Environment Maryland Lobby Day 2021

From safe drinking water pipes to wildlife corridors to zero waste to electric buses and EV charging stations, President Biden’s infrastructure plan gives us plenty of opportunities to embrace the kind of infrastructure that makes our families and communities safer, healthier and more resilient. In early April we participated in a national lobby week to talk to our congressional delegation about our priorities. 

In lieu of in person meetings, we held meetings and events via zoom with the offices of Senator Cardin and Representative Sarbanes.

Republicans, Democrats and independents alike all support boosting federal investment in infrastructure. A transpartisan effort to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure can help to bring Americans together at a time of increasing polarization and help heal the economic wounds caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Throwing money at the problem, however, is not the solution. Nor is rebuilding the same old infrastructure in the same old ways. As we explain in our report “Blueprint for America,”  our priorities related to infrastructure touch on energy, transportation, water, solid waste, and natural infrastructure. From EV charging, clean energy expansions and tax credits, building efficiency standards,and green infrastructure, we look forward to continuing our work with national legislators on these important issues. 

Our federal legislators can improve all areas of infrastructure by ensuring that future funding goes to projects that align with public goals, and that proposed projects will not hurt more than they help. In support of this aim, the federal government should restore full environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act.

The coming decade presents an opportunity to forge a bold approach that addresses the nation’s most important challenges while using taxpayer money wisely. Federal policymakers should take advantage of this opportunity to prioritize projects and approaches that deliver lasting benefits for the American people and future generations.