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A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact:

Mark Morgenstein, Director of Media Relations, markm@environmentamerica.org

With President Biden's Signature, U.S. Will Receive Vital Infrastructure Investments

Bipartisan bill will mean clean air, water and energy for all Americans.

WASHINGTON

President Joe Biden signed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law Monday, in a ceremony witnessed by a broad cross-section of Americans, including Environment America's Washington Legislative Office Executive Director Lisa Frank and Student PIRGs Political Director Dan Xie. The bill will fund historic investments across the United States including:

  • Funding to expand clean transportation options and reduce global warming pollution, including $39 billion for public transit, $7.5 billion to build a network of electric vehicle charging stations, $66 billion for rail improvement, and more than $4 billion for in nationwide grants to electrify transit vehicles
  • $2.5 billion available in nationwide grants to electrify school buses
  • $55 billion to clean up waterways, remove lead pipes, and address lead in schools' drinking water
  • $11 billion for road safety improvements, including biking and pedestrian infrastructure
  • $73 billion to strengthen the electrical grid and for energy efficiency and weatherization programs
  • $65 billion to expand reliable broadband internet access

The legislation also restores a "polluter pays" tax to fund clean-up of toxic waste sites via the Superfund program.

Environment America's President Wendy Wendlandt and U.S. PIRG's Chairman Doug Phelps issued the following statements about the bipartisan infrastructure bill:

"The infrastructure we build impacts our health and the environment for decades into the future. All Americans want clean air to breathe, clean, lead-free water to drink, and more options to get around," said Wendlandt. "But for decades, our infrastructure investments haven't reflected those values. This legislation makes needed progress in these areas. It begins to rectify the harms of past infrastructure investments by removing lead pipes and targeting investments to protect our kids from lead in school drinking water; cleaning up Superfund sites; and reconnecting wildlife habitats. Just as important, it invests in the clean transportation technologies we need to have a livable future, such as clean electric school buses and electric vehicle charging. With a stroke of his pen, President Biden has set into motion a future with cleaner air and water. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is a bipartisan landmark that will have an unprecedented impact on the United States and our environment."

"To solve social problems, we need leaders -- who don't always agree -- to set aside their differences and reach compromises on solutions," said Phelps. "This bill reflects that bipartisan spirit and takes major steps toward a cleaner and healthier America. It includes the largest-ever federal investment in public transportation. It invests in electric school buses. It reinstates one of the 'polluter pays' taxes for hazardous waste Superfund site cleanups. On its own, this investment is historic and will leave our country healthier, stronger and more resilient."

In 2020, Environment America and U.S. PIRG's research partners -- Environment America Research & Policy Center, U.S. PIRG Education Fund and Frontier Group -- released a report, Blueprint for America, calling for many of the infrastructure investments included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

With Environment America, you protect the places that all of us love and promote core environmental values, such as clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and clean energy to power our lives. We're a national network of 29 state environmental groups with members and supporters in every state. Together, we focus on timely, targeted action that wins tangible improvements in the quality of our environment and our lives.

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