An advisory committee to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has submitted its recommendations on how the EPA can utilize investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to meet the needs of local governments as well as federal environmental goals.
The Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC) made its requested recommendations Feb. 18, the EPA announced last month, after spending seven weeks reviewing the EPA's proposed infrastructure plan.
"The committee was asked for input on how to implement the historic infrastructure investments," the EPA states in the announcement, "in a way that achieves the Administration’s climate and environmental justice goals and meets the needs of local governments."
LGAC, whose 35 members represent 30 states, tribal nations and U.S. territories, advises the EPA on how various environmental issues impact local governments, according to the statement. Once the committee had reviewed the EPA's proposed infrastructure programs, it "developed cross-cutting advise" to submit to EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan.
Regan responded to the recommendations by reiterating the EPA's commitment to direct infrastructure investments to reducing pollution and improving climate response, while also creating sustainable employment, in underserved areas, the statement reports.
"To achieve this vision, we must depend on the wisdom and expertise of our local, state, Tribal, and territorial partners," Secretary Regan said in the announcement. "I thank the members of the LGAC for providing their thoughtful and meaningful input as EPA takes our next steps to deploy these transformational resources.”
Among the LGAC's recommendations are: providing support for infrastructure development that reduces climate pollution; increasing technical assistance to improve local government access to federal funding for infrastructure upgrades; guidance on including climate and equity concerns in those projects; and providing training and tools on environmental justice issues to all levels of government.
The EPA states LGAC encourages its state partners to include local communities in the process, as well as investment in outreach and workforce programs that benefit local communities.
Katherine Gilmore Richardson, vice chair of LGAC's Environmental Justice Working Group and a member of the Philadelphia City Council, said she is "thrilled" by the recommendations and is also "hyper focused on ensuring that EPA holds itself and its state and local partners accountable" to achieving the initiative's goals.
"The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is a once in a lifetime opportunity to not only address historic environmental injustices," Gilmore Richardson said in the announcement, "but also an important chance to rebuild trust with communities and prevent future harm."
