Landrieu back in spotlight tackling infrastructure, equity

By KEVIN McGILL
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — As mayor of New Orleans, Mitch Landrieu oversaw billions of dollars in infrastructure repairs and improvements when he took over a lagging recovery from Hurricane Katrina in 2010. Now, he’s tasked with infrastructure work on a national scale. Landrieu has been tapped by President Joe Biden as coordinator of his $1 trillion infrastructure plan. Landrieu is a former state legislator and Louisiana lieutenant governor who is also known for spearheading the movement that led to removal of memorials to Confederate leaders from public view. In a statement Monday he said racial equity will be a core focus of the programs to upgrade roads, bridges, ports, rail lines and airports.