Biden Administration to Spend $830M in Strengthening Infrastructures Against Climate-Driven Disasters

By Thea Felicity

Apr 11, 2024 12:50 PM EDT

US-WEATHER-STORM — An aerial image shows the Industrial Canal along Jourdan Avenue between the Claiborne Avenue Bridge and Florida Avenue Bridge in the Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood of New Orleans, Louisiana on August 31, 2021 in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. - Louisiana and Mississippi took stock on August 31, 2021 of the disaster inflicted by powerful Hurricane Ida as receding floodwaters began to reveal the full extent of the damage along the US Gulf Coast and the death toll rose to four.New Orleans was still mostly without power nearly two days after Ida slammed into the Louisiana coast as a Category 4 storm, exactly 16 years after devastating Hurricane Katrina -- which killed more than 1,800 people -- made landfall.
(Photo : PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

In the latest budget allocation for his term, Biden's administration will be spending $830 million to protect American infrastructures, including bridges, roads, and ports, against the increasing threats posed by climate-driven extreme weather events.

The Hill reports that these funds, distributed through grants from the Transportation Department, will support 80 projects spanning 37 states, Washington, D.C., and the Virgin Islands.

With $621 million directed towards fortifying existing infrastructure resilience and an additional $119 million designated for protecting coastal infrastructure at risk, the initiative aims to mitigate the impact of climate change on communities and supply chains.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg cited the urgency of addressing climate-driven risks, highlighting this funding as part of the government's inaugural dedicated program in collaboration with states and tribes to enhance infrastructure resilience.

The funding is sourced from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Other Recent Projects From Biden Administration

Besides infrastructure, the Biden administration has also initiated an initiative to keep Americans healthy by imposing nationwide restrictions on toxic PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in drinking water, aiming to lower PFAS levels to the lowest measurable amount.

PFAS, known as "forever chemicals," pose significant health risks and persist in the environment for extended periods, with associations with various health issues, including cancer.

This new budget allocation also aligns with a new student loan forgiveness plan for 30 more million Americans.

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