The McKnight Foundation applauded the passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a landmark bill that makes more than a trillion dollars in long-overdue investments in rebuilding our nation’s crumbling infrastructure, with a clear focus on climate resilience and equity. Tonya Allen, president of the Foundation, issued the following statement:
“Yesterday, Congress passed a historic infrastructure funding bill that has the potential to be truly transformative. After an alarming absence of climate leadership at the federal level, this legislation is a strong start that should encourage bolder and more comprehensive federal climate policy and funding.
“The climate clock is ticking, and we have no time to waste. This is our moment to be bold, persistent, and accelerate the transition to a more equitable and clean energy economy.”
“Thanks to bipartisan leadership in Washington, our region’s crumbling roads and bridges, aging water pipes, and polluting, fossil-fuel reliant transportation sector will begin to get a long-overdue 21st-century makeover, with climate resilience and equity as the cornerstone.
“The Midwest is ready to capitalize on these much-needed federal investments. We have countless shovel-ready projects and a burgeoning electric vehicle sector poised to grow. As the Midwest’s leading climate funder, the McKnight Foundation is prepared to work with our local, state, and national partners to make sure these investments usher in a more just, creative, and abundant future where people and the planet thrive.
“We know that what happens—and what does not—in Washington D.C. has deep impacts on the Midwest—on our air, our cities and towns, and our kids. While we are encouraged by yesterday’s forward progress, our eyes are wide open to the scale of the challenge ahead of us and what it demands in the coming days, months, and years. And we know that what happens—and what does not—in the Midwest is critical to whether our nation and our globe can meet the ambitious climate objectives so people and planet can thrive.
“The climate clock is ticking, and we have no time to waste. This is our moment to be bold, persistent, and accelerate the transition to a more equitable and clean energy economy.”
