LANSING, Mich. — State Sen. Aric Nesbitt, on Thursday voted for legislation to invest $4.7 billion into making critical improvements to the state’s water, transportation, broadband and parks infrastructure.
“I have been a strong advocate for leveraging our state’s one-time federal funding to make generational improvements to our roads, bridges, water systems and other necessary infrastructure. By spending these dollars wisely, we will benefit Michiganders for decades to come,” said Nesbitt, R-Lawton.
Senate Bill 565 would use $4.1 billion in federal funding and $571 million in state resources to make important infrastructure investments across the state, including over $1.7 billion to help communities improve their drinking water and wastewater infrastructure — with at least 25% of drinking water funds dedicated to replacing lead pipes. It designates $50 million to help install filtered water stations in schools, $60 million to help reduce PFAS or other contaminants from drinking water, $35 million to fix failing septic systems.
The bill also features nearly $317 million in federal funding to fix aging roads and bridges, $450 million to make infrastructure upgrades at state and local parks, and $250 million to help improve broadband connectivity to more households and small businesses.
“The events of the past two years have highlighted the real need to expand reliable broadband service — thousands and thousands of families, particularly in rural areas, were forced to rely on zero to inconsistent internet service for their children’s schooling or to be able to do their jobs remotely,” Nesbitt said. “Data has shown us that nearly half a million residents don’t have reliable internet service or any internet service at all. I have twice proposed legislation to address this important issue only to have it be defeated by the governor’s veto pen. I am happy to see us begin to address this need in today’s historic infrastructure bill that the governor has already indicated she will sign into law.”
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