White House touts impact of infrastructure plan on Maine

(The Center Square) – Money to fix crumbling roads and bridges. Better public transit. Good-paying manufacturing jobs. Expanded broadband access and cleaner drinking water.

That’s what President Joe Biden’s proposed $2.25 trillion infrastructure and jobs plan would mean for Maine, at least according to a “fact sheet” provided by the White House.

While the statement didn’t say exactly how much the state would get from the bill, if approved by Congress, the fact sheet laid out the state’s vast infrastructure needs.

Topping the list are Maine’s aging roads and bridges, many of which are in a state of disrepair, according to the White House. The Biden administration’s Infrastructure Report Card gave the state a C- grade, saying there are at least 315 bridges and nearly 1,438 miles of highway in poor condition.

“For decades infrastructure in Maine has suffered from a systematic lack of investment,” a White House statement read. “The need for action is clear.”

The White House statement pointed out that commuting times in New Hampshire have increased by 1.9% annually. The average Maine driver spends $543 a year in auto repair costs, according to the statement.

Over the next 20 years, Maine’s drinking water infrastructure will require $1.3 billion in additional funding, the White House said. The jobs bill would provide the state with a portion of the $111 billion that will be made available “to ensure clean safe drinking water is it right in all communities,” the statement added.

The White House pointed out that New Hampshire has a lack of affordable housing with an estimated 68,000 renters spending more than 30% of their income on rent. Biden’s plan proposes to spend $200 million to increase housing supply and build more affordable housing.

The jobs plan would invest $100 million nationally on high-speed broadband access to connect remote communities to the Internet. According to the White House, 8% of Maine residents live in areas with minimal broadband service. About 85% of Mainers live in areas with only one Internet service provider, the White House said.

Biden’s proposal would also mean more federal money for the state’s manufacturing and clean energy jobs, child care and veterans services, according to the White House.

The president has been trying to sell his “once in a generation” plan with the release of state-by-state breakdowns that illustrate the dire infrastructure needs. Much of the information has been compiled from highway data and other federal sources.

“This is the moment to reimagine and rebuild a new economy,” the White House said in the statement. “The American Jobs Plan is an investment in America that will create millions of good jobs, rebuild our country’s infrastructure, and position the United States to out-compete China.”

Republicans are opposed to the plan and have criticized its broad definition of infrastructure to include major drinking water, child care and caregiving expenditures.

“I’m going to fight them every step of the way because I think this is the wrong prescription for America,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said at a recent news briefing.

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