Compromise can take time. And that was certainly the case with the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which passed the Senate on August 10 after several months of negotiations, led in part by members of the Roosevelt Conservation Caucus, including Sen. Rob Portman, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito. Their good faith efforts ensured the final bill combined the best ideas from both sides of the aisle. As a result, the package represents a smart plan that provides a down payment on America’s long-neglected core infrastructure in a way that will boost and sustain our economy.
As ConservAmerica noted earlier in the process, spending big doesn’t necessarily equal spending smart. We need to be sensitive to the recent economic downturn caused by the pandemic, cognizant of saddling future generations with insurmountable debt, and focus on removing obstacles to incentivize private sector investment and involvement.
Fortunately, with input from many stakeholders, the final package strikes a good balance and ConservAmerica is pleased to see many constructive provisions included in the final package. Those include:
A bipartisan surface transportation bill that was approved unanimously by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, spearheaded by Sen. Capito, which will upgrade highways, roads, and bridges.
Funding to restore Abandoned Mine Lands and to reclaim mines with the goal of restoring habitat for important wildlife species.
The bipartisan Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act, which makes a significant investment in improving the nation’s drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.
Improving the resiliency and reliability of the electric grid and reducing permitting challenges.
Supporting investment in commonsense technologies that address carbon capture and storage to reduce carbon emissions
Improving the timeliness and efficiency for the permitting of critical mineral projects.
Infrastructure improvements for nuclear energy, including directing the Department of Energy to develop a report on the feasibility of nuclear energy to meet resilience and carbon reduction goals.
Authorizing funding to improve infrastructure that is owned and maintained by the National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Army Corps of Engineers.
Restoring our national forests by removing the cap on the Reforestation Trust Fund, which will help the U.S. Forest Service reduce their 1.3 million acres planting backlog.
Taking a step towards reforming the antiquated National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by making permanent a bipartisan ‘Permitting Improvement Steering Council.”
Reauthorizing the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund, which provides funding to state fish and wildlife agencies for local fish habitat conservation as well as access for boating and fishing.
Improving and restoring aquatic organism habitat connectivity by providing a competitive grant program to repair culverts to restore fish passage.
Investing in electric vehicle infrastructure and providing incentives to curb carbon emissions.
ConservAmerica commends the final bipartisan compromise, which addresses the overwhelming need for investment in the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities needed for our country to remain competitive. While we are mindful of and take seriously the potential inflationary pressures that can be exacerbated by government funding, on the whole, we believe the benefits of this legislation outweigh the negatives. It addresses critical infrastructure needs in a way that looks after taxpayer resources, and it proves that protecting the environment and encouraging a healthy economy can be achieved in a bipartisan way.
While the House of Representatives kept us all waiting, we are pleased it was able to come together to pass the Senate’s bipartisan infrastructure bill on November 5. ConservAmerica looks forward to seeing these provisions set into motion with the President’s signature.