competition on the global stage. It would require the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in coordination with other federal agencies, to collect official emissions data from the production of American-manufactured materials and compare them to emissions generated by competitors overseas.
Such a government initiative, noted the PCA, would bring more recognition to the sustainable, resilient building materials our cement manufacturers provide, and highlight how they are producing it in a cleaner, more environmentally conscious way.
“U.S. cement producers would welcome the passage of the PROVE IT Act, as they have invested heavily in initiatives to lower the industry’s carbon emissions and have always complied with rigorous environmental standards enforced by the DOE and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),” said the association.
The PROVE IT Act would also call attention to much needed permitting reform and help implement policies that would assist – rather than stall – U.S. cement manufacturers in reaching their goal of carbon neutrality.
A Senate version was introduced by Sens. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) and favorably marked up in the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee earlier this year.
