The National Asphalt Pavement Association is the only trade association that exclusively represents the interests of the asphalt pavement material producer and paving contractor on the national level with Congress, government agencies, and other national trade and business organizations. NAPA supports an active research program designed to answer questions about environmental issues and to improve the quality of asphalt pavements and paving techniques used in the construction of roads, streets, highways, parking lots, airports, and environmental and recreational facilities. The Association provides technical, educational, and marketing materials and information to its members, and supplies technical information to users and specifiers of paving materials. The Association, which counts nearly 1,200 companies as its members, was founded in 1955.