PROVIDENCE, RI – Governor Dan McKee, Jeffrey Diehl of the Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank, U.S. Senator Jack Reed and U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse gathered today at Save The Bay's Bay Center in Providence to kick off United for Infrastructure Week and to celebrate the historic influx of funding for infrastructure projects from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
"From protecting our beautiful Narragansett Bay, to improving our roads and bridges, to upgrading our ports, to ensuring clean drinking water, we're here to say Rhode Island will be investing in the basic, critical infrastructure that powers our state," said Governor Dan McKee. "Infrastructure investment has been a top priority of my administration and thanks to our Congressional delegation's hard work to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Rhode Island will be receiving nearly $1 billion in additional funding to invest in projects across the state - projects that will create good paying construction jobs, while improving the basic infrastructure our residents, communities, and businesses rely on."
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law gives Rhode Island the opportunity to receive approximately a billion dollars in additional federal formula funds and competitive grants. The McKee Administration has set up an Interagency Task Force to identify opportunities to coordinate between agencies and maximize the effects of this once-in-a-generation funding opportunity in infrastructure.
"Looking out over Narragansett Bay today is a reminder of how critical infrastructure investment is to protecting our environment and way of life," said Jeffrey Diehl, CEO of Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank. "Thanks to investment in the bay's network of sewage and storm water treatment infrastructure, the health of Narragansett Bay has improved dramatically over the past 30 years. With passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we will be able to continue making transformational investments in clean water, storm water, and drinking water infrastructure in communities across the state. Over the next five years, Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank anticipates receiving almost $500 million for clean and drinking water projects of all kinds. This includes over $300 million for clean and drinking water infrastructure broadly, $141 million to replace lead drinking water service lines, and $41 million to address emerging contaminants such as PFAS and other 'forever chemicals.'"
"Public infrastructure – from roads and bridges to drinking water and broadband – forms the building blocks of our economy. We know that providing smart, targeted investments in our infrastructure helps connect more people to jobs and opportunities and leads to better wages and a stronger economy. For years, there's been talk in Washington about doing a major infrastructure bill. There were fits and starts, but President Biden and Democrats worked to get it done and now this federal funding is on the road to helping Rhode Island make major upgrades," said Senator Reed.
"Thanks to our bipartisan infrastructure law, we're about to make historic job-creating investments that will improve the Ocean State's drinking water and wastewater systems, eliminate lead service lines, and upgrade ports," said Senator Whitehouse. "It's good news for Rhode Islanders and everyone whose livelihood depends on a healthy Narragansett Bay."
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