House Passes Rep. Lee’s Amendment to Bipartisan INVEST in America Act, Ensuring Climate Resiliency of Infrastructure Projects
Rep. Lee’s Amendment, Which Was Passed in a Bipartisan Manner, Will Ensure That Certain Wastewater Infrastructure Projects Undergo a Climate Resiliency Assessment
WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Lee's amendment to the bipartisan Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation in America (INVEST) in America Act was adopted in a bipartisan vote of 220-200. Rep. Lee's amendment would ensure that any wastewater infrastructure funded using the Clean Water State Revolving Fund or other Clean Water Act grant programs undergo a climate resiliency assessment. As we invest in infrastructure, this amendment will require that future wastewater infrastructure is designed and constructed to withstand potential impacts of climate change. Ensuring that wastewater treatment facilities can withstand extreme heat and drought is particularly important as large swaths of the West, including Nevada, are in extreme drought, and water supplies are limited.
Watch Rep. Lee's Speech on Her Amendment here.
"More than 80 percent of the West is under some degree of drought and in my district, Lake Mead sits at the lowest level on record," said Rep. Susie Lee. "But the unfortunate truth is that this is not just a Nevada problem. Climate change is here, and it demands that we all ensure future investments in infrastructure will withstand the impacts of climate change. I'm so proud of the bipartisan passage of my amendment in the INVEST in America Act."
The INVEST in America Act makes transformational investments in America's highways, roads, bridges, transit, rail, and water infrastructure to create jobs, modernize our infrastructure and reduce carbon pollution. This legislation puts some of the key pieces of President Biden's American Jobs Plan into legislative text.
Read more on how the INVEST in America Act would: