The U.S. Senate voted Tuesday to approve a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, a historic piece of legislation that could reshape American lives for decades, NPR reports.
Hawaiʻi will receive an estimated $2.8 billion in federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Senators Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono voted in favor of the bill.
The largest provision will be used to fix Hawaiʻi's roads — an estimated $1.2 billion is earmarked to repair roads with a focus on climate change mitigation, resilience and safety.
Other projects include expanding high-speed internet access and improving the drinking water system.
The funding will also accelerate Hawaiʻi’s net-zero energy initiatives. At least $3 million will be spent on transitioning to clean energy, and at least $18 million on electric vehicle infrastructure, such as charging ports.
The bill will move to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration. It faces an uncertain fate in the House of Representatives as progressive Democrats press for even greater spending, NPR reports.
