It never rains, but it pours. Each day seems to bring announcements of new and enhanced state and federal grant opportunities available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), opportunities through the American Rescue Plan Act funds, increased appropriations driven by the state budget surplus, and federal legislators accepting community project requests for next fiscal year. Southeast Michigan communities have been very busy submitting project applications! I know this because SEMCOG has provided more than 60 letters of support just this past month.
Regions like SEMCOG are uniquely positioned to assist with the implementation and coordination of new and expanded funding programs. We continue to collect and share data that help us to understand needs and set priorities, and we have developed regional plans and policies that holistically address Southeast Michigan’s transportation, economic development, broadband, water resources, parks and trails, etc.
Why Planning?
SEMCOG serves as the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for transportation funds, as well as Economic Development District and Air Quality and Water Quality Planning Agency for Southeast Michigan, which means we initiate and coordinate studies and plans to ensure wise use of federal dollars in all these areas.
Planning is essential to successful investment, but is too often overlooked. IIJA, for example, focused on a myriad of broader infrastructure needs, but the only significant allocation of planning dollars remained with transportation programs. Comprehensive planning that addresses current and future needs for broadband, water infrastructure (particularly to address aging systems and stormwater, which lacks a designated federal program or other sustaining funding resource), and workforce are also essential.
Holistic and forward-thinking planning has never more important. As we integrate critical initiatives such as social equity, climate resiliency, and labor force participation across our work, we – like other regions – serve as a convener and coordinator. We bring together communities and stakeholders with different needs, challenges, and priorities to find common ground. Our governance structure prioritizes the voices of local elected leadership from across the region to ensure that each community’s voice is represented.
We need to ensure this planning continues through sustainable funding.
Making Regions’ Voices Heard
SEMCOG partnered with our peer organizations from across the country to send a unified message to federal agencies: regions are critical in the successful deployment of federal and state dollars. Our approach is consistent, effective, and reliable because we build on a foundation of sound data, prioritize regional solutions, and build consensus among the region’s elected leadership.
This message holds true at the state level as well. Specifically, immense value can be relying on regions to continue our work of:
- Incentivizing regional and metropolitan approaches -IIJA implementation will result in more efficient, equitable, and impactful projects and results. This approach needs to be operationalized in the guidance and program implementation materials to become reality.
- Increasing regional and metropolitan capacity to provide local technical assistance – Regions can play a key role in supporting communities of all sizes in accessing the funding opportunities in the IIJA. A portion of the technical assistance funding to regional partners could help ensure that funds are distributed equitably.
- Ensuring coordination between state agencies and regions – Much of the funding provided in the IIJA goes to state DOTs and other state entities. To be successful, however, regions and local partners need to be included in the process. Federal guidance and other implementation documentation should ensure that this coordination occurs to the greatest extent possible.
So Why Regions?
SEMCOG, like many regions, serves a dual role as Southeast Michigan’s designated metropolitan planning organization (MPO) with federal transportation responsibilities, including a process of disseminating and coordinating millions of dollars in road funding each year. Large MPOs like SEMCOG also facilitate specially targeted federal programs such as the Transportation Alternative Program (TAP), which funnels millions of dollars to local agencies for trails and nonmotorized activities, stormwater mitigation, and safety.
SEMCOG’s Regional Review Committee, comprised of elected officials from throughout the region, makes grant decisions on TAP, distribution of EPA funds, and planning assistance grants. Increased funding behind these programs will be seamlessly distributed to local projects through the existing process. This month, the Committee responded to a shortage of TAP applications for stormwater and safety – issues that have emerged to the forefront in recent years – by placing special priority on such projects in its new application criteria.
What’s on the Horizon?
Federal and state programs align with much of our planning work and expertise, include upcoming opportunities in EV, traffic safety, water infrastructure and climate resiliency, and parks. Our New Future of Southeast Michigan initiative highlights nine focus areas where significant changes are happening. One major outcome of this work is SEMCOG’s EV hub, which provides resource kits and planning tools to communities and stakeholders to plan for the next “big wave.” Tools like the EV Hub enable communities to put their electrification efforts on the fast track by consolidating key information and resources in one place. As EV funding is announced, we will actively look for opportunities to partner with local communities to invest in EV infrastructure in Southeast Michigan.
We look forward to partnering with local communities to ensure Southeast Michigan not only receives our share of these federal and state funds, but that we work together to maximize our shared benefits!
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