Biden Signs Climate & Healthcare Law; Status of Related Permitting Reform Measure Unclear

What happened: President Joe Biden Aug. 16 signed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022—a new law that boosts investments in energy and environmental programs, and makes changes to Medicare and the corporate tax code. It was approved via the reconciliation process, a legislative maneuver lowering the threshold in the Senate from 60 votes to a simple majority. Vice President Kamala Harris cast the deciding 51st vote in her role as Senate president.

Why it matters: The law contains $3 billion for a transportation ‘equity and neighborhood access’ program, $2 billion for federal aid projects to include low-carbon transportation materials, and $100 million to help improve and expedite the environmental review process.

What’s next: As part of an agreement to complete the package, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) secured the commitment of party leaders to vote on further provisions to improve permitting reform for infrastructure projects. Negotiations are ongoing, but the proposed legislative language recently shared with ARTBA reveals the bill focuses more on energy infrastructure projects, not transportation. With the path forward unclear, ARTBA continues to advocate for commonsense permitting reforms for transportation projects via the rulemaking process and in any legislation that might emerge.