Blog: Learn about the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)
Overview
Passed by bipartisan votes in both the Senate (69-30) and the House (228-206), and signed into law on Monday, November 15, 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) is a transformative investment. It covers funding authorizations for our nation’s roads, bridges, highways, drinking and clean water infrastructure, internet access, electrical grid and transmission system, and wildlife crossing and natural infrastructure projects. It also includes notable provisions to remediate and reclaim abandoned coal mines, orphaned oil and gas wells, and Superfund sites, improve forest conditions to lessen the impacts of wildfires and better protect communities, and restore ecosystems on public and private land.
The IIJA is a bipartisan $1.2 trillion legislative package, with $650 billion of that amount paid for by existing trust funds that are automatically raised through existing taxes. That means that $550 billion is new infrastructure spending over 5 years, which includes $47 billion for new climate resilience initiatives—the largest federal investment yet to address the climate crisis.
The $550 billion of new infrastructure funding will be paid for by about $210 billion in repurposed funding from economic relief programs like unemployment benefits, small business loans, disaster relief funds, and administration of these programs, and $337 billion in other offsets.1,2
What will it cover?
The IIJA will not only modernize and fix our existing infrastructure, but it will also improve resiliency against the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events with key investments to protect against droughts, heat, floods, and wildfires. Some of what it will pay for includes enhancements to:
Roads, bridges, and major highway projects
Public transportation like rail and electric buses
Airports, ports, waterways, electric vehicles, road safety, grid modernization, and broadband internet
What we’re excited about:
The IIJA will deliver the largest investments to date in:
Strengthening water systems, delivering clean water to all American families and eliminating lead service lines across the country.
Tackling legacy pollution by cleaning up Superfund and brownfield sites, reclaiming abandoned mines, and capping orphaned oil and gas wells.
Ensuring every American has access to reliable high-speed internet.
Upgrading our power infrastructure to deliver clean, reliable energy and deploying cutting-edge energy technology to achieve a zero-emissions future.
Building a national network of electric vehicle chargers (EV chargers) and improving transportation options for millions of Americans, investing in the passenger rail and reducing greenhouse emissions.
Repairing and rebuilding our roads and bridges with a focus on climate change mitigation, resilience, equity, and safety for all users.
How does it relate to the Build Back Better Act?
The IIJA works in tandem with the Build Back Better Act to deliver the improvements necessary to curb the impacts of the climate crisis, rebuild our economy, and protect the health of our communities and our public lands. Like two puzzle pieces completing a larger picture, the Build Back Better Act will strengthen and add on to the foundation of the IIJA.
How the pieces fit together:
An Electric Vehicle Future
Infrastructure Bill: $7.5 billion to build a national network of 500k electric vehicle (EV) chargers.
Build Back Better Act: $12.5 billion for grants and loans that support domestic auto manufacturing, clean heavy-duty vehicles, and zero-emissions vehicle infrastructure, as well as $9 billion for electrifying the federal and U.S. Postal Service vehicle fleets.
Clean, Efficient & Reliable Energy for the American Household
Infrastructure Bill: $65 billion: Upgrade our power infrastructure to deliver clean, reliable energy across the country. Power outages cost the U.S. economy up to $70 billion annually, and impact millions of Americans. This power upgrade is the largest investment in clean energy transmission and grid modernization in American history.
Build Back Better Act: Extends and expands clean energy tax credits to invest more than $300 billion to support clean energy investments and deployment, improve energy efficiency. These incentives will not only reduce carbon pollution but also save the average American family hundreds of dollars per year in energy costs.
In Summary
The IIJA makes history as a significant investment to address the climate crisis by enhancing our existing infrastructure to make it resilient against climate change. This means that water systems, roads, bridges, power infrastructure, public transit, and railway systems would receive much needed updates to create safe, efficient, and climate-friendly solutions. Additionally, it would address pollution, build a national network of electric vehicle chargers, and deploy cutting-edge energy technology to achieve a zero-emissions future.
While this is a great first step, more needs to be done to ensure the protection and health of our communities and landscapes.
The passing of the IIJA sets a precedent for prioritizing the protection of our communities, health, and connections to nature. We must now unite in our advocacy for the change that we desperately need as we push Congress to pass a robust Build Back Better Act to finish the job!
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