ACMA filed comments aimed at ensuring the Biden Administration appropriately implements new domestic content rules under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) so that composites manufacturers can continue to supply materials for federally funded infrastructure projects.The Biden Administration released proposed guidance on using domestic materials and will soon finalize the document that will help states and municipalities determine how materials can be considered domestic and therefore eligible for federal funding.At issue are domestic content rules under the new “Build America, Buy America” provisions of the IIJA, which expand the “Buy America” provisions used by the Department of Transportation for decades. Under this new provision, iron and steel, manufactured products and construction materials must be produced in the United States. Composite building materials are included in a list of examples of plastic and polymer products in the construction materials section.To implement this aspect of the law, the Biden Administration must first determine what it means by composite building materials and how to determine a test for deciding if the product is “American.”In response to a February request for comments from the Office of Management and Budget, ACMA answered questions posed by the Biden Administration on how to define the phrase “composite building materials.”ACMA supports keeping composite building materials as a sub-category of plastic and polymer-based products. ACMA noted the difference between plastic and composites products are self-evident when examining the technical specifications, properties and uses of polymer-based products, such as vinyl siding and FRP composites.
