State leaders discuss implications of Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Lawmakers in Lansing want to understand the impact of funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). Introduced in November 2021, the BIL is a $1.2 trillion investment in repairing and modernizing the nation’s infrastructure.

Sen. Gary Peters (D-Michigan) invited the state’s economic leaders to the first hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on Transportation, Maritime, Freight and Ports to discuss the bill.

One choice Peters made, he said, was because of Michigan’s position as a representative and example for the rest of the country. He said the state has rural, urban and suburban areas and is a manufacturing hub with strategic supply chain stops along roads, rail and maritime routes that also rely on an international border.

“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Laws brought a lot of resources to the Upper Peninsula, whether it was broadband, but also roads, bridges, basic things that needed to be fixed, and haven’t been fixed in many, many years,” Peters said. “Our work is far from done. The next step is to understand the details of how this law is actually implemented. We want to hear directly from local stakeholders who are on the ground and see these projects up front and close them out.”

The funds have launched 500 infrastructure projects in Michigan over three years, with the aim of improving public health, economic development and access to clean energy.

Peters explained that they are working to understand the challenges that come with implementing the dollars by listening to local project stakeholders, such as Marty Fittante, CEO of Invest UP.

Fittante said he made the trip to testify and give voice to what the law has meant to rural communities like the Upper Peninsula. He highlighted projects that brought millions of dollars to UP for broadband, clean water and transportation.

Projects include a $25 million broadband grant to the Sault Tribe, $5 million to build a new general aviation terminal in Chippewa County, and the $22 million partnership between Menominee and KK Integrated Logistics.

He said taking advantage of competitive funding opportunities like the BIL can mean communities must have the resources to apply, often find matching funding, and have the capacity to accept the grants while remaining compliant by tracking and reporting on projects. All of this can be overwhelming for small communities in desperate need of support.

“Rather than just holding on, rural communities need to thrive. We are at a crossroads in time and are poised for growth. In fact, the UP population grew for the first time in decades in the last three years,” Fittante said. “I thought it was equally important to talk about what those challenges in seizing that opportunity look like for communities in the Upper Peninsula.”

Senator Peters says lawmakers will be holding similar sessions across the country to lay the groundwork for future legislation, taking the next steps to identify what they did well and where they still lack, to understand how best to use resources moving forward.