MADISON, Wis. – Last week, the Biden-Harris administration announced the creation of their national Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan. This plan will accelerate the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s efforts to replace the country’s lead pipes in the next decade. This historic investment in clean drinking water was mirrored by subsequent announcements that the Biden-Harris administration will allocate $114.5M for infrastructure projects in rural communities across Wisconsin.
Clean drinking water should be a right in all Wisconsin homes – unfortunately, Wisconsin Republicans have long valued scoring cheap political points over removing lead from our children’s drinking water. In 2019, GOP lawmakers cut tens of millions of clean water funding from Gov. Evers’ proposed budget – an action they repeated in 2021. Despite Republicans’ obstructionism, Gov. Evers is continuing to fight for clean water and he recently re-introduced his proposal to remove PFAS chemicals from drinking water.
Nationally, the President’s Lead Pipe and Paint Action Plan will invest:
- $15 billion of direct funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for lead service line replacements
- $9 billion in the Build Back Better Act for lead remediation grants to disadvantaged communities, including for schools and childcare centers
- $1 billion in the Build Back Better Act for rural water utilities to remove lead pipes
- $5 billion in the Build Back Better Act for the mitigation and removal of lead-based paint, lead faucets and fixtures, and other housing-related health hazards in low-income households
- $65 billion of Build Back Better Act funding for public housing agencies and $5 billion for other federally-assisted housing preservation and rehabilitation
This funding builds on $350 billion from Democrat’s American Rescue Plan that states, localities, and Tribes can dedicate to eradicating lead pipes and the replacement of faucet insides of school and child care facilities.
Read more about the Biden-Harris administration’s investments in clean water infrastructure here.