Following the IIJA: Construction Dive's infrastructure act news roundup

As news about the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act continues to evolve, Construction Dive will be tracking the latest developments here each week. Read on for stories about IIJA-funded projects, new guidance from the White House and more.

May 17, 2022

• Six months after the infrastructure law passed, the White House said there are 4,300 projects in the pipeline and more than $110 billion in funding has been announced. This fiscal year $52.5 billion went to federal highways and $20.5 billion to transit while bridges, rural roads, airports and marine ports got billions more. (AP News)
• The EPA on Friday announced an additional $1.9 billion in State Revolving Funds to accelerate water infrastructure projects in 2022. The money can be used to modernize aging wastewater infrastructure, for water reuse and recycling, and stormwater projects. (Water World)
• On Monday the DOT opened the application process for $1 billion in grants for street safety projects that help prevent traffic deaths and injuries. (Mass Transit)
• The EPA on Thursday awarded $254.5 million in brownfield grants to 265 communities to help them clean up sites which contain pollutants and hazardous substances such as asbestos or lead. There are 450,000 such sites across the U.S., per the EPA. (CNN) 
• On Friday the DOT’s Federal Rail Administration created a new Corridor Identification and Development program to transform the U.S. passenger rail system. The program will establish a pipeline of rail projects ready for funding in an effort to get them finished faster. (DOT)
• Georgia will get $8.9 billion for highway construction and $1.4 billion for public transportation over five years. Atlanta just received $45 million; the city plans to spend it on charging stations for electric vehicles, road-widening, gas-powered buses and transit projects. (Roads and Bridges)
• Local governments and transportation agencies must come up with funds to match the infrastructure act’s $40 billion for transit projects. This could be a challenge, as many transit agencies have seen ridership and fare revenue plummet with the pandemic. (Governing)
• The federal government plans to hire about 8,000 people to implement the IIJA, including contracting officers, grants managers and data scientists, according to a White House Office of Management and Budget memo. (Logistics Management)

May 10, 2022

• The DOT’s Maritime Administration announced Monday that up to $684.3 million is now available for Port Infrastructure Development Program grants, $450 million of which is from the infrastructure act. The grants aim to improve the safety, efficiency and reliability of the movement of goods around a port. This is a record amount of annual funding for the PIDP program. (MarineLink)
• Mountain communities hope the infrastructure act will fund abandoned mine cleanup and other restoration efforts, and create green jobs in the process. The IIJA contains $11.3 billion for abandoned mine reclamation. (Ohio Valley Resource)
• The Department of Energy announced last week a $2.25 billion effort to accelerate carbon capture technologies. It wants to build geologic carbon storage projects capable of storing at least 50 million metric tons of captured CO2. (Daily Energy Insider)
• The IIJA already allocated $1.1 billion for South Florida ecosystem projects, and Floridians hope they will receive more federal funds for the Everglades Agricultural Area reservoir. (TCPalm)
• Transportation Secretary Pete Buttegieg highlighted the benefits of the IIJA in Cleveland on Thursday and toured a downtown transit hub. (Cleveland 19 News)

May 3, 2022

• The White House released new guidance on Friday on how agencies can ensure “accountability, effectiveness and transparency” in implementing the infrastructure act. It provides direction on using data to design programs, reporting on awards, collaborating with various levels of government and more. (Government Executive)
• $6.4 billion is heading to states over five years to reduce carbon emissions through infrastructure projects, the Federal Highway Administration announced. The Carbon Reduction Program funds public transportation corridors, low-carbon pavement and more. (Equipment World)
• The Department of Labor has released a compliance toolkit to help construction workers understand their rights and inform employers about their legal obligations. It also launched a website to help contractors understand Davis-Bacon Act worker protections for projects created by the infrastructure act. (Department of Labor)
• Pennsylvania transit systems are set to get $690 million from the IIJA, though inflation, high gas prices and rising health insurance costs for workers are eating away at its potential impact. (WESA)
• Maryland and other area states have received the first batch of funds for Chesapeake Bay restoration via the EPA. The act includes $238 million over the next five years for the effort. (Maryland Matters)
• Wisconsin Republicans have blocked infrastructure act funds from being used for bicycle, pedestrian and trail projects. (Planetizen)
• On Monday the Department of Energy announced $3.16 billion to boost domestic battery manufacturing and recycling in an effort to support the transition to electric vehicles.  (Electrek)
• The FAA is investing $1 billion, the first of a $5 billion sum, to update air traffic control systems. It will be used to repair or replace hundreds of buildings and equipment. (Transportation Today

