MANCHESTER — With a handwritten birthday letter in hand, Gov. Chris Sununu waited for Air Force One to land at the Manchester airport to greet President Joe Biden, who turns 78 on Friday.
Biden came to New Hampshire to tout his just-signed infrastructure spending bill from an old bridge in Woodstock that’s needed repairs since 2014.
Earlier in the day, Sununu sent another letter to Biden, one that questioned the legislation and detailed the governor’s problems with the bill and its implementation in New Hampshire.
In his letter, the governor wrote that New Hampshire had been given the lowest total funding of all 50 states for highway programs.
“Can New Hampshire count on you to work with Congress to ensure a more equitable funding formula for highway apportionment in future reauthorization packages?” he asked in the letter.
In addition, he urged Biden to address supply chain issues, workforce shortages and the rising cost of construction materials.
“Ensuring that roads get built, bridges get repaired, and drinking water gets improved will be even more challenging given the economic challenges Washington seems oblivious to,” Sununu said.
New Hampshire is set to receive $1.1 billion for highways the next five years as well as $225 million for bridge replacement and repairs, according to estimates that don’t include future grants for which the state can apply.
New Hampshire Department of Transportation Commissioner Victoria Sheehan said at a news conference last week that the legislation would mean a 24% increase for core highway funding.
An August analysis by CNBC shows that when state allocations are adjusted for population, New Hampshire will get more funding per capita than half the states, including more populous states like California and Texas.
The New Hampshire Democratic Party pushed back against Sununu’s claim that New Hampshire was shortchanged by the bill in a statement on Tuesday.
“You should take Republican criticisms with a grain of salt: If the New Hampshire Republican Party had their way, New Hampshire would receive zero dollars in new infrastructure funding,” New Hampshire Democrats wrote in a statement.
The legislation will provide $17 million to the state for electric vehicle charging, $100 million to increase broadband access across the state and $45.5 million for airports, according to White House estimates. New Hampshire will also get $418 million to improve access to clean drinking water, $5.6 million for wildfire protection and $12.4 million to protect from cyberattacks.
Sheehan said in a news conference last week that the five-year spending package would provide stability, making it easier for the state agency to plan future upgrades and repairs. The Department of Transportation is currently developing its 10-year transportation plan. Sheehan said the department will update the guidance document based on the funding in the bill before the Executive Council votes on the plan.
In his letter, Sununu also asked Biden to address supply chain and labor shortages that could hinder infrastructure improvement and construction efforts, to allow states flexibility in allocating the federal funds, and to alter policies that he said are driving up the cost of heating fuel right before winter.
After greeting Biden, who was flown north to appear at a red-listed bridge over the Pemigewasset River on Tuesday, Sununu said the exchange was a positive one.
“We talked briefly about inflation and workforce shortages. We discussed the concerns of rising fuel costs and he mentioned his conversation with President Xi and the possibility of opening both U.S. and China oil reserves,” Sununu said afterward. “It was a very pleasant conversation, I wished him well, and I appreciate his willingness to engage on these important issues.”