Congress could help start hundreds of infrastructure projects across the country by appropriating money to the Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP), according to analysis the Association of Defense Communities released this week.
“This ready-to-go infrastructure plan makes national security the first priority,” ADC writes in “Implementing the Defense Community Infrastructure Program: A Survey of Projects Ready to Enhance Military Value.”
Congress created DCIP in the defense authorization bill to allow for DOD matching grants to state and local governments for critical off-base infrastructure needs affecting installations’ resilience and readiness.
A national survey helped ADC identify more than 200 projects in 28 states that could be eligible for DCIP funding. The report describes the projects, which range from transportation and public safety to utilities and other joint services.
The defense bill authorized up to $100 million for DCIP, but that would need to be officially appropriated by Congress.