The Biden Administration is making over $2 billion dollars of infrastructure announcements this month with cabinet members hitting the road for a Rural Infrastructure Tour, according to Mitch Landrieu, White House Senior Advisor.
“With the launch of the tour, we’re also launching a Rural Playbook for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which breaks down specific rural-focused opportunities among the more than 375 programs in the law, making it easier for communities to plan and compete for federal resources. There are $14.6 billion dollars in rural specific programs under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, not including the tens of billions of new dollars set aside for rural communities on the DOT’s largest programs.”
Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says it sends a strong message to Rural Americans that they are not being left out of investments.
“This is the most significant investment in rural people and places probably since the depression. And I think this tour is going to allow us to make sure that people are not only aware of these investments, but with the playbook and other steps that the administration is going to take. We’re going to make sure that rural America takes full and complete advantage of this historic opportunity.”
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is kicking off the tour in Colorado to discuss investments in forest management and wildfire prevention.
“The reality is that these days fire season lasts for much of the year, and rural communities across the country often bear the brunt, the more intense fire seasons fueled by extreme heat and drought conditions. As rural communities continue to face these harsh impacts, the funding provided by president Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be crucial to ensuring those communities have the resources they need.”
The administration is also launching a new $1 billion “American the Beautiful” challenge.
“This new public-private grant program administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation will leverage investments from several federal agencies with private resources, all to support voluntary locally-led conservation efforts across the country.”
Requests for the first round of proposals will be announced next month with funding set to go out in November.
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