Introduction to the Symposium: Redundant, Abandoned, Idled, and Neglected Infrastructure: Problems and Solutions for the 21^st Century

Abstract

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (P.L 177-58) authorized some $1.2 trillion to invest in infrastructure in the United States. The largest infrastructure investment in a generation, the bill combined funds for traditional infrastructure (roads, bridges, water, ports, etc.) with money for broadband internet, electric vehicle charging, clean energy, and other uses. However, only a small portion of the funds are available to address redundant, abandoned, idled, or neglected (RAIN) infrastructure. This article presents the broader issues associated with RAIN infrastructure, (i.e., costs and equity) and introduces the papers that comprise the RAIN symposium. We conclude that there is a significant need for further scholarly and policy attention within the U.S. and elsewhere, so that the myriad of issues relating to existing infrastructure may be adequately addressed.

Dams are old and abandoned, are people concerned? Risk perceptions from Michigan, USA

“…The purpose of this paper is to understand risk perceptions related to Michigan's rapidly aging dam infrastructure-outside of hydroelectric megaprojects (e.g., the Hoover dam in Nevada), dams have received little attention in the social science and policy literature and redundant, abandoned, and idled infrastructure has received comparatively little scholarship (Fisk, Mayer, and Morris 2023). Like other aging or obsolete infrastructure, dams pose a unique challenge because many are aging yet the builders were often companies that have long since shuttered.…”

Framing Water Infrastructure for Climate Resilience: Governance Dimensions and Challenges

“…We couple the IRR framework of Kissling-Näf and Kuks (2010) and Metz and Glaus (2019) with specific work on infrastructure politics. Fisk et al (2023) note that infrastructure includes a wide variety of tangible (can physically touch or see) to intangible (digital) facilities. Moreover, infrastructure can range from highly technical and geared toward protection, to more resilience by inducing changes in behavior and decision-making.…”

“…Moreover, infrastructure can range from highly technical and geared toward protection, to more resilience by inducing changes in behavior and decision-making. Fisk, et al (2023) also contend that the choices relative to infrastructure leave decades-long imprints and can cost billions of dollars, such choices are often path dependent and influenced by a myriad of historical and contemporary institutional factors, constraints, and resources. As infrastructure investments require large investments, they also provide important opportunities for making forward-looking decisions, for example, by coupling long-term objectives for both water, safety and sustainability.…”

“…Further compounding questions of infrastructure governance is that the answers are likely to involve a host of legal, political, and historical considerations layered on top of existing (even if largely irrelevant) infrastructure, methods (i.e., brick and mortar or more natural infrastructure), financing, local support and/or resistance, and other relevant legal requirements, i.e., permits/licenses/rules. It is important that these considerations are addressed before a single shovel hits the ground and are considered alongside the other challenges caused by climate change and limited resource availability (Fisk et al, 2023).…”