With the landmark U.S. infrastructure bill being signed into law in late 2021, we discussed its potential implications for the corrosion industry with Adam L. Christopher, manager of government relations at the Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP), and Dan Adley, recently retired CEO of engineering consultancy KTA-Tator, Inc. (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA) and a longtime association member and leader.
Topics discussed on the December 2021 podcast include a legislative outline of the bill and insight into its major topics; what the infrastructure legislation means for the entire corrosion industry; what AMPP members can do to prepare themselves; and where people should go to find out more information and any opportunities.
“One of the overarching things we’d like to see is to motivate and engage AMPP members to be advocates for our association, and more importantly, our industry—what we do as professionals,” Adley says. “I believe this Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act creates a unique opportunity for every individual member to get engaged.”
“I’ll give you some ideas,” Adley continues. “One is calling your local state representatives, be it a congressional representative or a senatorial representative for the district you live in, or perhaps where your business is located. Engage them in the conversation. Because all of this funding is ultimately going to flow through the states. Some of which they have immediate control over, and others they have to apply for through grants. Those are going to create opportunities for AMPP membership to participate in.”
“If you reach out to your local representatives, just ask them the simple questions. ‘How is our state receiving these funds? What’s the vision, how should they be dispersed? And are we incorporating sound corrosion, design, management, and oversight provisions in the utilization of these funds to ensure that our investment is sustainable?’ I think it’s an easy task.”
“Our legislators at the local level, at least in my experience, largely seem to be inclined to have conversations with constituents. If your business is located there, it’s even more so. It may inspire you. Once you get over the initial discomfort of reaching out and talking to a legislator, maybe you bump it up and you find your congressional or senatorial representative to the U.S. Congress. They’ll have someone within their office that deals with infrastructure, and you can relay that same message.”
The complete podcast, titled “What the New U.S. Infrastructure Bill Means for Corrosion Specialists,” can be listened to below.
Source: MP Podcasts, www.materialsperformance.com/podcasts.