We are celebrating Infrastructure Week at a critical moment not only in our country but in the world. A time when there is an increasing need to address and manage climate-related impacts by identifying and reducing risks, seizing new opportunities, and taking action towards building a more sustainable world.
Last year, a $ 1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill was passed in both houses of Congress and signed into law by the President. The wide-ranging infrastructure bill covers investment in traditional infrastructure projects such as roads and bridges, to the expansion of access to broadband internet. One critical component of the bill is the $7.5 billion dollars for building a national network of electric vehicle (EV) chargers. This investment is a critical step in our efforts to fight the climate crisis and provides funding for EV chargers along highway corridors to facilitate long-distance travel and within communities to provide convenient charging where people live, work, and shop. As of late 2021, there were 2.1 million electric vehicles (Battery and Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles) in the United States and a little over 109,000 charger ports. This investment will help to build a nationwide network of 500,000 EV chargers to accelerate the adoption of EVs, reduce emissions, and improve air quality.
Why is this important? Each of us must do our part, however small, to reduce the negative effects of climate change on societies, economies, and the environment. One of the initial steps is to engage young people in the conversation about what infrastructure will look like. They are the future users of our public infrastructure, so we need their innovative thinking and their input in the decisions on what they will inherit. The infrastructure job market is wide and diverse. Let’s start engaging the younger generation early and often in the effort to create and maintain an infrastructure system that works for us all.
Here at Atlas, we have committed to reducing our direct and indirect emissions footprint and introducing a higher percentage of clean vehicles in our fleet. We will continue to provide solutions that mitigate risks, improve quality, and future-proof the natural and built infrastructure.
You never know how your daily commute, your mode of transportation, or the place where you live will evolve in a matter of ten years. Infrastructure needs and uses change continually, and our company is committed to undertaking infrastructure projects and launching initiatives with an eye to the future. As professionals in the infrastructure field, our responsibility is to look ahead and work toward sustainable solutions that enrich our communities and preserve our environment.
Infrastructure Week is a great time to consider what kind of future we are working towards. Our team has the ability and the drive to make a positive difference, and that is something we can all take pride in.
Author:
L. Joe Boyer | CEO | Atlas