U.S. EPA Press Release
On November 15, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) marked one year of progress in implementing President Biden’s historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law with the release of a new report detailing the Agency’s investments in the Nation’s infrastructure and communities. The Bipartisan Infrastructure law provides EPA with more than $60 billion over five years for a wide range of environmental programs that will bring much-needed funding to America’s water infrastructure, environmental cleanups, and clean air protections, while also advancing environmental justice and combatting climate change.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Year One Anniversary Report highlights how EPA is working with state, local, and Tribal partners to transform communities through the largest appropriation the Agency has ever received. EPA has already awarded $5.5 billion of the $14.1 billion available in FY 2022 through grants, contracts, and interagency agreements, and program implementation efforts and will continue to build on this progress in the coming year.
“EPA is committed to leveraging this once-in-a-generation investment to secure a future that is healthier, safer, and more just for all,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Over the last year, EPA has put a down payment on projects across the country that will create millions of good-paying jobs, modernize our Nation’s infrastructure, combat the climate crisis, and put us on a path to winning the 21st century. While we have our work cut out for us, the future ahead is bright and President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is allowing us to progress further and faster than ever before.”
Progress from the EPA’s first year of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) investments include:
Every financial assistance program funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is developing a strategy to ensure at least 40 percent of the funding flows to disadvantaged communities.
As part of the Build America, Buy America Act that was passed concurrently with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, EPA is working to ensure that domestically sourced iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials are used in EPA’s infrastructure projects. Through this transformational opportunity, EPA will work to build a resilient supply chain and manufacturing base for critical products in the United States that will catalyze new and long-term investments in good-paying American jobs and businesses. As a policy priority, investing in Made in America products will position the United States to compete and lead in global markets in the 21st century.
These and other first year Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding highlights, as well as expected results for future investments, can be found in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Year One Anniversary Report.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides EPA over $60 billion for a wide range of programs to be made available over five fiscal years from FY 2022 through 2026:
Of the $60 billion investment:
More than $50 billion are for clean water and drinking water projects along with other water protection programs, the single largest federal investment in clean water ever made. With these funds, EPA will make progress on President Biden’s pledge to replace within the decade the 6 to 10 million lead service lines still in the ground across the country, address the threat of PFAS pollution facing communities, and broaden efforts to protect critical water bodies that are important to communities and the economy.
More than $5 billion are for cleaning up longstanding pollution at Superfund and brownfields sites, and for improving waste management and recycling systems managed under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) to restore the economic vitality of communities that have been exposed to pollution for far too long. Additionally, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law reinstated and modified the Superfund chemical excise taxes. Funds collected through this tax will be available for EPA to use during the fiscal year after they are collected. As of September 30, 2022, the U.S. Treasury collected $413 million of these taxes, which EPA can apply towards Superfund cleanups in FY 2023. These funds are in addition to the $3.5 billion appropriated for Superfund cleanups in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
$5 billion are 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 are for the Pollution Prevention Program to increase access to safer and more sustainable products and services. A new grant opportunity will focus on delivering environmental justice by leveraging Safer Choice and Environmentally Preferable Purchasing as tools to increase assistance to businesses serving the needs of institutions and consumers in disadvantaged communities.
Visit EPA's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law page for more information.
