FACT SHEET: EPA & The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
Following the passage of the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be making significant investments in the health, equity, and resilience of American communities. With unprecedented funding to support our national infrastructure, EPA will improve people’s health and safety, help create good-paying jobs, and increase climate resilience throughout the country.
The single largest investment in water that the federal government has ever made.
The nation has underinvested in water infrastructure for too long. Insufficient water infrastructure threatens America’s security, and it risks people’s health, jobs, peace of mind, and future prosperity. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law delivers more than $50 billion to EPA to improve our nation’s drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure. This is a historic investment that includes:
Safe Drinking Water
$11.7 billion to the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) and $15 billion to the Drinking Water SRF for Lead Service Line Replacement. $4 billion to the Drinking Water SRF for Emerging Contaminants. $5 billion to Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Grants to address emerging contaminants.
What this means
There are still 6 to 10 million lead services lines in cities and towns across the country, many of which are in communities of color and low-income neighborhoods. Because of the investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, millions of American families will no longer have to fear the harmful health effects caused by lead and other pollutants in their water. People will be protected from PFAS or “forever chemical” contamination. And investing in our water infrastructure will put Americans to work in good-paying jobs.
Clean Water for Communities
$11.7 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund SRF and $1 billion for the Clean Water SRF for Emerging Contaminants.
What this means
More people will be able to freely swim, fish, and play in their waters. Wild spaces will be cleaner and more vibrant. Communities will benefit from improved economic prosperity built on clean water resources as more quality, good paying jobs are created.
Protected Regional Waters
$1.7 billion for Geographic Programs and $267 million for the National Estuary Program, Gulf Hypoxia Program, and more.
What this means
From the Chesapeake Bay, to the Great Lakes, to Puget Sound, communities will be able to better protect our national water treasures and ensure they continue to serve as vital economic and recreational assets.
Historic funding to clean-up longstanding pollution and redevelop communities
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests $5.4 billion in cleaning up legacy pollution at Superfund and brownfields sites, helping to restore the economic vitality of communities, including:
Superfund Clean-Up
$3.5 billion for Superfund site clean-up work.
What this means
More than one in four Black and Hispanic Americans live within 3 miles of a Superfund site. No community deserves to have contamination near where they live, work, pray and go to school. With this funding, communities living near many of the most serious uncontrolled or abandoned releases of contamination will finally get the protections they deserve.
Brownfields Revitalization
$1.5 billion to scale-up community-led brownfields revitalization.
What this means
Blighted and polluted sites in communities across America will be assessed, cleaned up and made available for safe reuse, spurring job creation and economic opportunity in areas that need it most.
Waste and Recycling
$350 million for Solid Waste and Recycling Grants and $25 million for Battery Recycling.
What this means
Communities across the country are burdened by pollution impacts from inefficient waste management systems. This historic investment will transform recycling and solid waste management across the country while creating jobs. This investment will also improve the nation’s battery recycling programs while promoting the safe handling of used batteries.
A major investment in electric and low-emission school buses and healthier air for children.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law invests in making the nation’s school bus fleet cleaner, including:
Electric and Reduced Carbon Buses
$5 billion for decarbonizing the nation’s school bus fleet.
What this means
More than 25 million children ride the bus to school each day, some breathing polluted air from diesel school buses. By deploying electric and lower emission school buses, fewer children will face increased asthma risks and other health problems linked to diesel air pollution.
Increased funding for pollution prevention.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law increases resources to help businesses reduce toxic pollutants, with a new focus on underserved and overburdened communities, including:
Pollution Prevention
$100 million for the Pollution Prevention (P2) Program and the launch of a new program targeting environmental justice.
What this means
More businesses will be able to get assistance to reduce toxic pollutants, cut water usage, improve efficiency, and lower costs, which will improve their operations while better protecting the communities in which they operate.
EPA Funding by Appropriations Account
|
State & Tribal Grants |
55.426 billion |
|---|---|
|
Clean Water State Revolving Fund Traditional |
11.713 billion |
|
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Traditional |
11.713 billion |
|
Lead Service Lines Drinking Water State Revolving Fund |
15 billion |
|
PFAS Clean Water State Revolving Fund |
1 billion |
|
PFAS Drinking Water State Revolving Fund |
4 billion |
|
PFAS Small & Disadvantaged |
5 billion |
|
Underground Injection Control Grants |
50 million |
|
Brownfields |
1.5 billion |
|
Pollution Prevention |
100 million |
|
Save Our Seas 2.0 |
275 million |
|
RECYCLE Act |
75 million |
|
Clean School Buses |
5 billion |
| Superfund | 3.5 billion |
| Remedial Cleanups | 3.5 billion |
| Environmental Programs and Management | 1.959 billion |
| Geographic Programs | 1.717 billion |
| Great Lakes Restoration | 1 billion |
| Chesapeake Bay | 238 million |
| San Francisco Bay | 24 million |
| Puget Sound | 89 million |
| Long Island Sound | 106 million |
| Gulf of America | 53 million |
| South Florida | 16 million |
| Lake Champlain | 40 million |
| Lake Pontchartrain | 53 million |
| Southern New England Estuaries | 15 million |
| Columbia River Basin | 79 million |
| Other, Pacific Northwest | 4 million |
| National Estuary Program | 132 million |
| Gulf of America and MS and OH Rivers Hypoxia | 60 million |
| Class VI Wells/Underground Injection Control | 25 million |
| Battery Recycling Best Practices | 10 million |
| Battery Recycling Labeling | 15 million |