Infrastructure Sustainability & Resilience
Ellen Smith/The Oak Ridger
Editor’s note: This piece was previously published on the National League of Cities (NLC) website.
Recent passage of the American Rescue Plan provided an important lifeline for communities, like Oak Ridge, to continue to be able to provide critical services to residents, support small businesses and keep essential workers employed.
Now, as President Biden has outlined an economic recovery package focused on infrastructure and jobs, it is important to remember the connection that environmental protection has to infrastructure and economic growth; they are not only complementary, but dependent on each other. This includes investing in our nation’s water infrastructure, acting on climate change to build community resilience, and enhancing local parks and green/natural infrastructure.