Infrastructure Bill’s Emission Reductions Allotments Fund Highway Projects Instead
$755 million in funding will be granted to reduce allotments fund for highway projects in the future.
According to Planetizen, last year, 38 states “made use of a provision in the law” to shift the funding to general-purpose highway construction accounts, reports Duncan, citing records from the Federal Highway Administration acquired through the Freedom of Information Act as proof.
“California shifted $97 million to pay for safety projects. New York moved $36 million to fund what officials called the state’s ‘core capital program,’” writes Duncan “Arizona said it used $20 million for its five-year highway construction program, largely for “pavement preservation,” and Louisiana used $8.2 million to fund roundabouts near an outlet mall.”
“Five states couldn’t account for how the money was used after it was transferred,” adds Duncan.
The Article echoes the news since the IIJA’s adoption—states have complained about slow funding programs while others, such as Nebraska, immediately got to work funding projects that will immediately increase pollution and emissions. To be fair, we were warned this could happen.
