**The full conversation can be viewed here**

Concord, N.H. — Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) hosted an informational briefing for New Hampshire cities and towns to discuss federal funding opportunities made available by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which Kuster voted for. Between ARPA and IIJA, there are numerous potential new funding sources available for New Hampshire communities. Kuster partnered with the New Hampshire Municipal Association and the National League of Cities to provide an overview of programs available and answer questions from communities. 

Representatives from National League of Cities included:

—Mike Wallace, Legislative Director, Community and Economic Development, Federal Advocacy Team 

—Carolyn Berndt, Legislative Director, Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Federal Advocacy Team

“I want to thank the New Hampshire Municipal Association and the National League of Cities for partnering in today’s briefing to help ensure that communities throughout the Granite State have the information and resources to take full advantage of the federal funding provided by the American Rescue Plan Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Rep. Kuster. “These are transformational pieces of legislation designed to grant local leaders the flexibility they need to maximize the resources for their communities. We must make sure Granite Staters have the information and tools needed to make the most of these laws. I will continue to work across the aisle in Congress to help our communities grow and thrive throughout New Hampshire and ensure that no one is left behind as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

“NLC thanks Congresswoman Kuster and the New Hampshire Municipal Association for their partnership in advocating for and commitment to implementing the federal dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” said Carolyn Berndt, Legislative Director, Sustainability, NLC and Mike Wallace, Legislative Director, Community and Economic Development, NLC. “Programs authorized by these bills will help New Hampshire municipalities address urgent community needs, anticipate long-term impacts of the pandemic, and offer transformative investments in transportation, broadband and water infrastructure. NLC will continue to serve as a partner to help local governments understand and maximize the benefits and opportunities from these bills.”

Kuster supported the American Rescue Plan Act, a comprehensive relief package aimed at lifting up struggling American businesses and families, supporting frontline health care workers and first responders, providing key relief to state and local governments, and addressing the public health and economic crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic. ARPA provided $1.4 billion in funding for state, local, and county governments in New Hampshire.

Kuster also backed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act which will bring much-needed funding to New Hampshire to:

• Repair Roads and Bridges: $1.1 billion in federal highway funds and $225 million for bridge repairs to keep our critical infrastructure safe.  
• Broaden Access to Commuter Rail: $66 billion for federal rail investments. This funding will help improve the existing Amtrak service in New Hampshire and provide the state with additional federal resources to build the Capitol Corridor Project.
• The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides $250 million to cover credit risk premiums for Railroad Rehabilitation Improvement Financing (RRIF) loans. This will make it more affordable for states like New Hampshire to use RRIF as a source of funding for passenger rail projects and was inspired by Rep. Kuster’s bipartisan Invest in American Railroads Act. 
• Deliver on Broadband Expansion: $100 million to expand broadband coverage around the state to help Granite Staters stay connected.
• Deliver Clean Drinking Water: New Hampshire is expected to receive $418 million over the next five years to improve water infrastructure across the state. With some municipalities operating with water infrastructure over 100 years old, this historic investment will deliver important resources to New Hampshire communities in need. 
• Lower Energy Costs for Families: This bipartisan legislation invests $3.5 billion nationally into the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), which lowers home energy costs for lower-income families in New Hampshire.
• Reimagine Our Nation’s Dams: $2.4 billion federal investment in rehabilitating, retrofitting, and removing dams to improve dam safety, increase hydropower production to reduce carbon emissions, and remove dams to enhance the health of river ecosystems.
• Many of the dam investments are based on Rep. Kuster’s bipartisan Twenty-First Century Dams Act. 
• Address Climate Change: $65 billion to modernize our electric grid for a clean electricity future, $7.5 billion to build out a national network of electric vehicle charging infrastructure to help us decarbonize the transportation sector, $4.7 billion to reduce methane emissions by plugging old oil wells, and $3.5 billion to advance direct air capture technology to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.  

###