What would the plan do?

The proposal promises to create 6 million jobs with "strong labor protections;" ensure access to clean drinking water while lowering water bills across the U.S. and protecting against lead in paint and water; repair roads and bridges in poor condition by 2030; and invest in sustainable infrastructure that enables 50 percent of the country to grow over the next 10 years.

How would it work?

Buttigieg’s plan says it would prioritize connecting people with jobs and resources. He would double the Transportation Department's BUILD grant program, which funds a wide variety of infrastructure projects, to $2 billion a year.

The plan would boost transit, passenger rail and electric vehicles, and it promises to cut the backlog of road repairs in half over 10 years while repairing half of the nation's structurally deficient bridges in the country by 2030 — both massive, expensive undertakings.

His approach to the revitalizing the shrinking Highway Trust Fund calls for the federal government to "inject" $165 billion to keep it afloat through 2029, while requiring DOT to propose a new user fee system such as a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fee to replace the gas tax. Where that holdover money would come from isn't addressed in the plan, although in the past Congress has transferred funds from the general treasury to the fund to maintain its solvency.

The Buttigieg plan seeks to address two major criticisms of a VMT by instituting "appropriate privacy protections" and giving discounted rates to low income drivers.

The plan also includes provisions for road safety, something that hasn’t been detailed in the infrastructure proposals put forward by other leading candidates. He calls for a national "Vision Zero" policy to work toward eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries, as well as doubling funding for the Transportation Alternatives Program to install more accessible sidewalks, crosswalks, and bike lanes

Buttigieg's plan calls for investing $80 billion in expanding broadband to "unserved and underserved communities," and boosting the FCC's Lifeline program, which helps provide affordable phone and internet service to low-income consumers.

How would it tackle environmental issues?

The Buttigieg plan promises to ensure lead-free water by investing $20 billion to replace 3 million lead service lines by 2030, and by supporting "best-in-class" corrosion control. The former South Bend mayor would also put $100 billion into a Lead-Safe Communities Fund to address lead contamination in water, paint and soil.

The plan would establish 12 "science-based standards" to limit toxic contamination of so-called forever chemicals, known as PFAS, in drinking water. Buttigieg would develop safe alternatives to PFAS in commercial use, and would direct his EPA to designate areas of high PFAS contamination as Superfund sites. To support this effort, Buttigieg would triple the budget for EPA's cleanup programs.

The plan also calls for lowering water bills nationwide, promising to cut the average U.S. bill by 50 percent for 10 million families with a Drinking Water Assistance Matching Fund.

Buttigieg's plan would also repair and modernize flood protection systems for communities that require it by 2030.

It also calls for the creation of a $40 billion "Sea Level Defense Fund" to prepare for rising sea levels and help communities via natural and hard infrastructure protections. The plan would put $5 billion in direct grants toward feasibility studies and predevelopment, and $35 billion in loans and grants for coastal defense projects.

The former South Bend mayor also pledges to work with public agencies, utilities and grid operators to harden the electric grid by requiring annual audits of risk and emergency response plans. Under the Buttigieg administration, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission would be tasked with creating regulatory frameworks to modernize the grid by incentivizing distributed generation and storage and smart grid management.

The plan also would "increase clean energy deployment" to create a zero-emissions electricity by 2035, something also described in Buttgieg's climate change plan.

How much would it cost?

$1 trillion

The plan puts its price tag at more than $1 trillion.

It would be paid for by reforming the capital gains tax and repealing tax cuts under the Trump administration, according to a campaign spokesperson. Buttigieg would also collect revenue by raising the estate tax and lowering the exemption for which the tax applies, along with tackling its loopholes — which the campaign estimates would create $400 billion over 10 years.

How does it compare?

Buttigieg’s plan is similar in scope to the infrastructure proposals other leading Democrats released, but delves deep into specifics on some key issues. For example, on the Highway Trust Fund, where Joe Biden’s plan talks about “ensuring new revenues,” Buttigieg calls specifically for a $165 billion injection, followed by the transition to a national vehicle miles traveled fee.

Buttigieg’s stated focus on traffic safety is uniquely detailed among the candidates, too.

While several Democratic hopefuls have called for tackling PFAS regulations, Buttigieg's plan offers up greater detail by explicitly specifying a Superfund designation for the chemicals. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) recently vowed to "create federal clean water standards that force these companies to clean up their mess," and like Buttigieg, Sanders and several other Democratic campaigns have touted a need for clean drinking water and tackling lead contamination.

Buttigieg's call for a "Sea Level Defense Fund" is also unique to the 2020 field.

