Tracking Implementation Of The U.S. Infrastructure Bill

President Joe Biden traveled to the Pittsburgh area last week to discuss implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), the multi-billion dollar physical infrastructure bill that Congress approved and he signed into law last fall. While the president was on Air Force One, a bridge in the Pittsburgh area collapsed.

The tragic event, where 10 people were injured, highlights just how desperately communities need the IIJA investment. As CNN reported, President Biden noted, “More than 3,300 bridges across Pennsylvania and over 7,500 miles of highway are in poor condition.” He said Pennsylvania would get $1.6 billion from the IIJA alone to repair bridges.

The Metals Service Center Institute supported passage of the IIJA, and is working to help member companies track its implementation.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has created a new website, www.LetsRebuildAmerica.com, that will provide the latest updates on funding, and how each state will be impacted by the IIJA. Tiber Creek Group, a Washington-based government relations group, also has assembled a tracker to help monitor funding announcements and implementation updates for the IIJA. View the tracker here.

As the USCC website explains, the IIJA includes billions of dollars for projects that will use industrial metals, including:

• $91 billion for transit, including $69.9 billion for transit formula programs and $21.3 billion for Capital Investment Grants and certain formula programs.
• $66 billion for passenger rail systems, including Amtrak.
• $20 billion for airports, including terminal improvements, multimodal transport, and traffic-control infrastructure.
• $500 million to build energy efficient schools.

If adopted by states, provisions in the IIJA also would help reduce project delays and improve project delivery, including:

• Establishing a two-year limit for environmental review to drive timely decisions.
• Improving coordination between agencies by designating a lead agency and single, joint environmental document.
• Promoting use of categorical exclusions for projects without significant environmental effects.

Stay tuned to Connecting the Dots for more information as implementation of this important law continues.