HOUSE MEMORIAL 6

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2009

INTRODUCED BY

Jeff Steinborn

A MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO CREATE A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE USE OF RUBBERIZED ASPHALT ON STATE ROAD PAVING PROJECTS.

     WHEREAS, the rubber manufacturers association reports that, on average, one scrap tire is generated per New Mexican each year, which represents approximately two million tires requiring proper disposal annually; and

     WHEREAS, the department of environment reports that discarded tires are found in large numbers in landfills, in land reclamation programs or in illegal dumps throughout New Mexico, and they present a disposal problem; and

     WHEREAS, the department of environment reports that because there are no end-market processing companies in New Mexico that accept tires for recycling, a number of tires are sent out of state for resale, to landfills or to make tire-derived fuel; and

     WHEREAS, the department of environment reports that the development of recycling end-markets within New Mexico would provide for sustainable environmental practice, decreased material transportation costs and local economic benefits; and

     WHEREAS, if a certain percentage of rubberized asphalt were used in state paving projects, this would provide a market for a crumb-rubber manufacturer to locate in New Mexico, thus supplying New Mexico's recycling and solid waste facilities with a consumer for their tires; and

     WHEREAS, the Arizona department of transportation has used crumb rubber for nineteen years in highway paving projects and has found crumb rubber to be beneficial in decreasing road maintenance, in giving road surfaces longer life spans, in reducing cracking and in reducing costs; and

     WHEREAS, the Arizona department of transportation has found that crumb rubber works in a variety of climates and reduces construction time periods; and

     WHEREAS, the use of crumb rubber from recycled tires in Arizona department of transportation highway paving projects has been found to reduce noise by seventy-eight percent, allowing the potential of reducing sound wall requirements and increasing the quality of life for surrounding residents; and

     WHEREAS, the transportation departments of the states of Arizona, Florida, California and Texas routinely specify that rubberized asphalt be used for road overlays; and

     WHEREAS, the New Mexico department of transportation currently has a test strip of rubberized asphalt near Alamogordo on highway 54;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the department of transportation be requested to create a task force to study rubberized asphalt, analyzing the costs and benefits of using rubberized asphalt from recycled tires for state paving projects; the appropriate specifications of rubberized asphalt for use on state paving projects; and the environmental impact of using rubberized asphalt; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force be composed of representatives from the department of transportation, the department of environment, the economic development department, local governments, highway paving contractors, the rubberized asphalt industry and any other individuals or organizations that the department of transportation deems appropriate to provide expertise for the purpose of analyzing the costs and benefits of using rubberized asphalt from recycled tires for state paving projects; the appropriate specifications of rubberized asphalt for use on state paving projects; and the environmental impact of using rubberized asphalt; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force report its findings to the appropriate interim legislative committees no later than December 1, 2009; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the secretary of transportation, the secretary of environment, the secretary of economic development and the governor.

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