U.S. infrastructure sees small gains from Biden-era funding but major gaps remain

The U.S. earned a “C” for its infrastructure in a new national report, with recent federal investments helping slightly but falling far short of what’s needed to fix aging systems and prepare for climate risks.

Tammy Webber and Michael Phillis report for The Associated Press.

In short:

The American Society of Civil Engineers upgraded the U.S. infrastructure grade from a C-minus to a C, crediting federal investments from the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
Roads, water systems, and energy networks remain in poor condition, with a projected $3.7 trillion gap in funding over the next decade to meet essential infrastructure needs.
Extreme weather linked to climate change is increasing stress on outdated systems, while partisan shifts may jeopardize continued investment and staffing in areas like national parks.

Key quote:

“We have seen the investments start to pay off, but we still have a lot of work to do out there.”

— Darren Olson, chair of the 2025 American Society of Civil Engineers infrastructure report

Why this matters:

From drinking water to flood control, broadband access to electric grids, the U.S. infrastructure system — once a symbol of industrial might — is fraying under the weight of modern pressures. Many highways, bridges, and water pipes were built in the mid-20th century, never designed to handle today’s surging population, intensifying storms, or shifting energy demands. Extreme weather fueled by climate change is pushing systems beyond their limits, exposing communities to blackouts, unsafe water, and deadly delays in emergency response.

In cities and rural areas alike, aging infrastructure compounds inequality: Low-income neighborhoods are more likely to face lead-contaminated water, unreliable transit, or flood-prone streets. The 2021 infrastructure law under President Biden injected a historic $1.2 trillion into modernization efforts, but many experts argue it’s only a down payment on what’s needed. With President Trump now back in office, the future of that momentum is uncertain.

apnews.com

Credit: Pierre Lemos / Unsplash+

Toxic chemicals and climate change work together to harm fertility across species

In a recent review published in NPJ Emerging Contaminants, researchers examine how toxic chemicals can reduce fertility in both humans and wildlife, and how these effects are worsened by climate change.

In short:

Animals - including insects, fish, reptiles, birds, humans, and other mammals - are constantly simultaneously exposed to synthetic chemicals and the impacts of climate change, including rising temperatures.
Both of these stressors can harm fertility, and many of the impacts found are similar across species, such as effects on sperm and eggs.
The stress caused by these exposures also impacts overall health, harming animals’ ability to adapt to a changing environment and worsening global biodiversity loss.

Key quote:

“To build a sustainable future, we must recognize that chemicals, once released, don’t simply disappear. Instead, they contribute to the larger issue of driving humanity towards the exceedance of planetary boundaries when considered in combination with climate change and other planetary-level impacts.”

Why this matters:

While climate change and toxic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are both individually well-established as health threats, few studies have examined the implications of the widespread simultaneous exposure experienced by humans and wildlife. Many EDCs can also impact health across multiple generations, meaning their harm continues long after the original exposure. To better tackle the issue of EDCs, the authors of this study emphasize the need for strong regulations that address chemicals by class, rather than individually.

Related EHN coverage:

Declining PFAS levels in seabird eggs reflect impact of regulatory action
Op-ed: A stalled global plastic treaty threatens our future fertility (written by two of the lead authors of the above study)

More resources:

ChemTrust: Wildlife and the environment – Endocrine disruptors
Stockholm Resilience Center: Planetary Boundaries: The safe operating space for humanity

Brander, S. et al. (2026). Impacts of environmental stressors on fertility and fecundity across taxa, with implications for planetary health. NPJ Emerging Contaminants.

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U.S. infrastructure sees small gains from Biden-era funding but major gaps remain

Toxic chemicals and climate change work together to harm fertility across species

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