January 20, 2023
Infrastructure Update
Stay informed on national infrastructure programs, funding, and developments with our weekly article.
Press Releases
DOE Launches New $50 Million Program to Help Communities Meet Their Clean Energy Goals
January 18, 2023 | DOE
On Wednesday, The Department of Energy launched a $50 million program to help communities across the country transition to clean energy systems. The Clean Energy to Communities program (C2C) will connect local governments, electric utilities, community-based groups, and others with DOE-developed modeling and testing tools to transform their clean energy goals and ambitions into reality. The program seeks to provide the type and amount of support communities require to meet their unique interests and needs in transitioning to a clean energy economy. C2C provides integrated technical support to communities across renewable power, grid, mobility, and buildings sectors. C2C offers three levels of technical assistance:
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- In-depth technical partnerships: Multi-year partnerships that provide cross-sector modeling, analysis, and validation, paired with direct funding to help four to five selected teams of local governments, electric utilities, and community-based organizations each their goals and/or overcome specific challenges.
- Peer-learning cohorts: Small groups of local governments, electric utilities, or community-based organizations that meet regularly for approximately six months to learn from each other and lab experts in a collaborative environment to develop program proposals, action plans, strategies, and/or best practices on a pre-determined clean energy topic. Cohorts will include approximately 100 communities in total.
- Expert match: Short-term assistance (40-60 hours) with one or more technical experts to help address near-term clean energy questions or challenges for up to 200 communities.
DOE Launches $10 Million Prize to Accelerate Community Solar in Underrepresented Communities
January 19, 2023 | DOE
On Thursday, the Department of Energy (DOE)’s National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP) launched several initiatives to support the deployment of equitable community solar projects and recognized projects. The Community Power Accelerator Prize is a new $10 million competition that will provide pre-development funds to organizations to build the expertise, experience, and capacity required to develop community solar projects at scale. The program leverages $5 billion in private-sector financing commitments to help community-based organizations and other mission-aligned project developers access financing and build community solar projects, particularly in disadvantaged and underrepresented communities.
MARAD Announces Nearly $20 Million in Funding Available for Small Shipyard Grants
January 19, 2023 | DOT
On Thursday, the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced the availability of nearly $20 million in 2023 to help modernize small U.S. shipyards and train the workforce in this critical sector. MARAD’s Small Shipyard Grant Program strengthens the economic competitiveness of shipyards by providing grants that can be used to purchase equipment or provide employee training. In addition, these grants can support the purchase of American-made manufacturing equipment that support a wide range of manufacturing jobs. Applications for grants are due by 5:00 pm EST on February 27, 2023.
EPA Announces Availability of $50 Million to Support States and Tribes Developing Programs for Carbon Sequestration and Groundwater Protection
January 19, 2023 | EPA
On Thursday, the Environmental Protection Agency announced the availability of $50 million in grant funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to develop and implement Underground Injection Control (UIC) