The Biden administration is spending $830 million to help protect bridges, roads, ports and other infrastructure from extreme weather disasters caused by climate change.
The $830 million grant from the Department of Transportation will support 80 projects in 37 states, Washington, D.C., and the Virgin Islands.
Most of the funding, $621 million, will go toward 36 projects aimed at making existing infrastructure more resilient through drainage improvements, road relocation, bridge lifting, and more.
An additional $119 million will be dedicated to protecting, strengthening, and removing at-risk coastal infrastructure, such as highways.
The remaining funds will be used to improve evacuation routes and recovery plans.
“It is no exaggeration to say that extreme weather events due to climate change are one of the greatest infrastructure threats to the quality of life and safety of our communities. They are the greatest risk to our supply chain.” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told reporters.
He described the funding as part of a “first-of-its-kind dedicated program” in which the federal government works with states and tribes to strengthen infrastructure.
This funding comes from the bipartisan Infrastructure Act.
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