The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) announced Thursday that it had adopted recommendations for implementing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The committee will now present the recommendations to EPA Administrator Michael. S. Regan. The committee had been tasked with providing input on how to implement infrastructure investments to achieve the Biden Administration’s climate and environmental justice goals while meeting the needs of local government.
“EPA is committed to maximizing the impact of this historic investment in communities across the country to cut pollution where it’s needed most, improve climate resilience, and create good-paying jobs,” Regan said. “To achieve this vision, we must depend on the wisdom and expertise of our local, state, tribal, and territorial partners. I thank the members of the LGAC for providing their thoughtful and meaningful input as EPA takes our next steps to deploy these transformational resources.”
Over the last seven weeks, the LGAC developed key recommendations, including expanding the EPA’s technical assistance to help local governments access funding, upgrade infrastructure and ensure climate and equity are incorporated into their projects; providing training and education on environmental justice at every level of government; issuing guidance that encourages projects not to contribute to climate pollutions; encouraging state partners to engage with and include communities in the decision-making process; and adding flexibility in allowable costs to enable investments in workforce development, community outreach, and the development of regional partnerships.
“I appreciate the collaboration and the intentional outreach to local governments for input on the implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Megan Dunn, council chair and council member of District 2, Snohomish County, Wash., and EPA Local Government Advisory Committee member. “Municipalities and tribes will be at the front lines of implementation and the beneficiaries of these investments. Strong partnerships are a cornerstone to efficiently use these new resources for infrastructure, environmental justice, and addressing climate change.”