WASHINGTON (WV News) — It’s been a year since President Joe Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law.
The historic legislation has already made a big impact on West Virginia, according to information released Tuesday by the White House.
To date, over $1.9 billion in funding from the legislation has been announced and is headed to the state, with 90 specific projects identified for funding.
West Virginia is set to receive more than $1.5 billion for transportation to invest in roads, bridges, public transit, ports and airports, as well as over $83 million for clean water.
Additionally, more than 83,000 households across the state are receiving affordable internet due to funding from the legislation.
Sen. Joe Manchin, who helped craft the law, released a statement celebrating its one-year anniversary.
“Over the next decade, West Virginia will continue to see billions of dollars invested in our great state to help spur economic growth and support the needs of our communities,” Manchin said. “This is a once-in-a-generation investment into our infrastructure needs across the country, and I’m proud see these funds put to work across the Mountain State.”
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., ranking member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, noted the committee’s contributions to the final legislation.
“I’m proud of the work our committee did in negotiating, writing, and passing the cornerstones of the IIJA, which were the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Act and the Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act,” she said.
The legislation is a “historic opportunity to modernize our nation’s core infrastructure and improve the lives of working Americans,” Capito said.
“Let’s follow the law as it was written and continue to make the most of it.”
A fact sheet from the White House, which details the impact of the Act on West Virginia as of the beginning of the month, highlights several high profile projects in the state.
Appalachian Development Highway System: In Fiscal Year 2022, West Virginia received $37 million for the Appalachian Development Highway System, and annual funding will increase 146% as a result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. These investments will enhance road safety, bolster connectivity, and improve access to economic opportunity for all West Virginians.
North Central West Virginia Airport Terminal Project: The North Central West Virginia Airport received a $15 million grant from The Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration for a new 45,000-square foot terminal building and increase the capacity of the airport. This project will improve the experience of travelers, reduce delays and increase accessibility of the airport for families.
Summersville Lake: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers allocated $6.5 million to Summersville Lake, West Virginia to improve risk management of inland flooding through improvements and replacement of the hydraulic system.