U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association (USTMA) effectively engaged in the FY26 appropriations process, securing multiple amendments focused on stormwater management research in both U.S. House and Senate appropriations bills.
Senate Appropriations
USTMA ensured amendments relating to 6PPD alternatives research and stormwater mitigation technology were included in the following U.S. Senate appropriations bills:
Interior
Fish and Wildlife Service: Data gaps and agency coordination (p. 33)
- 6PPD.—The Committee is concerned with the impact of 6p-phenylene-diameine (6PPD] and its transformant, 6PPD-quinone (6PPD- q), on aquatic ecosystems. Stormwater runoff containing 6PPD-q has already been linked to mass die-offs of endangered and threatened fish species across the Puget Sound and San Francisco Bay watersheds. The Committee supports the Service’s work to better understand the impacts of 6PPD and 6PPD-q on aquatic species in freshwater environments. The Committee directs the Service to continue coordinating across Federal and State agencies on 6PPD research and management and to continue to work across agencies on robust government-to-government consultation with impacted Tribes. The Service is directed to provide a briefing to the Committee within 90 days of enactment of this act on its 6PPD-related activities, including the Service’s current strategy, an overview of research work completed to date, a plan for addressing potential data gaps, recommendations for future research activities, and potential funding sources.
USGS: Support research on alternatives (p. 49)
- 6PPD.—The Committee is concerned with the impact that 6p- phenylene-diameine [6PPD] and its transformant, 6PPD-quinone [6PPD-q], are having on aquatic ecosystems. Stormwater runoff containing 6PPD-q has been linked to mass die-offs of endangered and threatened salmon across the Puget Sound and San Francisco Bay areas. The Committee supports the Survey’s research on the fate and transport of tire-wear particles, along with how 6PPD and 6PPD-q impact aquatic species in both marine and freshwater environments. The Committee directs the Survey to continue coordinating across Federal and State agencies on shared priorities, and to engage in robust government-to-government consultation with impacted Tribes. The Survey is directed to provide a report to the Committee within 90 days of enactment of this act on 6PPD-related activities, including the Survey’s current strategy, an overview of research work completed to date, a plan for addressing potential data gaps, recommendations for future research activities, and potential funding sources.
EPA: Support test methodology, data gaps, agency coordination, requirements under Lautenberg Act (p. 101-102)
6PPD-quinone.—The Committee continues to be concerned with the impact that 6p-phenylene-diameine [6PPD] and its transformant, 6PPD-quinone [6PPD-q], are having on aquatic ecosystems. The Committee supports the Agency’s work on the recent testing method, its efforts to evaluate and implement stormwater management tools, and its research of safe alternatives to 6PPD. The Committee directs the Agency to continue coordinating across Federal and State agencies on shared priorities and to engage in robust government-to-government consultation with impacted Tribes. The Agency is directed to provide a report to the Committee within 90 days of enactment of this act on 6PPD-related activities, including the Agency’s current strategy, alternatives and storm water management solutions, a plan for addressing potential data gaps, recommendations for future research activities, and potential funding sources.
Further, Congress has provided the Agency with robust tools to address the harms caused by toxic chemicals. The Committee notes the requirements under the Lautenberg Act for chemical substances that present an unreasonable risk to the environment, is encouraged by the Agency’s recent decision relating to a petition regarding 6PPD, and reminds the Agency of their obligations to uphold Tribal treaty rights.
THUD
- Permeable Pavements.—The Committee continues to encourage the Secretary to accelerate deployment of permeable pavements, including permeable pavers, to achieve flood mitigation, pollutant reduction, stormwater runoff reduction, and resilience in new road construction and retrofitting existing roads and other facilities. The Secretary is also encouraged to support the use of permeable pavements and permeable pavers in Federal lands highway projects.
FHWA: Provide $8M for stormwater mitigation technology (p. 60)
Stormwater Management.—The Committee is concerned with the impact of emerging contaminants on the environment, such as the compound N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N’-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine [6PPD] and its transformant, 6PPD-quinone. The Committee recommendation includes $8,000,000 for the FHWA to work with State DOTs and other relevant State agencies to build or implement, operate, and maintain low-cost and rapidly deployable stormwater management technologies and techniques to reduce the impacts of 6PPD and 6PPD-quinone on salmon-bearing streams. The results of this research shall be used by the FHWA to inform its stormwater policies and guidance publications. This research shall be conducted in coordination with Federal, State, and Tribal agencies engaged in relevant research, along with academia. This research shall be conducted in locations that: (1) have resident salmonid populations that have documented acute toxicity effects to the stormwater contaminant, 6PPD-quinone, and where harmful stormwater contaminants may bioaccumulate in endangered southern resident killer whales through their salmon prey; (2) provide a variety of land uses for optimizing technologies to specific transportation scenarios; (3) are available for near-term installation; and (4) provide opportunities for long-term monitoring. In conducting this research, the FHWA is directed to collaborate and consult with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service [NMFS] to ensure that NMFS will be able to directly corroborate the findings and endorse treatment alternatives with proven effectiveness. The intent of this collaboration shall be to ensure that demonstrably effective treatment alternatives identified through this research can help expedite NMFS consultations to the extent that stormwater quality is a consideration for determination.
Defense
Report on use of 6PPD in design and production of tires procured by DOD and any research on potential alternatives conducted by DOD (p. 209)
- Use of 6PPD in Tires.—The Committee directs the Secretary of Defense to submit a report, not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this act, on the use of the chemical N-(1,3- dimethylbutyl)-N’-phenyl-p-phenylenediamine [6PPD] in the design and production of tires procured by the Department of Defense. The report shall include a listing of Department of Defense initiatives, if any, researching potential alternatives to 6PPD in tire production.
