Arizonans may have already heard about…
- A historic $110 billion investment to upgrade America’s roads and bridges
- $65 billion to strengthen electricity grids around the country and promote resilience of power infrastructure to prevent outages
- The strongest investment ever in clean drinking water—with more than $8 billion to strengthen water systems throughout the American West, including creating or conserving 100,000 acre feet of water yearly at Lake Mead
- $65 billion to deploy high-speed broadband, expand broadband internet access, and help families afford broadband service
… but what else is included for Arizona in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act led by U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema?
Natural Resources and Energy
- Abandoned Mine Cleanup: Senator Sinema’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act invests more than $11.2 billion into the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Fund. These resources would be available to coal mine cleanup operations, including on the Navajo Nation. The bipartisan legislation also includes $3 billion for Abandoned Hardrock Mine Reclamation, including potential work on uranium mine contamination on the Navajo Nation and other abandoned hardrock mining operations across Arizona.
- Supply Chains and Clean Energy Technologies: The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funds a federal study of the use of abandoned mine lands and mine waste for critical minerals extraction as part of the National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program. The bipartisan legislation also invests billions of dollars into new grants, facilities, and programs — many of which Arizona is expected to compete for — including:
- $3 billion for Battery Material Processing Grants
- $3 billion for Battery Manufacturing and Recycling Grants
- $320 million into the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative
- $167 million to establish a USGS Energy and Minerals Research Facility
- $140 million to establish a Rare Earth Elements Demonstration Facility
- $200 million for an Electric Drive Vehicle Battery Recycling and Second-Life Applications Program
- $750 million for an Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program
- $100 million for Critical Minerals Mining and Recycling Research
- Cleaner, More Reliable American Fuels: The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act strengthens America’s fuel supply and expands clean energy sources. The legislation includes $8.5 billion for carbon capture, utilization, removal, storage, and transportation — and makes significant investments in growing clean, renewable energy, such as:
- Hydrogen power — a critical emerging piece of Arizona’s clean energy economy: The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act re-establishes and expands the scope of the Department of Energy’s hydrogen research and development program, in which Arizona’s Palo Verde Nuclear Plant participates. The plan also invests in new facilities and programs — many of which Arizona is expected to compete for — including:
- $8 billion to create at least four regional clean hydrogen hubs around the country
- $500 million for a clean hydrogen manufacturing and recycling program
- $1 billion for a demonstration, commercialization, and deployment program to lower the cost of hydrogen produced from electrolysis
- Nuclear energy:
- $6 billion for a Civil Nuclear Credit Program
- Hydropower:
- $764 million for hydropower production and efficiency incentives, for capital improvements related to maintaining and enhancing hydroelectricity generation — and a demonstration project to integrate hydropower storage with wind and solar
- $500 million for a Clean Energy Demonstration Program on Current and Former Mine Land
- Hydrogen power — a critical emerging piece of Arizona’s clean energy economy: The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act re-establishes and expands the scope of the Department of Energy’s hydrogen research and development program, in which Arizona’s Palo Verde Nuclear Plant participates. The plan also invests in new facilities and programs — many of which Arizona is expected to compete for — including:
- Protecting Arizonans and Ecosystems: Increasing wildfires threaten the health and safety of Arizona communities, as well as the unique ecosystems and watersheds that make our state special. Senator Sinema’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act makes critical investments in wildfire mitigation, prevention, response, and recovery to protect our communities and natural landscapes — including:
- Watershed Protection: The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides $300 million in funding for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program to help local communities recover after wildfires. This funding is available to non-federal lands to conduct post-fire flood prevention in impacted communities, such as in Coconino and Gila Counties.
- Community Defense Grants: The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act invests $500 million for Forest Service Community Defense Grants.
- Burned Area Rehabilitation: The bipartisan legislation also provides $450 million for the Forest Service and the Department of Interior to carry out Burned Area Rehabilitation programs.
- Road and Trail Remediation: Senator Sinema’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides $250 million for the remediation of Forest Service legacy roads and trails
The bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (full text available HERE) proposes the strongest investment in America’s critical infrastructure in more than a century without raising taxes on everyday Americans.
The legislation is the result of bipartisan negotiations led by U.S. Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Rob Portman (Ohio), with Senators from both parties and President Biden.
Click HERE to see how the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act impacts Tribal communities
Click HERE to see how the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act impacts wildfire mitigation
Click HERE to see how the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act impacts water systems
Click HERE to see how the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act impacts airports
Click HERE to see how the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act impacts electricity and power grids