The American Jobs Plan will Build Maryland Back Better

Every four years, the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Report Card for America’s Infrastructure depicts the condition and performance of American infrastructure in the familiar form of a school report card—assigning letter grades based on the physical condition and needed investments for improvement.

In 2021, Maryland received a lackluster “C” grade, and the country’s infrastructure as a whole fared even worse, earning a “C-“ grade. The Biden Administration’s American Jobs Plan would make an historic investment in addressing the nation’s significant infrastructure challenges and help to raise our grade.

The American Jobs Plan will mobilize the country to address the climate crisis and long-standing and persistent racial injustice. The plan targets 40 percent of the benefits of climate and clean infrastructure investments to disadvantaged communities. And the plan also invests in rural communities and communities impacted by the market-based transition to clean energy.

Sign the petition today asking our congressional leaders to lead the way on this critical legislation>>

Here is just a sampling of key areas where the plan has the potential to deliver big for Maryland:

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION: Maryland suffers from some of the worst public transit in the nation. Marylanders who take public transportation spend an extra 66.3% of their time commuting than those in cars and people of color are 2.7 times more likely to commute via public transportation.

RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE: From 2010 to 2020, Maryland has experienced 31 extreme weather events, costing the state up to $10 billion in damages. The President is calling for $50 billion to improve the resiliency of our infrastructure and support communities’ recovery from disaster. The plan will upgrade and modernize America’s drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems with a focus on green infrastructure and using nature and nature based systems. It will invest in rural small water systems, household wells, and wastewater systems, including drainage fields.

DRINKING WATER: Over the next 20 years, Maryland’s drinking water infrastructure will require $9.3 billion in additional funding. The American Jobs Plan includes a $111 billion national investment to ensure clean, safe drinking water is a right in all communities. The plan will replace 100% of lead pipes and service lines. President Biden’s plan also provides $10 billion in funding to monitor and remediate PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) nationwide.

HOME ENERGY: In Maryland, an average low-income family spends 6-8% of their income on home energy costs (compared to the average Maryland family spending 1.8% of income). The AJP will upgrade low-income homes to make them more energy efficient, saving homeowners money.

ACCELERATE CHESAPEAKE BAY RESTORATION: A key component of this plan is to protect and, where necessary, restore nature-based infrastructure – our lands, forests, wetlands, watersheds, and coastal and ocean resources. There are over $1 billion in shovel ready projects in Maryland that could be financed through Clean Water State Revolving Funds with help from the American Jobs Plan.

GREEN JOBS: The plan will create a New Civilian Climate Corps. This $10 billion investment nationwide will put a new, diverse generation of Americans to work conserving our public lands and waters, bolstering community resilience, and advancing environmental justice.

The plan also promises significant upgrades for Maryland and other states in broadband access, manufacturing, clean energy jobs, home energy upgrades, and childcare assistance. You can find a comprehensive fact sheet on the plan’s benefits for Maryland here.

At Maryland LCV, we are committed to creatively and aggressively protecting the state’s land, air, water, and communities, and especially meeting the challenges of the climate crisis. We can’t reach those goals unless Maryland’s infrastructure is improved dramatically in a way that meets the needs of all our residents. The American Jobs Plan’s focus on climate, jobs, and justice positions it as a bold and much-needed investment in Maryland and the country.

Download our Maryland factsheet on the American Jobs Plan here.

And check out the recent polling on what Marylanders think of the American Jobs Plan here:

83% of voters across the state support the American Jobs Plan
83% think it’s important that Congress takes action to address climate change
85% support investments in clean energy jobs
78% support ensuring the benefits of climate and clean energy investments go to the environmental justice communities long exploited by polluters.

By Dannielle Lipinski|2021-06-14T21:09:40-04:00June 14th, 2021|Categories: Blog, Clean Water and the Bay, Climate Change, Community/ Government, DEIJ, Uncategorized|Tags: American Jobs Plan, Climate Recovery|0 Comments

LCV and MD, NJ, NY, PA, OR affiliates laud House Committee passage of INVEST in America Act

Washington, D.C. — The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) and its statewide affiliates from five key states lauded the passage of landmark legislation designed to create jobs by investing in efforts to curb climate change through an important committee.

a once-in-a-generation comprehensive proposal to put the United States on the path to addressing our global climate crisis by investing $2.2 trillion to create millions of good-paying, high-quality jobs rebuilding the United States’ crumbling infrastructure.

“We applaud Chairman DeFazio for his leadership on this comprehensive surface transportation bill which will help to move our country toward a pollution-free future while creating good jobs in the process, “said Sara Chieffo, LCV Vice President of Government Affairs. “The INVEST in America Act includes transformative investments that will help maintain and improve public transit, accelerate fleet transition to zero-emission vehicles, and strengthen passenger rail. This is just the beginning – it’s time for Congress to pass the full American Jobs Plan — the plan that centers climate, clean energy, jobs, and justice and has the backing of labor unions, environmental justice leaders, businesses, and local leaders from across the country. We must seize this opportunity to make once-in-a-generation progress.”

Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania, New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, the New York League of Conservation Voters, Maryland League of Conservation Voters, and Oregon League of Conservation Voters hailed votes to approve the INVEST in America Act from members of Congress from their states.

“People don’t tend to think of committees as thrilling catalysts of great change, but the legislation passed out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will change the world,” said Josh McNeil, executive director of Conservation Voters of Pennsylvania. “Pennsylvanians and our fellow Americans will gain good jobs, breathe cleaner air, and enjoy modern trains, bridges, and water pipes because of this moment.”

“Investments in public transit and modernizing our electric grid will create well-paying union jobs while helping to curb harmful emissions that cause climate change and exacerbate public health problems, including asthma and heart disease, that disproportionately affect communities of color,” said Ed Potosnak, executive director, New Jersey League of Conservation Voters. “We want to thank our environmental champions for moving this critical legislation through Congress.”

In New Jersey, Reps. Donald Payne, who chairs the Subcommittee on Railroads, and Tom Malinowski voted in favor of advancing the legislation.

Today’s move represents an important step in Congress advancing the president’s infrastructure agenda. Following this key committee vote, and we expect the INVEST in America Act will soon be up for a vote on the House floor.

“We constantly receive new data confirming the urgency of reducing emissions that cause climate change and health problems, especially in frontline and fenceline communities,” said Maryland LCV executive director, Kim Coble. “We thank Maryland’s congressional delegation for recognizing the critical role reforming transportation policy must play in putting people to work while protecting our environment and our most vulnerable communities.”

“As Washington prepares to finalize the American Jobs Plan, New York congressmembers are helping to make it a reality,” said Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters. “Transportation is the leading contributor to climate change in New York and nationwide. The INVEST in America Act, which is in line with the goals of the American Jobs Plan, would fund mass transit and rail while prioritizing frontline communities. It will cut emissions, promote clean transportation, and create good-paying green jobs. It will also make commuting easier for New Yorkers by investing in Amtrak’s bridges and tunnels like the proposed Gateway Tunnel. This progress reiterates that our climate recovery goes hand in hand with our economic recovery.”

“For over 30 years, the people of Oregon have called Chairman DeFazio an environmental champion, and his leadership to pass new comprehensive transportation reform shows you why,” said Doug Moore, Executive Director of the Oregon League of Conservation Voters. “If we are going to tackle climate change, we need to fundamentally change how we move around our state and country. The INVEST in American Act accelerates our transition to clean transportation options, electric vehicles, and will improve air quality for millions of people across Oregon and the country. This is the meaningful progress we need to see from Congress and we are thankful to have Chairman DeFazio fighting every day for our future and the future for our kids.”

# # #