Congress could bolster the front lines of climate adaptation by increasing the amount of money it dedicates to infrastructure and water projects, the National League of Cities said in a report released Tuesday.
Cities and other local governments are the first line of defense against climate impacts and the first to respond to increasingly intense storms, fires, droughts and other effects of rising global temperatures. But “continued federal support will be essential in ensuring that municipal infrastructure remains resilient, modernized and prepared for future demands,” according to the report.
Local governments got a funding boost from the bipartisan infrastructure law of 2021, but they’re on shaky ground going forward. Congress and President Donald Trump have moved to block some spending in the law — known officially as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act — and inflation has driven up the cost of construction, eating into the law’s effectiveness.
“Financial challenges continue to be the most pressing concern for municipalities working on infrastructure projects,” the report said. One issue: the “rising costs of projects, materials and labor.”
