U.S. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Twp.) held a Commerce subcommittee field hearing in Lansing to gain insight into how a massive federal infrastructure spending bill is implemented across Michigan.
The hearing could aid discussions on renewing transportation infrastructure funding in the future and how the federal government assists state and local agencies, in addition to other regional organizations, in project development and implementation.
Peters said Michigan’s diversity makes it a good place to examine the successes and shortcomings of the spending bill and take those lessons to a national level.
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“Basically the fundamentals of infrastructure touch every aspect of Michigan,” Peters told reporters after the hearing of the Commerce Surface Transportation, Maritime, Freight and Ports Subcommittee. “And so regardless of the state you live in, things that are happening in Michigan can be lessons learned and could be examples of what could work in your state.”
The hearing focused on transportation needs in the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a 2021 spending bill that funds local projects across the United States. Federal funding covers infrastructure needs relating to transportation, broadband access and the production of clean energy, amongst other priority projects.
The law expires at the end of September 2026, so lawmakers will have to work together in the future to renew the spending.
It’s something the state leaders at the hearing are hoping for so they can continue to make infrastructure improvements in their communities.
“We all know that some transportation projects can take many years to bring from the planning table through to construction and really having that predictable, sustainable funding source is vital to our planning processes,” said Bradley C. Wieferich, the director of the Michigan Department of Transportation.
Wieferich was joined by American Great Lakes Ports Association President Paul C. LaMarre III, InvestUP CEO Marty Fittante, Southeast Michigan Council of Governments Executive Director Amy O’Leary and Laborers’ Local 1191 Business Manager Mike Aaron.
All speakers expressed gratitude to Peters for supporting the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and emphasized the importance of communication amongst lawmakers, agencies and independent organizations in developing opportunities for economic, social and environmental progress in communities.
Peters began the hearing highlighting projects funded by the infrastructure bill in Michigan. Projects include local airport improvements, electric vehicle charging stations, a replacement of Bay City’s Lafayette Bridge, new pedestrian trails and highway improvement.
The funding is intended to hit a variety of different communities, from Detroit to a small town in the Upper Peninsula. Peters asked about how the federal government could help smaller or rural communities obtain the necessary funding.
Fittante, who works with people in the Upper Peninsula, explained that smaller regions and organizations oftentimes don’t have the resources to successfully apply for grants and stay in compliance after starting the project. Education and accessibility to rules, regulations and applications will be important to keeping smaller communities in the running for infrastructure funding, which they typically critically need.
“However, speaking of rural communities, taking advantage of the opportunity can be as challenging as this investment is impactful,” Fittante said. “Rural communities see challenges in not only competing for federal grant opportunities, but applying for, accepting, remaining compliant, tracking and reporting on and finding the required match. These challenges can often prove fatal.”
The role of infrastructure improvements is not solely to make communities safer or have more resources. The projects can also help with economic development by providing jobs, new resources or tourism opportunities.
LaMarre, who is the director of the port of Monroe, said it will be important for the federal government to invest in the Great Lakes coasts equitably, instead of just pouring funding into the east and west coasts.
“We are talking about the heartland of America’s transportation network,” LaMarre said. “We’re talking domestic goods that are critical to keeping our economy going. While investment in our coastal ports is important, investment in an unbalanced manner, to the extent that it is, is subsidizing a foreign transportation network.”
Additionally, new federally funded construction projects come with more high paying trade and construction jobs, according to Aaron. He said the bill has created more pathways to high paying careers in construction and improved the lives of the people he works with in the labor union.
Peters told reporters after the hearing that he hopes to keep a “bipartisan coalition” together when the time comes to renew the federal funding, regardless of which presidential administration shepherds the plan through Congress.
“I hope that whatever happens in the election that folks stay true to the bipartisan nature of this compromise,” Peters said. “It certainly is a credit to the Biden-Harris administration that they were able to pull people together in a bipartisan way. That did not happen in the last [former President Donald Trump] administration.”
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