April 26, 2022

• The Federal Highway Administration announced the Carbon Reduction Program Thursday, which unlocks $6.4 billion in formula funding for states and localities over five years to help them develop carbon reduction strategies and build bus and bike infrastructure, EV charging capacity and more. (FHWA) 
• AECOM has expanded its Digital AECOM offering to help U.S. clients compete for infrastructure act funding and meet the grant requirements and federal Justice40 Initiative commitments. (Financial Post)
• Flush with IIJA money, the federal pot of funding for surface transportation has grown significantly for FY 2022 and will likely climb in 2023. (Construction Equipment Guide) 
• How will we know if the infrastructure act is working? Several experts gave their take on how the rollout is going and how to best measure its efficacy. (Protocol)
• Mayor Eric Adams’ administration is preparing for New York City to receive an influx of infrastructure act money. A city official said the law funds more than 350 programs, including many new ones. (Gotham Gazette) 
• The Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is the city’s first project to receive money from the IIJA, and will cover $194 million for construction of the $260 million cross-field taxiway linking the north and south airfields. (AZ Big Media) 
• President Joe Biden drummed up enthusiasm about the law in Portland, Oregon, on Thursday, highlighting funds for airport upgrades in particular. Oregon is expected to receive about $4.5 billion over the next five years. (Statesman Journal)

April 19, 2022

• The Department of Energy is looking for public input on how to improve building energy codes with $225 million in IIJA funds, with the goal of driving more efficient and resilient buildings. (DOE) 
• Flood-prone cities on the Gulf Coast and along the Mississippi River are eager to receive infrastructure act funds to fortify locks, levees and more. However, small cities fear missing out on the federal help. (Associated Press)
• Louisiana will get another $82 million this year to improve bridges. (Shreveport Times) That’s in addition to the $202 million it was already set to receive from the IIJA. (The Advocate)
• South Carolina will get $71 million to improve transit. (WIS-10 TV)
• The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials sent the DOT a 30-page paper with suggestions on how to implement the infrastructure act, and reiterated their willingness to partner with the agency. (Roads & Bridges) 
• Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg visited Tell City, Indiana, last Wednesday to hype bridge and pier upgrades possible through the IIJA. (Courier Press) He also discussed the short- and long-term impacts of the legislation, and pitfalls to implementation such as supply chain backlogs and inflation. (KMPH) 
• President Joe Biden talked about fixing roads and bridges while promoting the act in Enlo, Iowa, last Tuesday. (Iowa Agriculture Business Radio Network) Today he plans to discuss supply chains and more in New Hampshire. (Press Herald)

April 12, 2022

• USDOT will receive $20 billion to shore up and modernize transit in 2022, the Biden administration announced Wednesday. This represents a 58% increase over the agency’s 2021 budget, and is broken up into several buckets. (Transportation Today)
• The Biden administration launched a tour of Alaska, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Washington and West Virginia on Monday in an effort to promote infrastructure in rural areas. It also released the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Rural Playbook, which breaks down funding opportunities for state, local and tribal governments. (Roads and Bridges)
• Some state officials and environmental advocates are concerned that the EPA is disbursing money for lead pipe removal based on an outdated study that doesn’t consider how many dangerous pipes each state has, which could shortchange areas that need assistance. (Route-Fifty)
• Amtrak’s Office of the Inspector General identified four key challenges in the agency’s effort to modernize and expand service: demonstrating fiscal responsibility, finding enough workers to carry out projects, collaborating effectively with partners and improving project and program management. Amtrak is set to receive at least $22 billion from the IIJA. (Railway Age) 
• Ohio is set to receive $1 billion in transit formula funding over the next five years, $259 million of which has been released for this year. Sen. Sherrod Brown said he wants some of the money to improve the state’s large bridges. (The Courier) 
• The Little Rock District of the Army Corps of Engineers will receive $168.5 million for its civil works program to fund upkeep of Arkansas' parks, reservoirs and navigation systems, as well as flood control efforts. (THV 11) 
• New Hampshire is getting $24.3 million to modernize and expand public bus and rail service. (The Laconia Daily Sun)

April 5, 2022

• The infrastructure law has nearly doubled funding for the FHWA’s Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside program — from $850 million annually to an average yearly sum of $1.44 billion over five years — for projects like pedestrian and bicycle facilities and other local initiatives. (Roads and Bridges)
• A bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill to clean up abandoned mine water pollution. The STREAM Act would allow states and tribes to set aside a portion of the abandoned mine land funding from the IIJA to treat acid mine drainage specifically. (Times Leader)
• Michigan is investing $4.7 billion to improve infrastructure, $4 billion of which is coming from the infrastructure act. The funds will go toward drinking water upgrades, improving internet access and repairing roads, bridges and dams. (Great Lakes Now)
• The Department of the Interior announced $420 million in FY 2022 for rural water projects such as pump systems, pipeline connections, reservoirs and water treatment plants in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota and South Dakota. (Water World)
• The Denver-area South Platte River Project will receive $350 million to bring hundreds of local families and some businesses out of a floodplain. The funds are coming through the U.S. Corps of Engineers, and will help expand and repair 450 acres of ecosystems along the river that have been eroded over time. (KDVR)
• Three local rural water projects in Montana will be receiving a total of $101.5 million, per the DOI. (Hi-Line Today)
• The Pittsburgh district Army Corps of Engineers received $77 million to repair the Emsworth Locks and Dam on the Ohio River. This is in addition to the $881.9 million awarded through the IIJA in January. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

