Statement: With President Biden’s signature, Oregon will receive vital infrastructure investments

Bipartisan bill will mean clean air, water and energy for Oregonians

Environment Oregon

PORTLAND– President Joe Biden signed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law Monday. The bill directs historic investments to Oregon including:

• $268 million to repair and upgrade roads, bridges, and walkways and bikeways
• Funding to reduce global warming pollution from transportation, including $747 million for public transit, $52 million to build a network of electric vehicle charging stations in Oregon, and more than $4 billion Oregon can apply for in nationwide grants to electrify transit vehicles
• $2.5 billion available in nationwide grants to electrify Oregon’s school buses
• $529 million to improve water infrastructure across the state and ensure access to clean, safe drinking water.
• Nationwide, the bill provides $73 billion to strengthen the electrical grid and for energy efficiency and weatherization programs

The legislation also restores a “polluter pays” tax to fund clean-up of toxic waste sites via the Superfund program.

In response to the bill’s signing, Celeste Meiffren-Swango, State Director of Environment Oregon, released the following statement:

“Outdated infrastructure endangers our health and our environment. Pipes leach lead into our kids’ drinking water and leak sewage into our waterways. Our transportation system pollutes our air and doesn’t provide enough safe options for Oregon residents. The bipartisan infrastructure bill will make greatly needed progress solving these problems and leave Oregon stronger and healthier than before, and we’re glad to see it signed into law thanks to support from Representatives Blumenauer, Bonamici, DeFazio and Schrader and Senators Merkley and Wyden.”