off-system bridges, many in rural areas, that would address 12,000 of the 30,000 off-system bridges currently in poor condition.
Forest Restoration. To maximize the resilience of land and water resources to protect communities and the environment, this President’s plan invests in USDA resilient forest restoration projects in the west for thinning, prescribed fire, and reforestation efforts. Drought Resilience for Farmers. To defend communities vulnerable to drought and support their recovery from disaster, the President’s plan invests in drought resilience technology for agricultural producers.
Remediate and Redevelop Idle Rural Property. In rural communities around the country, former industrial and energy sites are now idled -- sources of blight and pollution. Through a historic investment in the remediation and redevelopment of these Brownfield and Superfund sites in rural and urban communities, as well as related economic and workforce development, President Biden’s plan will turn this idle real property into new hubs of economic growth and job creation.
Spur the Buildout of Critical Physical, Social, and Civic Infrastructure in Distressed and Disadvantaged Communities. President Biden’s plan will bring distressed and disadvantaged communities in rural America new critical physical, social, and civic infrastructure. This means investing $14 billion in the Economic Development Agency’s Public Works program (while lifting the cap of $3 million on projects) and in USDA and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development “Main Street” grant initiatives. President Biden’s plan will also spur targeted sustainable, economic development efforts through the Appalachian Regional Commission's Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) Initiative and Department of Energy retooling grants for idled factories (through the Section 132 program).
Manufacturing Credit Programs. The President’s plan provides USDA with $15 billion for subsidized credit programs focused on manufacturing, including the Rural Development Section 9003 Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical, and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program and the Business and Industry Guarantee Loan Program.
Support Research and Development Programs. As part of a historic investment in science, research, and development, the President’s plan invests in basic science research at USDA through the Agricultural Research Service, National Agriculture Statistics Service, Economic Research Service, and National Institute of Food and Agriculture. In addition, the proposal calls for an expansion of federal R&D funding to universities, including land grant universities, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) and further support for the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) to improve access to research funding.
Regional Innovation Hubs with Rural Connections. The President’s plan funds 10 new regional innovation hubs across the country that will leverage private investment to fuel
