Full Title: Administrative Pathways to a Federal Buy Clean Program
Author(s): Ruth Cox, John Milko
Publisher(s): Third Way
Publication Date: August 13, 2021
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
The United States is facing tremendous challenges due to a confluence of events, including the COVID pandemic, the consequences of climate change and the resulting economic impacts. The Biden Administration has a unique opportunity to leverage the power of public procurement to Build Back Better and strengthen U.S. manufacturers by implementing a Federal Buy Clean Program. This program would require all federally funded infrastructure projects to consider the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions generated, and where appropriate the energy efficiency of specific plants, in the manufacture of the materials they purchase and preferentially award contracts to manufacturers whose production methodologies yield a lower GHG footprint.
The purpose of this document is to propose pathways for the Executive Branch of the government to successfully initiate a Federal Buy Clean Program based on existing statutory law and Executive Orders and to provide guidance on creation of new laws or EO’s to strengthen Federal Buy Clean efforts. Proposed administrative actions would focus on high-value, high-embodied carbon construction materials used in infrastructure projects such as steel, concrete, asphalt and plate glass.