The Biden administration announced on Thursday $830 million in new grants to harden old U.S. infrastructure against the effects of ongoing climate change.
Eighty projects will improve roads, rail, ports, transit systems and other surface transportation infrastructure in 37 states with a special focus on those under particular threat from the effects of extreme weather.
The funds will help counter flooding impacts, upgrade stormwater drains, replace emergency bridges, and help cities set new plans to improve coastlines and transit projects.
Funds fall into one of four categories: $621 million for resilience improvement, $119 million for coastal infrastructure improvements, $45 million for community resilience and evacuation improvements and $45 million for planning-stage projects.
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The projects will target emissions from industries like cement production and metalworks, which make up a big chunk of annual emissions.
The end goal, officials say, is to make transportation safer from the indirect effects of worsening flooding and fires.
"We have seen far too many examples of transportation infrastructure being shut down or damaged by extreme weather, which is more extreme and more frequent in this time of climate change," Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg told reporters. "America’s infrastructure was not built for the climate that we have today, and the consequences of this are very real and being felt by people in every part of the country."
The funds are the latest to be distributed through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that passed in 2021, which together with the Inflation Reduction Act budgets some $50 billion for climate projects.
