— More than $2.7 billion in federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding has now been announced for Wisconsin, according to an overview provided by Biden administration officials.
Since the BIL was passed, more than $2.4 billion has been slated for Wisconsin transportation including roads, bridges, public transit, ports and airports, a White House fact sheet shows.
During a call with reporters yesterday, White House Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator Mitch Landrieu said these funds will result in “better roads and bridges that connect people to their loved ones and strengthen our supply chains, faster trains and cleaner buses that decrease commuter times, cleaner air and safer water that helps kids reach their potential, faster and more reliable high-speed internet.”
Officials yesterday also touched on the $65 billion coming from the BIL to support expansion of affordable high-speed internet around the country.
The fact sheet notes Wisconsin will get at least $100 million to help expand broadband, with about 849,000 state residents qualifying for financial benefits through the Affordable Connectivity Program. About 279,000 households in the state are currently enrolled in this program.
Meanwhile, about $150 million has been announced to help improve water infrastructure in Wisconsin, including $142 million in fiscal year 2022. Of that amount, $48 million is going toward lead pipe and service line replacements and $31 million is for safe drinking water investments, according to the fact sheet.
It also shows Wisconsin has been awarded $25.8 million for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program. Plus, $3.79 million is going directly to communities in the state for “clean transit buses and improved bus service” through a Department of Transportation program.
And of the $78 million in formula funding over five years the state is expected to receive for electric vehicle charging, Wisconsin has been allocated $28.4 million in 2022 and 2023 to develop a network of EV chargers.
The fact sheet also spotlights: $109 million being allocated to the state this year for clean energy; $42 million for Wisconsin airports this year; $32 million for state ports and waterways this year; $70.9 million for infrastructure resilience this year; and $6.5 million this year for cleaning up contaminated sites in the state.
Landrieu also touched on regional environmental programs funded with federal dollars.
“In Wisconsin and across many states we’re spending up to $1 billion to restore and clean up the Great Lakes, which is going to secure clean water and a better environment for millions of Americans,” he said.
See the fact sheet here: https://www.wisbusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Wisconsin-BIL-State-Fact-Sheet-Nov-22.pdf
— Attorney General Josh Kaul has announced Wisconsin will see more than $8 million from a settlement with Google after an investigation found the company misled users on its user location tracking.
An investigation involving attorneys general from 40 states found Google misled its users about when, where, how often and which application settings tracked their movements since at least 2014. The settlement requires Google to be more clear to users about changes in location tracking and give users more info about what kind of location tracking data it gathers and how Google uses it, among other things.
“Big tech companies must respect people’s privacy and be transparent about their practices,” Kaul said. “I’m proud to be part of this bipartisan group of AGs that’s standing up for consumer privacy.”
See the release:
— In a recent “cyber tabletop exercise” held at UW-Madison, an expert with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency told students that “everyone is a possible target” for cyberattacks.
“It’s up to everyone to be cyber-resilient,” exercise facilitator Patrick Skufca told about 75 computer science students at the university. They discussed potential targets for such attacks, including businesses large and small, banks, utility infrastructure and government contractors.
According to a release from the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs, this was the first exercise of its kind that the Department of Homeland Security and CISA have held at an academic institution.
Along with university representatives, the event earlier this month also included Madison’s water utility, the Milwaukee FBI office and the Wisconsin National Guard’s Detachment 1, 176th Cyber Protection Team.
As part of the exercise, the students learned about cybersecurity-related roles and opportunities available through the National Guard and other branches of the military, according to the release.
See more details: https://www.wisbusiness.com/2022/wisconsin-department-of-military-affairs-wisconsin-guard-unit-part-of-first-dhs-cisa-cyber-tabletop-exercise-at-university/
— With this year’s harvest season coming to a close, farmers in Wisconsin are slightly ahead of the five-year average for harvesting corn for grain.
That’s according to the latest crop progress report from the USDA, which shows harvesting of corn for grain was 71 percent complete as of Sunday. That’s eight days behind last year’s rate, but two days ahead of the five year average.
Meanwhile, this year’s fall tillage is proceeding much more quickly. At 71 percent complete, that’s even with last year’s rate but two weeks ahead of the average.
See the full report: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Wisconsin/Publications/Crop_Progress_&_Condition/index.php
— President Biden has announced he intends to appoint Port Milwaukee Director Adam Tindall-Schlicht as administrator of Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.
Tindall-Schlicht previously served as a commissioner of the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission and board member of the Great Lakes Protection Fund. He was appointed to both roles by Gov. Tony Evers.
See the release: https://www.wispolitics.com/2022/president-biden-announces-key-appointments
<br><b><i>Top headlines from the Health Care Report … </b></i>
— A startup company based on Medical College of Wisconsin research aims to provide a better option for treating obesity.
And researchers at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health have found college wrestlers who dehydrate to compete at a lower weight class are more likely to be injured.
<i>For more of the most relevant news on COVID-19, reports on groundbreaking health research in Wisconsin, links to top stories and more, sign up today for the free daily Health Care Report from WisPolitics.com and WisBusiness.com.</i>
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#TOP STORIES#
# Wisconsin expects to receive $8.4 million in largest multistate privacy settlement in U.S. history
# Federal COVID money is propping up thousands of Wisconsin daycares, for now
# A few small Wisconsin towns are rejecting federal coronavirus relief funding
#TOPICS#
# AGRIBUSINESS
– Van Orden seeks spot on House ag committee
# CONSTRUCTION
– Burlington voters approve advisory referendum to repair historic dam. Now it’s in the hands of the council.
# ECONOMY
– Most economic indicators tracked by MMAC improved in September
# EDUCATION
– Tim Sullivan donates $1 million to Catholic Memorial for Infinity Fields acquisition
# ENVIRONMENT
– Marshfield school forest earns tree farm recognition
– Wisconsin will see accumulating snowfall this week
# FOOD AND BEVERAGE
– Golden Nest Pancakes and Cafe set to open next week in Sun Prairie
– Let’s Eat: Neighbors embrace Prairie Cafe and Bakery in Middleton
– Barbecue restaurant closing, new food hall vendors: Quick Bites
# HEALTH CARE
– 4th grader uses Heimlich to save fellow student from choking
– Milwaukee startup Rose Biosciences says it has discovered a new treatment for obesity
# LABOR
– Industry celebrates National Apprenticeship Week with host of events
# MANUFACTURING
– See inside Pilot Project brewery opening soon in downtown Milwaukee
# NONPROFIT
– Renewed local Habitat for Humanity sets lofty goal
# REAL ESTATE
– Marcus Center dedicates new outdoor space that replaced sunken grove
– Growing law firm moving offices to Third Ward
– See revised renderings for 25-story Goll House apartment tower on Milwaukee’s lakefront
– Todd Battle will leave KABA to join Zilber
– Goll Mansion apartment tower developers submit updated design plans
# TECHNOLOGY
– Wisconsin tribe, faced with internet speeds ‘close to dial-up,’ will build its own internet service
# PRESS RELEASES
<i>See these and other press releases:
https://www.wisbusiness.com/press-releases/ </i>
Xcel Energy: Be prepared, stay informed when winter weather hits
