Construction Groups Fret About Finding Enough US-Made Materials

Infrastructure projects funded by federal dollars will have to use American-made construction materials as of Thursday, bucking an industry plea for more time.

Responding to supply chain and cost concerns, the Transportation Department in May waived the requirements for construction materials like wood and plastic for 180 days. The waiver expires Thursday, and the department indicated it wouldn’t extend it, instead offering narrower exemptions for smaller or previously initiated projects.

Construction and contractor groups say the smaller waivers could create confusion — while quickly implementing Buy America requirements would force contractors to buy scarce and expensive materials, and could delay ...