Title: ROCKS Act
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Rebuilding Our Communities by Keeping aggregates Sustainable Act or the ROCKS Act
This bill directs the Department of Transportation to establish a working group of federal, state, tribal, and local stakeholders to conduct a study on the regulatory and legislative improvements necessary to preserve access to covered resources and reduce the costs and environmental impacts of infrastructure projects. (Covered resources are materials used in the construction and maintenance of roads, buildings, and other facilities, including stone, sand, and gravel.)

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5117 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5117

To require the Secretary of Transportation to establish a working group 
   to conduct a study on the regulatory and legislative improvements 
  necessary to preserve access to certain construction materials and 
reduce the costs and environmental impacts of infrastructure projects, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 15, 2019

 Mr. Stanton (for himself and Mr. Balderson) introduced the following 
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
                             Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require the Secretary of Transportation to establish a working group 
   to conduct a study on the regulatory and legislative improvements 
  necessary to preserve access to certain construction materials and 
reduce the costs and environmental impacts of infrastructure projects, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Rebuilding Our Communities by 
Keeping aggregates Sustainable Act'' or the ``ROCKS Act''.

SEC. 2. WORKING GROUP ON COVERED RESOURCES.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 120 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a working group 
(in this section referred to as the ``Working Group'') to conduct a 
study on the regulatory and legislative improvements necessary to 
preserve access to covered resources for, and reduce the costs and 
environmental impacts of, infrastructure projects.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Appointment.--The Secretary shall appoint to the 
        Working Group individuals with knowledge and expertise in the 
        production and transportation of covered resources.
            (2) Representation.--The Working Group shall include at 
        least one representative of each of the following:
                    (A) The Department of the Interior.
                    (B) The United States Geological Survey.
                    (C) The Army Corps of Engineers.
                    (D) The Department of Defense.
                    (E) State agencies, including State departments of 
                transportation and State planning and geologic survey 
                and mapping agencies.
                    (F) Commercial motor vehicle operators, including 
                small business operators and operators who transport 
                covered resources.
                    (G) Covered resources producers.
                    (H) Construction contractors.
                    (I) Metropolitan and regional planning 
                organizations.
                    (J) Indian Tribes, including tribal elected 
                leadership or tribal transportation officials.
    (c) Duties.--In carrying out the study required under subsection 
(a), the Working Group shall analyze--
            (1) the use of covered resources in federally funded 
        transportation and construction projects;
            (2) how the proximity of covered resources to such projects 
        affects the cost and environmental impact of such projects;
            (3) how State, tribal, and local transportation and 
        planning agencies may consider covered resources when 
        developing transportation and construction projects; and
            (4) measures the Secretary, relevant Federal agencies, and 
        State, tribal, and local transportation and planning agencies 
        may take to preserve covered resources for future development.
    (d) Consultation.--In carrying out the study required under 
subsection (a), the Working Group shall consult with--
            (1) chief executive officers of States;
            (2) State, tribal, and local transportation and planning 
        agencies;
            (3) other relevant State, tribal, and local agencies, 
        including State agencies associated with covered resources 
        protection;
            (4) members of the public with industry experience with 
        respect to covered resources; and
            (5) any other stakeholder the Working Group determines 
        appropriate.
    (e) Reports.--
            (1) Final report.--Not later than 2 years after the date on 
        which the Working Group is established, the Working Group shall 
        submit to the Secretary and the appropriate congressional 
        committees a report that includes--
                    (A) the findings of the study required under 
                subsection (a), including a summary of the views 
                expressed by individuals and entities consulted under 
                subsection (d); and
                    (B) the regulatory and legislative changes that the 
                Working Group recommends to preserve access to covered 
                resources for, and reduce the costs and environmental 
                impacts, of infrastructure projects.
            (2) Interim report.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
        on which the Working Group is established, the Working Group 
        shall submit to the Secretary and the appropriate congressional 
        committees a report on the progress of the Working Group in 
        conducting the study required under subsection (a).
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means the Committee on 
        Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on 
        Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 
        Committee on Environment and Public Works and the Committee on 
        Appropriations of the Senate.
            (2) Covered resources.--The term ``covered resources'' 
        means common variety materials used in the construction and 
        maintenance of roads, buildings, and other facilities, 
        including stone, sand, and gravel.
            (3) Indian tribe.--The term ``Indian Tribe'' has the 
        meaning given the term ``Indian tribe'' in section 4 of the 
        Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 
        U.S.C. 5304).
            (4) Relevant federal agencies.--The term ``relevant Federal 
        agencies'' means the Department of Defense, the Department of 
        the Interior, the Army Corps of Engineers, the United States 
        Geological Survey, the General Services Administration, and any 
        other Federal entity that provides funding to purchase covered 
        resources.
            (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Transportation.
            (6) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
        States, the District of Columbia, and each territory or 
        possession of the United States.
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