A bipartisan infrastructure bill is moving quickly through Congress, which is a big deal for our state and country.
Bill It will invest $550 billion in new money in roads, bridges, ports, passenger rail, waterways and airports. Importantly, it will push Arizona and the rest of the nation toward a cleaner energy future.
The agreement will result in the federal government’s largest investment in clean energy transmission and electric vehicle infrastructure. It will electrify thousands of school and transit buses across the country, which in turn will reduce air pollution in our communities. This will create a clean, 21 phase Grid Deployment AuthoritySt Century Electric Grid.
This bill will not only make our state healthier and more resilient to climate change, but will also create good-paying jobs and drive economic growth. Regionally, we have successfully modeled the impact of bipartisan investment in infrastructure, and Sens. Kirsten Sinema and Mark Kelly deserve great credit for driving this forward at the federal level. This money is needed more than ever.
Arizonans love this deal.
Nearly 80% of Arizonans say clean energy is important to them A recent survey Commissioned by The Nature Conservancy and the Arizona Thrives Alliance, a statewide coalition that includes public interest advocates, solar and electric vehicle companies, utilities, city and community leaders, developers and more.
The poll found that nine out of every 10 Arizonans support investing in water infrastructure to do Protect our water supply. Modernizing the electricity grid has the same level of support. Two-thirds of Arizonans want the majority of the state’s energy supply to come from clean sources, and nearly as many want to increase access to electric vehicles.
This should not be particularly surprising. From the Sonoran Desert to the Mogollon Rim forests, from the red rocks of Sedona to the views of the Grand Canyon, people choose to live in Arizona because of our state’s spectacular natural beauty.
The Senate deal is a big win for Arizona. It reminds us that while we have taken some steps forward, there is still a lot of work to be done.
We are ready for it. Five years ago, Arizona was lagging behind in pursuing a clean energy future. But today, our major power producers have set goals that move Arizona closer to a zero-carbon future. And towns and cities are committed to taking action at the local level and doing their part to reduce environmental impacts.
This saves water. A study Ceres, a nonprofit trade organization, found that Arizona’s 2020 renewable energy standard saved enough water to serve 44,000 people annually.
And, over the past five years, the state has become a leader in electric vehicle production, with EV companies creating high-paying jobs and making huge capital investments in our state. Here in Mesa, ElectraMeccanica recently broke ground Its first US manufacturing facility, with more announcements to come.
The world is moving towards a clean energy future. Working together, Arizona will be a leader in accelerating the transition to clean energy and increasing water security.
Doing so will attract high-paying jobs, preserve Arizona’s natural beauty, and create a healthy, prosperous future.
John Giles is the mayor of Mesa.
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