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What the Federal Infrastructure Package Means for Pennsylvania

November 17, 2021

Aggregated from the U.S Chamber of Commerce, PA Chamber of Business & Industry, & U.S. Senator Bob Casey

 
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, passed by Congress in early November, makes a record investment in our nation’s infrastructure, but despite its popularity, many still have questions about what exactly is in the final legislation. Some highlights of the bill are as follows:
 

The IIJA makes the biggest investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak and the single largest dedicated bridge investment since the construction of the interstate highway system.

The bipartisan infrastructure bill is 100% real infrastructure. It funds $1.2 trillion in physical infrastructure, including $550 billion in new funds for much needed investment. Here’s how it breaks down:

 

  • $387 billion (46.3%) for highways and bridges ($12.9 billion for Pennsylvania)
  • $96 billion (11.5%) for transit ($2.8 billion for Pennsylvania)
  • $66 billion (7.9%) for rail
  • $65 billion (7.7%) for broadband ($100 million for Pennsylvania)
  • $54.21 billion (6.4%) for energy grid infrastructure and technology
  • $48.4 billion (5.8%) for water and wastewater infrastructure (Replacement of 160,000 lead service lines in Pennsylvania)
  • $31.1 billion (3.7%) for western water and power, wildfire management, and dam safety
  • $26.7 billion (3.1%) for ports, maritime, and inland waterways infrastructure
  • $25 billion (3%) for aviation
  • $18.5 billion (2.2%) for economic development, public buildings, and agency operations
  • $17.9 billion (2.1%) for mine/well cleanup and environmental remediation ($3+ billion for Pennsylvania)

The infrastructure bill’s energy provisions direct funding for traditional fossil fuels and the technologies needed to capture and remove carbon emissions, as well as advanced nuclear, renewables, and batter technology. It also expands access to domestically sourced critical minerals and finances the retrofitting and “hardening” of power grids so that our communities can better withstand the impact of natural disasters. The strict 100% renewable energy mandates of the Green New Deal are NOT a part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act

The bipartisan infrastructure bill repurposes existing reserves of more than $225 billion from unused unemployment insurance and unused COVID aid to finance projects in the bill.

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