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As the United States staggers through another year of devastating wildfires, drought, storms, and other disasters, the infrastructure bill before Congress would pour huge resources into a response. The measure agreed on over the weekend includes billions of dollars to better prepare the country for the effects of global warming, which could be the largest investment in climate resilience in American history.
Most of the money will go to activities that are already underway but experts say the government must do more as the threats from climate change increase.
For example, the US Army Corps of Engineers will receive $11.6 billion in additional construction funding for projects such as flood control and river dredging. The Forest Service would take billions of dollars to remove combustible vegetation from the lands it manages in its efforts to make wildfires less damaging.
Other funding will go towards new approaches. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will receive $492 million to map and predict inland and coastal flooding, including “next generation water modeling activities.” NOAA would also receive $50 million to predict, model and predict wildfires.
The Department of Transportation would pay states to remove highways from flood-prone areas. The Environmental Protection Agency will pay communities to relocate drinking water infrastructure at risk from flooding or other extreme weather conditions.
It’s not just infrastructure that will be moved. The bill will provide $216 million to the Bureau of Indian Affairs for climate resilience and adaptation to tribal nations. disproportionately hurt with climate change. More than half of that money, $130 million, would go to “community relocation,” which removed groups of Native Americans from vulnerable areas.
In other cases, the bill aims to protect the most vulnerable Americans, not by moving them, but by ensuring they receive a larger share of federal money.
The legislation includes $3.5 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reduce damage from flooding. It specifically authorizes FEMA to give some of that money to those with high scores on the “social vulnerability index,” an indicator that reflects poverty levels, the share of racial minorities, and other measures.
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