This Earth Day, Kansas has new resources to create better, stronger communities | Opinion

This is a unique moment in history. Recent landmark legislation has made new things possible, and we, as Kansas City area federal agency leaders, would like to highlight the incredible amount of funding available to communities like ours in the four states of Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Nebraska and nine tribal nations.

As we mark America’s 53rd annual Earth Day this Saturday, April 22, we’re reflecting on the progress made and the work that remains. Most important this year, we’re asking communities to say yes to working with federal agencies to apply new historic funding to build a cleaner, healthier future.

Kansas City metropolitan area communities and others in the heartland, especially those historically overburdened by pollution and vulnerable to the impacts of our changing climate, have a once-in-a-generation chance to say yes to federal funding opportunities to create better, locally designed outcomes. We are teaming up to work with communities interested in this historic health and climate resilience funding now available, thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act.

These laws are already having an impact on health and job creation in the heartland. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the community of Alma, Kansas, recently celebrated that their children will have cleaner air to breathe, thanks to the delivery of the first all-electric school buses in the state. And the Full Employment Council of Kansas City was awarded a grant so that 60 Kansas Citians will be trained in environmental cleanups, with nearly 40 trainees being placed in jobs. Through the Inflation Reduction Act, at least $3 million will be going to Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska each to reduce climate pollution.

Nationally, funding for flood mitigation was more than tripled under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, making $700 million available for each of five years. And under the Inflation Reduction Act, $1 billion will be available to invest in energy-efficient retrofits in federally assisted housing properties.

As a result of President Joe Biden’s emphasis on tackling the climate crisis and creating better health outcomes in all communities, billions of dollars have been allocated toward initiatives that make our nation more resilient. This funding represents the most significant investment in American infrastructure and community well-being since the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 invested in our interstate highway system.

Our agencies are empowering communities to remove lead drinking water service lines, implement water and wastewater infrastructure modernization and hazard mitigation projects, reduce pollution and lower energy costs for families, account for water and energy use, enhance cybersecurity and invest in measures to reduce lead exposure among children during housing weatherization and energy efficiency projects. We will also provide technical assistance for communities that need help with grant applications, especially those that have environmental justice concerns.

The new opportunities are plentiful, and it is our job as federal agencies to ensure that all our communities — especially those that need it most — can benefit from federal funding that will help them thrive.

To solidify our commitment to Kansas City-area area communities and beyond, we are formalizing a partnership with several Greater Kansas City Federal Executive Board agencies and AmeriCorps with details on actions that put community solutions first. Joining forces to improve public health outcomes and create climate resilience is an Earth Day tradition we’re honored to uphold.