Counties to tap federal funds to protect against climate change

Climate change is top of mind for county officials weighing how to spend federal money headed their way from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Executives from Miami Dade County, Florida, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, Harris County, Texas, and Erie County, New York said protecting their regions from the wrath of climate change are top priorities. The executives spoke Wednesday at a panel discussion on infrastructure and COVID-19 hosted by the National Association of Counties.

“We have the most assets at risk of any place in the world from sea level rise,” Miami Dade County Mayor Daniella Levin Cava said, adding the county is focused in particular on upgrading its outdated wastewater system. “We are very aggressive on our climate change, sea level rise and resilience strategies.”

Between the American Rescue Plan Act and the new IIJA, counties are set to receive billions in federal support that can be used for a variety of infrastructure and transportation projects. Counties own 44% of the nation’s road miles and nearly 40% of its bridges, according to NACo. They are responsible for much of the nation's public transit systems, airports and operation of local water systems.

Harris County, Texas Judge Lina Hidalgo said the county plans to use a chunk of its federal funds to protect against chronic flooding.
Harris County, Texas Judge Lina Hidalgo said the county plans to use a chunk of its federal funds to protect against chronic flooding.

Levin Cava noted that Miami Dade County is seeing a population explosion as people move to Florida, telling other county executives “your loss is our gain,” but that means more congestion and managing aging infrastructure.

Florida may be enjoying population growth now, but the future is fresh water, said Erie County, New York Executive Hon. Mark Poloncarz.

“We’re going to be the place for climate refuges, because we have the fresh water,” Poloncarz said. “Every drop of fresh water that’s in the Great Lakes…passes right past my office in downtown Buffalo,” he said. “But you’ve got to keep it fresh. And if you have sewage overflows and outflows, that unfortunately creates a situation where Lake Erie is not as fresh as it should be, and then we’re never going to be able to take advantage” of the fresh water, he said.

Like Miami Dade, Erie County is using much of its federal funds to upgrade its outdated sewer system, he said. “It’s not sexy,” Poloncarz said. But each project costs $50 million to $60 million, and the federal funding takes pressure off county taxpayers to cover the cost.

Milwaukee County is also focused on fresh water by supporting its Lake Michigan shoreline, said County Executive Hon. David Crowley.

“Climate change is affecting our lakeshore as well,” said Crowley, who took office in 2020. “It’s going to take some significant investment in our shoreline to make sure it’s safe for everybody.”

For Harris County, flooding is a chief problem, said County Judge Hon. Lina Hidalgo.

“For us, the threat is flooding, hurricanes,” Hidalgo said. “We have limited funds for flooding and we’re trying to figure out creatively how we can get more.” The county is crafting funding formulas that “look at social vulnerability; how many people benefit from the program; how often those areas flood” when it decides how to deploy the dollars, she said.

As the world turns away from oil and gas to more climate-friendly energy sources, the county, which includes Houston, is working with oil and gas leaders to figure out how to repurpose existing infrastructure to help craft the new energy grid, Hidalgo said.

Hidalgo added that she's concerned about Harris County receiving its fair share of federal IIJA funds.

“Our concern is, because of the unfortunate divisiveness that has consumed our country, that in a red state, as a Democratic county, we don’t know how much of what the state gets we’re going to receive unfortunately,” she said.

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Infrastructure Finance, investment and tax-related legislation Biden Administration Climate change Washington DC
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