March 29, 2022

• Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced Wednesday $2.9 billion in new competitive grants which can be used for road, bridge and freight projects. Localities can apply to the three separate programs with a single form. (CNBC)
• California’s B.F. Sisk Dam is the first dam safety project to receive money from the infrastructure act. The $100 million will help stabilize the dam against earthquakes in an effort to protect people living downstream. (Sierra Sun Times)
• The Biden administration announced a new $60 million grant initiative to assist flood-prone homeowners in Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, opening April 1. FEMA is managing the Swift Current initiative, which can be used for retrofits or relocating. (CNN)
• The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) received $95 million in funding for FY 2022, and expects to receive $500 million over the five-year lifetime of the law. The money will go toward infrastructure repairs and will accelerate station accessibility improvements. (Progressive Railroading)
• New Mexico is set to receive $19 million to clean up industrial waste at the Eagle Picher Battery Superfund site. Of the sum, $3 million is for soil excavation and building demolition, and $16 million is designated to treat contaminated groundwater. (Albuquerque Journal)
• USDOT would receive $37 billion in guaranteed advanced appropriations under President Joe Biden's FY 2023 budget proposal. If passed, the money would be used to shore up the nation’s ports, rail and other transit, and to expand existing and fund new grant programs. (Progressive Railroading)

March 22, 2022

• Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi visited Palm Beach, Florida, to talk about the need to repair aging infrastructure and promote the IIJA. She spoke near the George Bush drawbridge, which has been stuck in the open position since March 3. (CBS 12)
• The San Antonio International Airport will receive more than $50 million from the IIJA over the next five years to expand its capacity. The funds will go toward a baggage handling system, additional gates and a new terminal, the airport director said. (KENS 5)
• Montana will receive nearly $43 million through the infrastructure act to build out its electric vehicle charging network. The funding will initially be limited to highways that the FHWA has designated as Alternative Fuel Corridors. (KULR 8)
• The IIJA includes funds for highway removal and repurposing excess roadway capacity, including $1 billion specifically targeted to “reconnect neighborhoods cut off by historic investments.” City planners have ideas for how to spend the money. (Planetizen)
• The federal government released $1.15 billion from the infrastructure act to help states close unused oil and gas wells that release pollution and greenhouse gases. Overall, there’s $4.7 billion available over nine years to address orphan wells. (ABC News)

March 15, 2022

• Maine plans to use more than $150 million from the IIJA to modernize five land ports of entry along its border with Canada. The upgrades include new buildings and inspection facilities and improvements to traffic flow. (AP News)
• President Joe Biden hoped the infrastructure act would fund sustainable efforts like transit and climate adaptation, but governors and state DOTs have a lot of say in how the money is spent — and highway projects are still a priority. (Wall Street Journal)
• Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg went on 60 Minutes to talk about the IIJA and the future of American infrastructure with Anderson Cooper. (CBS News)
• There’s a lot of work that has to happen to get infrastructure act funds to municipalities that need it, and rural and underserved communities often lack the staff and expertise to go after it. (Arizona Public Media)
• The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority will receive about $500 million in additional capital funding over five years from the infrastructure act. (The Reporter)
• New York approved $725 million to help 13 municipalities advance critical water infrastructure projects, such as replacing lead pipes and improving wastewater treatment facilities. Some of the funds are from the IIJA. (New York State Governor’s Office)

March 8, 2022

• The U.S. departments of labor and transportation announced a partnership on March 7 to promote infrastructure jobs for underrepresented workers using IIJA funds. (U.S. Department of Labor)
• President Joe Biden spoke at UW-Superior about the expected impact of the IIJA for Wisconsin and Minnesota, including repairs for aging highways and bridges. Biden also stopped to speak with construction workers near Blatnik Bridge. (The Daily Cardinal)
• Provisions in the IIJA will alleviate supply chain bottlenecks and assist the economy, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg told a Senate panel last week. (Transport Topics)
• Top Republican lawmakers sent a letter to the White House demanding greater transparency regarding its management of the IIJA. (Washington Times)
• Corn Belt ports in Illinois, Missouri and Iowa will receive $1.24B in IIJA funds recently released by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. (Muddy River News)

March 1, 2022

• States and local communities are ramping up plans to spend the billions of dollars in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that passed last year. Here's what the law has done so far. (CNN)
• Arizona is set to receive at least $315 million from the IIJA for improvements to three ports of entry along the Mexican border to ease trade and improve border security. (Phoenix Business Journal)
• President Joe Biden's push to expand internet service by treating broadband more like a public utility is on a collision course with laws in 17 states. (Route Fifty)
• Ohio and Kentucky ask the federal government for $2 billion to fix and replace a bridge that became a symbol during the debate over the infrastructure act. (Associated Press)
• Minnesota and Wisconsin DOTs look to replace the aging bridge that crosses the St. Louis River, and hope infrastructure act funds can help. President Biden will visit Superior, Wisconsin on Wednesday to promote the law. (WPR)
• For Pennsylvania and other states, money from the infrastructure act won’t come free — localities will likely need to financially contribute to projects as well. (WLVR)

This story first appeared in Construction Dive's weekly Infrastructure publication. Sign up here to receive it every Tuesday.