COLUMBIA- South Carolina will receive more than $6 billion in direct allocations through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that will soon be signed into law by President Biden. Many millions more will come to the state through competitive grants included in this legislation.
Congressman Clyburn helped broker the deal to pass this historic bipartisan infrastructure package in the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday. All House Republican members representing South Carolina voted against approving these federal investments for the state. Only one of two South Carolina Senators voted for the package in the Senate.
These infrastructure investments are critical to South Carolina. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave the state a C- grade on its infrastructure report card. Receiving the transformational investment of more than $6 billion will create jobs, improve the quality of life for South Carolinians, and make strides to address climate change.
“The path to progress is never easy, but it is necessary if we are to continue our efforts to make America’s greatness accessible and affordable for all,” Congressman Clyburn said. “This a is long-overdue and essential investment in our nation’s infrastructure, and it begins to expand our definition of infrastructure beyond traditional roads and bridges, water and sewer, and ports and airports.”
Based on formula funding in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, South Carolina can expect to receive the following allocations over the next five years:
- $4.6 billion to maintain federal highways
- $274 million to replace and repair bridges
- $510 million to improve water infrastructure
- $161 million to upgrade airports
- $366 million to improve public transportation
- $70 million to support the expansion of an EV charging network
- $100 million at minimum to expand high-speed broadband infrastructure, with additional funds provided based on the number of unserved locations in the state
- $18.3 million to protect against cyberattacks
“This legislation goes a long way toward addressing the systemic lack of investment in South Carolina’s infrastructure,” Congressman Clyburn continued. “I am especially pleased that it contains two priorities I have long championed in Congress that aren’t considered traditional infrastructure—access to affordable high-speed internet and assistance to improve the energy efficiency of our homes.”
Congressman Clyburn is the founder and Chair of the House Rural Broadband Task Force and is a leading voice on closing the digital divide. In addition to funds to expand high-speed broadband coverage, the bill requires an affordable option to be offered along the newly built networks and invests in projects to facilitate internet adoption. Critically, it establishes the Affordability Connectivity Program, which will allow eligible households to continue to receive a monthly discount their internet bills. 1.5 million South Carolinians—29 percent of our state’s population—will be eligible for this benefit.
Congressman Clyburn is also a longstanding proponent of federal funds for energy efficiency. He is creator of the Rural Energy Savings Program enacted in 2014, which allows homeowners to borrow money from their local electric cooperatives to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. As homeowners pay back the loan on their utility bill, the cost of the loan is often covered by the energy savings they realize from the upgrades. In this area, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act includes:
$3.5 billion for the Weatherization Assistance Program
$550 for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program
$250 million for the Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) grant program
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act also includes $12 billion for flood mitigation, $17 billion for port infrastructure, and $55 billion for clean drinking water, all of which will meet needs that are pressing for our state.
More information on how South Carolina will benefit from this historic legislation is available here.
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