Last week, we celebrated the first anniversary of the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, in which $55 billion was allocated to expand nationwide clean water access. At the Alliance, we saw this funding as an opportunity to re-envision the power and possibilities of infrastructure investments—centering water equity, climate action, economic opportunity, and One Water in federal and state-funded projects and programs. Considering this, we launched our Equitable Infrastructure initiative, and throughout the past year have been strategizing with our network and partners, communities across the country, and Environmental Finance Centers (EFCs) on collectively forwarding these infrastructure goals.
In light of this work, we are pleased to share that the US Environmental Protection Agency recently selected the Alliance as a national EFC. In this new role, we will strive to ensure that water infrastructure investments address entrenched inequities, climate realities, and mitigate negative and unintended consequences. Further, we aim to influence and demonstrate strategic changes in how infrastructure investments are made. We will be working directly with communities and assistance providers—supporting the broader field with assessments, trainings, methodologies, and lessons learned.
While we are still working with the EPA to finalize our plans, we look forward to maximizing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s impact to deliver equitable and climate-resilient water approaches, infrastructure, and benefits nationwide—especially to the communities that have been underserved and underinvested in for far too long.
We appreciate your support as we push our network—as well as ourselves—to make bigger and bolder positive water infrastructure change!
