The President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal Creates Investments in Addressing Climate Change, Public Health and More

Creating jobs across the country is one of the main goals.

• By Shereen Hashem
• Nov 09, 2021

Overnight, the U.S. House of Representatives joined the U.S. Senate in passing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, unlocking billions of dollars to “address climate change and protect American communities from pollution,” according to a press release.

Legislation is directing the country towards achieving the President’s climate goals, marking the largest investment in water that the federal government has ever made, investing billions of dollars in cleaning up longstanding pollution in communities across the country and advancing a more equitable nation.

“On his first day in office, President Biden committed to acting on climate change, cleaning up pollution, and creating good-paying jobs in the process. He is delivering on those promises with bipartisan action,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “For far too long, communities across the country have struggled with environmental challenges. I have traveled the country visiting overburdened communities to better understand their plight. I’ve talked to moms whose children have been exposed to lead in drinking water, and advocates that have been fighting to eliminate long-standing pollution in their backyards. Finally, these communities have been heard. Now we deliver billions of dollars of new investments into programs and services that will make people’s lives better.”

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal makes historic investments in key programs and initiatives implemented by EPA, including:

• More than $50 billion for clean water projects, the single largest federal investment in water ever made. With these funds, EPA will take action to address the six to 10 million lead service lines still in the ground across the country, the threat of PFAS pollution facing communities and protections for critical water bodies that are important to communities and the economy.

• More than five billion dollars for cleaning up longstanding pollution at Superfund and Brownfields sites and for making improvements to waste management and recycling systems, helping to restore the economic vitality of communities that have been exposed to pollution for far too long.

• Five billion dollars for decarbonizing the nation’s school bus fleet, improving air quality for more than 25 million children who ride the bus to school each day.

• $100 million for the Pollution Prevention Program, including the launch of a new program focused on delivering environmental justice, which will help businesses reduce toxic pollutants, cut water usage, improve efficiency and lower business costs, while better protecting the communities they serve.

In the upcoming weeks and months, EPA will provide additional information on the impact of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, including how resources will be directed and how the public can access them. Click here for more information on the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal, including a breakdown of EPA funding by appropriations account.