Agriculture
USDA Agricultural Research Service: Provide $500K to continue alternatives research (p. 19)
- 6PPD.—The Committee is concerned with the impact that 6p- phenylene-diameine (6PPD) and its transformant, 6PPD-quinone (6PPD-q), are having on aquatic ecosystems. Stormwater runoff containing 6PPD-q has been linked to mass die-offs of endangered and threatened salmon across the Puget Sound and San Francisco Bay areas. The Committee supports the Service’s work to assess, analyze, and develop potential alternatives to 6PPD and provides no less than the fiscal year 2024 level to continue research to identify an alternative. The Committee directs ARS to continue coordinating across Federal and State agencies on shared priorities, and to engage in robust government-to-government consultation with impacted Tribes. ARS is directed to provide a report to the Committee within 90 days of enactment of this act on 6PPD-related activities, including the ARS’s current strategy, an overview of research work completed to date, a plan for addressing potential data gaps, recommendations for future research activities, and potential funding sources.
House Appropriations
USTMA also played a role in securing amendments addressing 6PPD alternatives research in these U.S. House appropriations bills:
Interior
EPA: Work with tire industry to test alternatives to 6PPD (p. 57)
- Research: Chemical Safety for Sustainability.—The Committee is aware of private sector efforts to develop potential 6PPD alternatives. The Committee supports the Agency’s work to develop the necessary testing protocol and data requirements in order to evaluate a new chemical application for a potential alternative to 6PPD. The Committee encourages the Agency to communicate these requirements to known interested manufacturers as soon as available. The Committee directs the Agency to provide a briefing not later than 60 days following the enactment of this Act on its progress to develop toxicity testing and data requirements.
Agriculture
USDA Agricultural Research Service: Provide $500K to continue alternatives research (p. 13)
- 6p-phenylene-diamine (6PPD).—The Committee provides an increase of $500,000 to continue the existing Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the domestic tire additives industry on efforts to identify and develop chemical compounds as potential 6PPD replacements, including the hiring of technical staff, acquisition of analytical equipment, and support for toxicity testing of promising chemical candidates.
NHTSA Rulemaking
Senate THUD
Directs NHTSA to provide an update on the status of this rulemaking regarding consumer tire information (p. 69-70)
Tire Standards.—In 2017, in response to E.O. 13777, Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda, the Department of Transportation issued a Federal Register notice requesting public comment on existing rules. Respondents identified tire-related regulations that were outdated, ineffective, and unnecessary, prompting NHTSA to issue an advance notice of proposed rulemaking [ANPRM] in 2019 that sought public comment on provisions contained in the Federal motor vehicle safety standards for tires. NHTSA has noted that comments to the notice will inform the agency as it considers regulatory reform aimed at reducing the regulatory burden while maintaining existing safety levels for motor vehicle tires. The Committee notes that NHTSA has not taken action to fulfill its directive under E.O. 13777 since the ANPRM was issued in 2019. The Committee directs NHTSA, within 180 days of enactment of this act, to finalize the rulemaking initiated in the ANPRM, which would support the objectives of both E.O. 13777 and E.O. 14192, Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation, issued in 2025.
In the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, Congress directed that a national tire fuel efficiency consumer information program be established to educate consumers about the safety, durability, and fuel efficiency of replacement tires. In the FAST Act, Congress directed NHTSA to promulgate regulations for tire fuel efficiency and minimum performance standards, which will be important for energy savings, dissemination of information to consumers, ensuring U.S. consumers have access to the latest tire technologies, and assuring an equal playing field for domestic tire producers. The Committee is disappointed that NHTSA has not completed this congressionally mandated rulemaking. In 2021, the IIJA required the DOT to report to Congress on why it had not completed these regulations. The report indicated that NHTSA was still collecting and analyzing data, however the agency failed to meet its own deadline to publish a proposed rule in 2024. The Committee is concerned that NHTSA is having to restart its research program for this rulemaking in order to meet the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act under 49 U.S.C. 30111, and directs NHTSA to provide a status update on this research program. The Committee also directs NHTSA to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking in accordance with the timeline set forth by the OMB’s unified agenda and regulatory plan and brief the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on a realistic timeline to complete this much-delayed rulemaking
House THUD
Directs NHTSA to provide an update on the status of this rulemaking regarding consumer tire information (p. 54)
Consumer tire standards.—In the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, Congress directed that a national tire fuel efficiency consumer information program be established to educate consumers about the safety, durability, and fuel efficiency of replacement tires. In the FAST Act, Congress directed NHTSA to promulgate regulations for tire fuel efficiency and minimum performance standards. In 2021, the IIJA required the DOT to report to Congress on why it had not completed these regulations. The report indicated that NHTSA was still collecting and analyzing data; however, they have failed to meet their own deadline to publish a proposed rule in 2024. The Committee is concerned that NHTSA is having to restart its research program for this rulemaking to meet the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act under 49 U.S.C. 30111 and directs NHTSA to provide a status update on this research program to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. The Committee also directs NHTSA to issue an NPRM in accordance with the timeline set forth by OMB’s unified agenda and regulatory plan and brief the House and Senate Committee on Appropriations within in a year of enactment of this Act on a realistic timeline to complete this much-delayed rulemaking.
Moreover, in 2025, E.O. 14192, Unleashing Prosperity Through Deregulation, directed agencies to identify 10 prior regulations for elimination for each new regulation issued. As such, the committee encourages NHTSA to complete its work and finalize the rulemaking initiated in the 2019 ANPRM (84 FR 69698) related to tirerelated regulations, within one year of enactment of this Act, to remove barriers that currently keep innovative products with enhanced performance from entering the U.S. market and to comply with E.O. 14192.