Infrastructure
It’s an ongoing, multitrillion-dollar challenge to build new and maintain existing infrastructure. This section will explore forward-looking approaches to funding, building and maintaining roads, highways, rail and broadband, as well as water and other utilities.
Only California and Alaska, which respectively placed 49th and 50th, fared worse.
The explosive growth of data centers, fueled partly by the AI race, has some states scrambling for a piece of the action and some localities trying to pump the brakes.
Residents demand action on resource-heavy developments, but local governments say state law curtails their power.
Soil testing shows dozens of city parks expose children to hazardous lead levels years after officials pledged to fix the problem.
In communities where agriculture is central to local identity and economy, opposition to wind and solar projects is reshaping the pace and location of energy investments.
Thousands of unplugged wells from a century of drilling are leaking pollution, while the state struggles to track money meant to fix the problem.
The incentives are reshaping rural economies, with debates emerging about oversight and long-term community costs.
Industry surveys reveal a growing disconnect between when data centers expect power and when utilities can provide it.
With tailored, evidence-based policies, the U.S. can relieve the burden on local and municipal governments, communities, and the environment.
After years of waiting, states and territories will soon begin breaking ground on projects intended to expand access to high-speed internet nationwide.
Officials have pledged faster permitting and infrastructure fixes, but residents point to broken promises after earlier wildfires.
They could act as official intervenors in rate-hike cases, bringing the power of their offices to bear.
The new law will boost funding and restructure oversight of Chicago-area transit agencies as federal pandemic aid expires.
Utilities are spending billions to modernize transmission for renewables, manufacturing and data centers with costs passed on to ratepayers statewide.
Advocates say developers are exploiting a loophole in state air quality regulations.
The state trails far behind Illinois and Ohio, which together hold half of all operating facilities in the region.
A regional design meant to prevent failures during wildfires never worked in practice.
Data center exemptions now make up nearly 80 percent of all economic-incentive spending, even as communities raise concerns about rising power costs.
The sweeping funding initiative is aimed at replenishing supply and fixing failing systems as the state braces for future drought risk.
Construction of Meta’s $27 billion “Hyperion” facility coincides with a more than 600 percent spike in truck crashes.
As utility bills soar, Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill faces a high-stakes balancing act over an embattled natural gas project that would stabilize prices—but at a cost to the environment.
The bill is coming due after years of underinvestment in water infrastructure. New research highlights needs in each state and the economic benefits from meeting them.
They’re the foundation of our evolving economy, defining the next generation of growth. Their resource use is misunderstood. And they’re a boon for rural communities.
Extreme weather, chronic underfunding and age are conspiring to keep Louisiana's infrastructure falling behind despite recent federal investments.
The April 2011 outbreak spurred the state to overhaul its emergency systems — now officials say its coordinated efforts may serve as a blueprint for other states.
Residents in four industrial corridor towns can see real-time air quality data — a project environmental groups hope will prompt voluntary emissions fixes without relying on regulation.
The city’s long-delayed groundwater project will serve 500,000 by 2027, reducing dependence on imported water and strengthening drought resilience.
At the Western Governors’ Association workshop in Denver, officials discussed how to modernize transmission, permitting and funding to meet a projected 20-35 percent surge in electricity demand.
Glitches in signal timing, breakdowns and crowding marred the Metro Express debut, as officials ask riders for patience during a 90-day period to fix the new rapid-transit system.
After federal delays and political shifts, the state’s long-awaited broadband expansion is starting over with half the funding — leaving millions of Texans still offline and waiting.
With up to 50 million residents projected by 2070, researchers say the state must invest as much as $154 billion in reuse systems, desalination and aquifer recharge to avoid future shortages.
