EPA’s Local Government Advisory Committee Adopts Climate, Environmental Justice Recommendations for Infrastructure Investment
On February 17, EPA’s Local Government Advisory Committee adopted a series of recommendations for how the agency should implement the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The committee had previously been charged with providing input on how EPA might use the BIL funds to achieve the agency’s climate and environmental justice goals. Although the final report has yet to be released, EPA provided the following key recommendations in the agency’s press release:
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- Expanding the technical assistance available to help local governments access funding, upgrade their infrastructure, and ensure climate and equity are incorporated into their projects.
- Providing training and education at every level of government on environmental justice and encouraging the use of available tools and data to make informed, equitable decisions.
- Issuing guidance to encourage infrastructure projects that do not contribute to climate pollution.
- Encouraging state partners to engage with communities, solicit project ideas from local governments, and include them in decision-making processes.
- Adding flexibility in allowable costs to enable investments in workforce development, community outreach, and the development of regional partnerships.
