From Electric Vehicles to Resilience: Climate Action in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal | Article

July 2022 Update: In November 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) (P.L. 117-58) became law, dedicating $550 billion to more than 350 distinct programs, some of which will provide climate change adaptation and mitigation benefits. Check out EESI’s extensive list of resources and guides for understanding how and where money was allocated under the IIJA.

Infrastructure season is in full swing in the nation’s capital. But now that senators have transformed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework, affectionately known as the BIF, into legislative language, the range and amount of potential investments are coming into focus.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act would provide $550 billion in new federal spending over the next five years and create about two million jobs per year over the next decade. Much work remains on Capitol Hill to move this package from its first procedural votes in the Senate to final passage--and then on to the House of Representatives.

The Senate plans to vote on the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act before breaking for recess next week, the second week of August. Along with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and President Biden have come out in support of the deal. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has stated that she will take up the agreement after the Senate works through the separate, but related, budget reconciliation process to provide a comprehensive update to social programs.

EESI is here to help break down how some of the provisions in the legislation would reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase resilience to climate impacts; several recent EESI resources can take you on deep dives into these topics. While there is still a lot to do beyond this infrastructure deal to address climate change, the emergence of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is an encouraging sign that many legislators are ready to take climate action.

Electric vehicles, buses, and ferries: Electric vehicles (EVs) are far more energy-efficient than cars and trucks powered by internal combustion engines, and, when paired with renewable energy, are even more formidable as a climate solution. The bipartisan deal would provide $7.5 billion to accelerate the move to a low-carbon transportation sector. The proposed Electric Vehicle Charging and Fueling Grant Program would install chargers along highways and in communities, with particular emphasis on rural and disadvantaged communities. As vehicles become an integral part of the grid-edge (the interface between the grid, distributed energy, and “smart” technologies), the legislation would require the Energy Information Administration to collect data on EV-grid integration. The deal also calls for programs that create “second-life applications” for EV batteries, which could include grid energy storage.

Public transit: Public transit is itself a climate solution--reducing greenhouse gas emissions by providing an alternative to passenger vehicles. Transit agencies across the country, from California to Pennsylvania, are aggressively pursuing further emissions reductions while making their public transit systems more resilient to climate impacts. They are also the first to highlight the need for basic infrastructure improvements, which would receive the bulk of the Act’s proposed $39.15 billion investment in transit. A portion of the funding, $5.25 billion, would support the Low-No Program incentivizing transit systems to buy or lease zero- and low-emission buses and related facilities.

Modernizing the grid: A decarbonized, clean energy electricity grid is the crux of a low-carbon future. Scaling up renewable energy is one part of the challenge, and ensuring that the grid remains reliable, resilient, and ready for renewables is the other. The bill would provide $73 billion for overall power sector and grid investments, which would create the opportunity to implement much-needed upgrades, including steps like interregional transmission planning.

Resilience: With climate impacts evident across the country, integrating climate adaptation and resilience throughout infrastructure planning, implementation, and maintenance will ensure that these investments are durable. The deal carves out $46 billion for resilience, taking a broad approach that includes cybersecurity, waste management, and funding for specific geographic ecosystems. For climate resilience specifically, flood mitigation, drought, wildfire management, and pre-disaster mitigation all received attention. The deal allocates one billion dollars for Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program and $500 million to establish a resilience revolving loan fund at FEMA. Both these programs focus on proactively increasing resilience before disasters occur.

Authors: Daniel Bresette and Anna McGinn

More Resources:

Electric Vehicles

On the Move: Unpacking the Challenges and Opportunities of Electric Vehicles

Congressional Climate Camp #2: Federal Policies for High Emitting Sectors: Transportation

Electrifying Virginia’s School Bus Fleet

California Leads the Nation in Zero-Emission Trucks

Public Transit

All Aboard for Nature: Improving Outdoor Access Through Public Transportation

Q&A: Foothill Transit Team Discusses Sustainability Leadership, Federal Transportation Policy Opportunities

Briefing: The State of Play for Public Transit

By Air, Land, and Sea: Navigating the Climate Future Briefing Series Recap