I responded to a tweet from Senator Sinema today about the ‘Infrastructure Bill.’ She was ‘bragging’ on how much it will help Arizona (game changer, she said).
Senator Sinema, Be very specific about what it does - people are hearing generalities and don't believe Congress anymore. Ask the next five non-party people you see what is in the 1T dollar plan - bet you $100 no one can list. (BTW, I am impressed so far with this senator - she wades in, is action-oriented, and is willing to buck her caucus - we need more like her regardless of party.
Quick Survey:
Can you tell me what is in the bill? An answer of ‘fixing bridges and roads’ is not enough. Why do most of us not understand what is in the bill?
Deliberate obfuscation by Democrats or the Media?
Too complex
Don’t care….
If it uses the word, infrastructure, it has to be good….
The Bill contains (partially stolen from Investopedia):
The 2,702-page bipartisan bill, which has not changed, contains just $550 billion in new spending (the original proposal was for 2.6T$). The $1.2 trillion figure some use includes additional funding usually allocated each year for highways and other infrastructure projects (deceptive labeling at best).
I have included percentages so you can classify size easier - most journalism students stay as far away from math as possible.
$110 billion for roads and bridges (20% of the 550 billion).
construction and repair,
pay for transportation research at universities,
funding for Puerto Rico’s highways, and
“congestion relief” in American cities.
$66 billion for railroads. (12%) Funding includes upgrades and maintenance of America’s passenger rail system and freight rail safety, but nothing for high-speed rail.
$66 billion to improve the rail service’s Northeast Corridor (457 miles) and other routes. Amtrak is dying, but we continue to fund it - it only has one successful route - The Northeast Corridor that our politicians love.
$65 billion for the power grid. (12%) The bill would fund updates to power lines and cables and provide money to prevent hacking of the power grid. Clean energy funding is also included.
$65 billion for broadband. (12%) Includes funding to expand broadband in rural areas and low-income communities. Approximately $14 billion (21%) of the total would help reduce Internet bills for low-income citizens.
$55 billion for water infrastructure. (10%) This funding includes $15 billion for lead pipe replacement, $10 billion for chemical cleanup, and money to provide clean drinking water in tribal communities.
$15 billion to replace lead pipes
$47 billion for cybersecurity and climate change (8.5%). The Resilience Fund will protect infrastructure from cybersecurity attacks and address flooding, wildfires, coastal erosion, and droughts along with other extreme weather events.
$39 billion for public transit (7%). Funding here provides for upgrades to public transit systems nationwide. The allocation also includes money to create new bus routes and help make public transit more accessible to seniors and disabled Americans.
$25 billion for airports (4.5%). This allocation provides funding for major upgrades and expansions at U.S. airports. Air traffic control towers and systems would receive $5 billion of the total for upgrades.
$21 billion for the environment. (3.8%) These monies would be used to clean up superfund and brownfield sites, abandoned mines, and old oil and gas wells.
$17 billion for ports. (3%) Half of the funds in this category would go to the Army Corps of Engineers for port infrastructure. Additional funds would go to the Coast Guard, ferry terminals, and reduction of truck emissions at ports.
$5.15 billion for port and inland waterway navigational projects and
$4 billion for operations and maintenance
earmark $25 million for so-called marine highways plied by container-on-barge service, and
Provide $400 million in entirely new grants for ports to reduce truck emissions.
So, we can’t get enough truck drivers to go to the ports, and now we will reduce this due to increased emission standards. There is nothing here that resolves massive port backups in California.
$11 billion for safety. (2%) Appropriations address highway, pedestrian, pipeline, and other safety areas. I thought we shut down the pipelines ….
$8 billion for western water infrastructure (1.4%). Ongoing drought conditions in the country's western half will be addressed through investments in water treatment, storage, and reuse facilities.
The plan would provide $1.15 billion for improving water storage and transport infrastructures such as dams and canals.
$1 billion would be dedicated for water projects in rural areas, where aging water treatment facilities and infrastructure are often in need of repair.
Groundwater storage projects, which replenish underground aquifers that aren’t vulnerable to evaporation, would also get funding.
$1 billion would go toward projects that recycle wastewater for household and industrial use. Are states and local governments ready to hand over control of water infrastructure?
About $800 million would fund improvements and repairs at dams used for drinking water, irrigation, flood control, and hydropower. The bill would provide $300 million for drought measures, such as conservation and storage projects, to maintain water levels at the Colorado river’s reservoirs and prevent additional water cuts.
$7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging stations (1.3%). The Biden administration asked for this funding to build significantly more charging stations for electric cars across the nation (Private companies have in total spent 5B$ - this would double the number of charging stations assuming they are as efficient as private companies). So, the government is going into the gas station business - this is going to be interesting. Will they charge to break even, make a profit to fund climate change, or will it be ‘free’? Note that private companies are staying out of this business right now as EV penetration remains 1-3% and government subsidies are at risk. The potential of a mileage tax (see below) doesn’t help. Suggest they ask Pemex in Mexico for help….they have done this for a long time.
$7.5 billion for electric school buses (1.3%). With an emphasis on bus fleet replacement in low-income, rural, and tribal communities, this funding is expected to allow those communities to convert to zero-emission buses. An electric bus costs $400K, a diesel, $200K. What will school districts do with their old buses? I suspect they will go to Mexico, where they will pollute even more due to poor maintenance - the same thing happens with our Semi-trucks while we (US) claim that we are reducing pollutants.
Directs DOT to establish a pilot program to demonstrate a national motor vehicle per-mile user fee to restore and maintain the long-term solvency of the Highway Trust Fund (maintenance of system). This is a tax on the unintended consequences of electric vehicles and increased mileage of nasty combustion engines - they are both paying significantly less tax than they did years ago, and it is reducing money in Highway Trust funds. This is a tax increase masquerading as an infrastructure improvement. Prediction: We will soon drive in cars that track our mileage and report it to the government. Any ideas on how to get around this?
Yes, Tax increases are included - but let’s call them fees, which seems friendlier. We don’t often look at regulatory changes as a tax, but it often behaves just as it was one - if so, what is the difference?
The mandates would include new regulatory and administrative requirements for Amtrak and rail passenger carriers and railcar manufacturers;
new vehicle safety standards for cars, limousines, and commercial vehicles;
Requirements for commercial vehicle and car manufacturers to install equipment using specific new technology.
They also would extend the collection period for certain coal-mining reclamation fees
renew certain fees to be paid for merchandise and by passengers entering the country
Increase certain fees collected by the Federal Communications Commission.
Increase fees paid by companies that transport hazardous materials.
Trivia or just interesting;The Republican states that ended the federal support of unemployment benefits early have given the Democrats a pot of unspent money that will be used to fund this bill partially.
Summary: I predict that only a few subsets of these plans will be completed before the midterm elections. These complex projects (not shovel-ready) will require years of study and analysis/feedback by multiple affinity groups, including climate, race, and union influences. Regulations and ‘tax increases’ may be completed in weeks btw.
Great reporting,Lee. Thanks for the time spent. Maybe you should run for congress ... or at least become a congressional aide ;) .