Bills in several states are, in effect, creating a two-pronged approach to urban and rural areas that raises questions about the disparate treatment of cities and the large number of voters of color who live in them and is helping fuel opposition from corporations that are based in or have work forces in those places.
I found the above sentence in New York Times. My confusion is about the uses of 'and' in the following part-'the large number of voters of color who live in them and is helping fuel opposition'. Here the use of 'and' is correct? To me, it seems unnecessary. Please, enlighten me.