Following the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow Scotland, President Biden signed a $1 trillion infrastructure bill that is expected to support the agreements made during the summit to help limit the environmental impact the United States is having on the planet.

COP26, known as Conference of the Parties, is an annual climate summit held by the United Nations. This year it was held in Glasgow, Scotland from Oct. 31 to Nov. 12, with delegates from almost every country present.

Representatives from the U.S. worked throughout the summit to regain trust from other world leaders and show their commitment to a sustainable future. This is due to the previous administration pulling out of the Paris Climate Accord which is a climate agreement signed by 197 countries. The U.S. rejoined the accord last January under an executive order from President Biden.

The Biden administration signed into effect the infrastructure bill which is expected to support the United States goal of reaching net zero carbon admissions by the year 2050. The bill is also expected to help the U.S. do its part in limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees celsius through the use of federal funds. Additionally, the bill displays the U.S. commitment to reducing the effects of climate change worldwide.

According to IB Environmental Systems and Biology teacher at Skyline High School, Joelle Nelson, the infrastructure bill will provide more federal government funds for environmental projects in the U.S. that will support the agreements made at COP26.

The money from the federal government is expected to be invested into renewable sources of energy such as wind turbines, solar panels and hydroelectric plants. For consumers, this bill will also support more electric vehicles on the roads through additional charging stations and other infrastructure that will reinforce the U.S commitment to a sustainable future.

“I think that we will see more investment in alternative energies,” said Nelson. “I think we are going to see more solar power, electric vehicles and electric charging stations”

Sammamish already receives most of its power from hydroelectric plants according to a King County report, which is a renewable source of energy. It is expected that there will be less investment in the Sammamish area due to the federal funds being sent to cities and towns across the U.S. that are more in need.

“I don’t know how much of federal money is going to come here,” said Nelson. “The places that have the least amount of money [will get] targeted [before] suburban high income Sammamish.”

With the highest median household income in the nation according to the Seattle Times, Sammamish is likely set to receive less money than cities like Spokane whose lower median income and higher population will allow it to receive more of the federal funds.

Citizens of Sammamish can take an active role in protecting the environment without the federal funds as the Sammamish City Council has created a survey for its residents to voice their opinion on what the city should do in the future in regards to climate change.