Arizona has launched a task force to ensure the “efficient and effective” use of funds coming from the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). The task force will match state-level infrastructure “priorities and investments” with federal funding opportunities.
“In the last seven years, Arizona has made significant investments in broadband expansion, energy grid resilience, and more infrastructure improvements,” noted Governor Doug Ducey during a special “kick off” ceremony for the new task force.
“Especially throughout the pandemic, we utilized federal and state funds to continue to build on Arizona’s economic resiliency,” Ducey said in a statement. “We will take full advantage of its competitive funding and optimize these once-in-a-generation funds to support our state’s future.”
Sarah Rose Webber, the state’s chief operating officer, is tasked with leading the task force. The rest of the group is comprised of the Arizona departments of Administration, Economic Security, Emergency and Military Affairs, Environmental Quality, Forestry and Fire Management, Homeland Security, Housing, Transportation, and Water Resources. It also includes the Arizona Commerce Authority and Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona.
“We often don’t think about infrastructure, but it’s a part of our daily lives,” Webber said. “The IIJA Task Force will set Arizona up for success by building a framework for our state to compete for funding and administer funding statewide.”
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Source: AASHTO Journal
