Reps. Garamendi and Thompson Introduce Bill Protecting Critical Infrastructure, Joined by MTC

VALLEJO, CA - Today, Congressman John Garamendi (CA-08) and Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-04) announced the introduction of the ADAPT Assets Act (H.R.8653). The bill accelerates projects that protect vital infrastructure from natural disasters across the country, such as the much-needed flood protection on Highway 37. To mark the introduction of this bill, Congressman Garamendi held a press conference with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, California Alliance for Jobs, and other local elected officials on Highway 37.

"Natural disasters and sea level rise put critical infrastructure at risk every day and will only intensify over time. We cannot allow the cost and complexity of repairing and safeguarding our roads, bridges, and pathways to cause further delays or deterioration." said Congressman Garamendi. "The Bay Area is on the front lines of natural degradation due to flood and fire risk. Protecting the Bay Area shoreline from flooding through 2050 is projected to cost $100 billion. The ADAPT Assets Act is designed to reduce costs while accelerating essential infrastructure repairs that our local economies and communities depend on. This legislation will strengthen our infrastructure, create good-paying union jobs, lower long-term costs, and expedite progress while employing workers across our community."

"Our communities can't afford to wait around for infrastructure support. As fires, floods, and other natural disasters get worse, we need to invest in repairing and strengthening our infrastructure now," said Congressman Thompson. "Proud to work with my colleague, Rep. Garamendi, to introduce the ADAPT Assets Act to jumpstart important infrastructure investments across our country and here at home."

"All of us at MTC thank Congressman Garamendi and Congressman Thompson for their leadership," said Metropolitan Transportation Commission Vice Chair and Marin County Supervisor Stephanie Moulton-Peters. "The ADAPT Assets Act will help communities across the nation protect their infrastructure. Just as the federal government stepped up to build the national highway system and helped fund the Bay Area's transit network, we need a strong federal partner to help us preserve these assets for future generations. There is a real urgency for communities across the North Bay, where Highway 37 is especially well suited to compete for an ADAPT Assets grant. The route is already vulnerable to flooding and threatened by sea level rise. We're committed to a resilient Highway 37 that will not only support the North Bay workforce day in and day out but will also serve the whole Bay Area in a time of emergency."

"California's ability to protect our infrastructure from natural disasters depends on new funding, as proposed in the ADAPT Assets Act, to hire reliable contractors and a skilled workforce to deliver the improvements that are needed," said Josh Arce, Senior Advisor, California Alliance for Jobs. "SR 37 is one of the most critical and vulnerable roadways in the North Bay. In addition to addressing near-term traffic congestion at places like the Highway 37 and Route 121 intersection, we support longer-term investments that are planned to protect access along this corridor and all California roadways from sea level rise. Now is the time to act to increase federal funding to shore up our infrastructure and create tens of thousands of union construction jobs and we are so grateful to Congressman Garamendi, Congressman Thompson and MTC for their leadership on this issue."

"Climate adaptation doesn't fail for lack of ideas - it fails because funding and agencies aren't built to work together at scale," said Caitlin Sweeney, Executive Director of the San Francisco Estuary Partnership. "The ADAPT Act tackles that challenge head-on, creating a pathway for complex, multi-sector projects that deliver real protection for people, infrastructure, and ecosystems when and where it's needed most," said Caitlin Sweeney, Executive Director of the San Francisco Estuary Partnership.

Bill Background

The ADAPT Assets Act establishes a national framework for cost-effective disaster preparedness and would provide $2 billion every year to support the development of 10 large-scale critical infrastructure projects, including in the Bay Area, where an estimated $100 billion is required to protect the region's shoreline from flooding through 2050.

The legislation advances critical initiatives that mitigate the risk of catastrophic damage, prolonged disruptions, and recurring emergency repairs to essential surface transportation assets. It also facilitates enhanced coordination with federal agencies, including FEMA, the Department of Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and would serve as a model for the delivery of large-scale disaster resilience infrastructure projects nationwide.

View the full text of the bill HERE.

Supporting Statements

"I strongly support the ADAPT Act and its focus on delivering real, large-scale solutions to protect our communities," said Fairfield Supervisor Cassandra James. "From shoreline flooding to critical transportation vulnerabilities, our region is on the front lines, and we need federal partnership to meet this moment. This is especially noteworthy for Solano County and Vallejo, one of the most diverse counties and cities in the nation, where resilience investments must reflect and protect the communities that make our region strong. The ADAPT Act will help ensure we are better prepared for the future while advancing sustainability, and long-term economic stability."

"The Bay Area economy depends on our ability to move people and goods around the region, but our transportation infrastructure is increasingly threatened by rising seas and extreme weather events," said Emily Loper, Senior Vice President of Public Policy at the Bay Area Council. "The ADAPT Act will help us fund and deliver the resilience improvements we need to strengthen our transportation infrastructure for generations to come."

"North Bay Leadership Council supports the ADAPT Act because it finally provides the kind of coordinated funding and delivery framework needed to move critical resilience projects like State Route 37 from planning to reality. We've waited too long! The two-lane Highway 37 is gridlocked most of the day and is prone to flooding and disruptions causing massive delays for teachers, nurses, childcare providers, truck drivers and working families who keep our economy moving. The ADAPT Act will strengthen this vital corridor for our economy, our communities, and the long-term mobility of the North Bay," said Joanne Webster, President and CEO of the North Bay Leadership Council.

"The Solano Transportation Authority appreciates Congressman Garamendi and Congressman Thompson's leadership and commitment to addressing resiliency along the SR 37 corridor which will further environmental enhancements and provide congestion relief through his work on the ADAPT Act," said Daryl Halls, Executive Director of the Solano Transportation Authority. "We thank him for his perseverance in finding solutions for this complex and diverse corridor."

"As a County Supervisor and BCDC Commissioner addressing sea level rise, we appreciate Congressmember Garamendi's efforts to help make our vital transportation infrastructure more resilient to sea level rise," said John Gioia, Contra Costa County Supervisor and Commissioner at the San Francisco Bay Conservation Development Commission (BCDC).

"This ADAPT Act is superbly timed and on the mark. It champions the vital linkage between protecting our nation's shoreline transportation infrastructure and utilizing nature-based strategies that both enhance the natural environment and provide resilience to this infrastructure," said Stuart Siegel, Coastal Resilience Specialist for the San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. "Being the design lead for the Bay Area's pilot of this concept - Strip Marsh East and State Route 37 - I have seen first-hand both the opportunities this Act advances and the challenges the Act helps to remedy."

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