BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                     AB 812
                                                                    Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   January 9, 2012

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION
                               Bonnie Lowenthal, Chair
                     AB 812 (Ma) - As Amended:  January 12, 2012

           SUBJECT  :  Solid waste: recycled asphalt

           SUMMARY  :  Allows the California Department of Transportation 
          (Caltrans) to establish specifications for the use of up to 40% 
          reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) for hot asphalt mixes on or 
          before January 1, 2014 and requires Caltrans to report to the 
          Legislature regarding the progress toward developing and 
          implementing the specification on or before March 1, 2016.  

           EXISTING LAW  :  

          1)Requires Caltrans to use recycled materials unless it 
            determines that the use of these materials is not cost 
            effective.  

          2)Defines "recycled materials" to include, but not be limited 
            to, recycled asphalt, crushed concrete sub-base, foundry slag, 
            ash, glass, glassy aggregates, and paving materials utilizing 
            crumb rubber from automobile tires.  

          3)Requires state agencies to make maximum use of recycled 
            products.  

           FISCAL EFFECT  :  Unknown 

           COMMENTS  :  According to the author, the intent of this bill is 
          to encourage increased use of recycled materials, thereby 
          increasing conservation of natural resources.  
           
           RAP (the term given to reprocessed materials containing asphalt 
          pavement) is created when asphalt pavements are crushed, 
          screened, and recoated with a binder before being re-applied as 
          pavement.  

          In discussions on this bill last year, Caltrans committed to the 
          author to "fast track" completion of a specification allowing 
          for the use of up to 25% RAP in surface paving projects 
          following the release of a study by the California State 
          Polytechnic University, Pomona in June 2011.  Caltrans released 








                                                                     AB 812
                                                                    Page  2

          the draft specification on October 27, 2011 and it is now in 
          use.  

          Caltrans will be further testing the specification in the coming 
          year in anticipation of increasing the allowable percentage of 
          RAP up to 40%, where applicable, by January 1, 2014.  This bill 
          simply codifies Caltrans' efforts in this regard.  The bill also 
          requires Caltrans to report to the Legislature on their progress 
          toward the development of the specification no later than March 
          1, 2016.  

          REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:   

          Support:

          Association of General Contractors
          California Construction and Industrial Material Association 
          (Sponsor)
          CalPortland Construction Company
          BoDean Company
          Engineering & Utility Contractors Association 
          Lehigh Hanson Heidelberg cement Group
          Sierra Club California
          Southern California Contractors Association
          Teichert Aggregates

          Opposition:

          None on file

           
          Analysis Prepared by  :   Victoria Alvarez / TRANS. / (916) 
          319-2093