January 13, 2023
Infrastructure Update
Stay informed on national infrastructure programs, funding, and developments with our weekly article.
Press Releases
Biden-Harris Administration Releases First Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization
January 10, 2023 | Sources: DOE, DOT
The Biden-Harris Administration released the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, a landmark strategy for cutting all greenhouse emissions from the transportation sector by 2050. Developed by the Departments of Energy, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency, the Blueprint is “a critical step” for the partnering agencies and stakeholders to cut harmful emissions. The Blueprint aims to build on investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act to create sustainable transportation systems nationally. More detailed and sector-specific action plans are anticipated to be released that further outline how the goals in the new Blueprint will be actualized over the next few years.
Call for Applications: Clean Energy Cybersecurity Accelerator (CECA) Program
January 9, 2023 | Source: DOE
On Monday, The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) announced a call for applications for the second round of the Clean Energy Cybersecurity Accelerator (CECA) program. The program brings together federal experts, energy industry representatives, and innovators to rapidly develop cybersecurity solutions for renewable energy resources and other grid operations and to bring them to the market faster. CECA is seeking applicants with solutions that actively identify all industrial control system assets connected to a utility's infrastructure to understand the totality of assets that need to be monitored and protected within the environment. NREL will select up to five participants for the second CECA cohort. Participants will receive professional evaluations of their technologies and partnership opportunities while developing and evaluating cyber-risk solutions in a collaborative setting. Participants must be based in the United States and offer innovations that address the specified cybersecurity topic priority. The application deadline is February 10, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. MT.
DOT Announces $20 Million to Improve Transit in Economically Distress Areas
January 9, 2023 | Source: DOT
On Monday, the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced $20 million in competitive grant funding through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Areas of Persistent Poverty (AoPP) Program to help improve transit in areas experiencing long-term economic distress. The funding provides more resources to underserved and disadvantaged communities seeking to expand or improve transit systems, supporting planning and technical studies to enhance public transportation in areas experiencing long-term economic hardship in both rural and urban communities. The AoPP program also offers planning grants for transit agencies to transition to low- and no-emission vehicles and chargers. The application deadline is March 10, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
EPA Announces Availability of $100 Million through Inflation Reduction Act for Environmental Justice Grants
January 4, 2023 | Source: HUD
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $100 million for projects that advance environmental justice in underserved and overburdened communities across the country. This Inflation Reduction Act funding is the largest amount of environmental justice grant funding ever offered by the EPA. The EPA has published two Requests for Applications for this funding through the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving (EJCPS) Cooperative Agreement Program and the Environmental Justice Government-to-Government (EJG2G) Program. The EJCPS Program provides financial assistance to eligible organizations working on or planning to work on projects to address local environmental and/or public health issues in their communities. The EJG2G Program supports and/or creates models of state activities of communities disproportionately burdened by environmental harms and public health risks to develop key tools and processes that integrate environmental justice considerations into state governments and government programs.
Federal Funding
Details on available infrastructure-related funding opportunities.
| Opportunity Number | Opportunity Title | Agency | Deadline | Funding |
| DE-FOA-0002894 | Carbon Dioxide Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation (CIFIA) Program: Future Growth Grants | DOE-NETL | 1/17/2023 | RFI |
| RUS-23-01-DLT | Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grants | USDA-RUS | 01/30/2023 | $64,000,000 |
| EPA-I-OLEM-OBLR-22-11 | Technical Assistance to Brownfield Communities | EPA | 02/14/2023 | $53,000,000 |
| DE-FOA-0002867 | BIL: Long Duration Energy Storage Demonstrations FOA | DOE-GFO | 03/03/2023 | $349,000,000 |
| DE-FOA-0002828 | BIL: DE-FOA-0002828: To Address Key Deployment Challenges for Offshore, Land-Based, and Distributed Wind | DOE-GFO | 03/10/2023 | $27,900,000 |
| FTA-2023-006-TPE | Areas of Persistent Poverty Program | DOT-FTA | 03/10/2023 | $20,041,870 |
| DE-FOA-0002779 | Additional Clean Hydrogen Programs (Section 40314): Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) | DOE-GFO | 4/7/2023 | $1,250,000,000 |
| DE-FOA-0002756 | 2022 FOA for Energy Improvements at Public K-12 School Facilities - BIL - Renew America's Schools | DOE-GFO | 04/21/2023 | $80,000,000 |
Awarded Infrastructure Grants
DOE Announces $42 Million to Develop More Affordable and Efficient Advanced EV Batteries in America
January 10, 2023 | Source: DOE
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $42 million in funding for 12 projects to strengthen the domestic supply chain for advanced batteries that power electric vehicles (EVs). Projects selected for the Electric Vehicles for American Low-Carbon Living (EVs4ALL) program aim to expand domestic EV adoption by developing batteries that last longer, charge faster, perform efficiently in freezing temperatures and have better overall range retention. Click here to view the awardees.
FEMA Awards Over $114 Million to Repair Water Treatment Plant for La Plata
January 11, 2023 | Source: FEMA
FEMA approved over $114 million to repair the Enrique Ortega Water Treatment Plant, which has the capacity to treat about 85 million gallons of water per day for clients of the La Plata Reservoir. An asset of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (PRASA), this plant services about 475,000 residents in the Toa Alta region, which comprises six municipalities. The funds aim to optimize the water treatment process including stabilization, oxidation and disinfection, and replace water supply pumps and the chemical feed systems. Other repairs to the existing main control building at the facility are contemplated, including architectural components and upgrades to the plant’s control room.
Committee Hearings on Infrastructure:
Upcoming Hearings:
No infrastructure hearings next week!
Past Hearings:
Tuesday, December 13
Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Communication, Media, and Broadband
10:00 AM (EST) Meeting: Hearings to examine solutions to meet America's broadband needs.
Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
10:00 AM (EST) Meeting: Hearings to examine the Department of the Interior's implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investment
2:30 PM (EST) Meeting: Hearings to examine how capital markets serve diverse entrepreneurs and investors.
Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Oceans, Fisheries, Climate Change, and Manufacturing
2:30 PM (EST) Meeting: Hearings to examine promoting and investing in small American manufacturers.
Wednesday, December 14
House Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Technology
10:00 AM (EST) Hearing: Building Regional Innovation Economies Part II
Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
2:30 PM (EST) Meeting: Hearings to examine improving access to capital in underserved communities, focusing on the Community Advantage program, microloans, and other Small Business Administration initiatives.
