What does the Recent Infrastructure Bill Mean for Water, Wastewater, Broadband and EVs?

It is amazing that citizens of this great state of Minnesota do not all have access to clean drinking water, there are areas within our state where infrastructure is in immediate need for improvement. Good news, this most recent infrastructure bill also targets drinking and wastewater improvements, and dedicates $680 million to our state over five years for improvements to both. It appears that this money does not require the same match traditionally discussed of 20% from the state. 

In addition, this most recent infrastructure bill will prioritize improving our state’s broadband access, funded at approximately $100 million, and will provide high speed (and possibly new) access to rural areas (it’s estimated that over 80,000 Minnesotans do not have access now). Lastly, this same infrastructure bill provides $68 million over five years to expand the EV charging network, and almost $300 million for both GA and Part 139 airports. 

It is a challenging job to decide where the best ways are to spend these dollars, which projects and priorities are most important. The State officials and agency staff have the challenging job to evaluate the many programs and funds outlined in the federal infrastructure bill, and it is clear that the funding will have a significant impact on the transportation and water infrastructure in our state.  We remain grateful for their hard work and look forward to the infrastructure outcomes of this bill for many years to come.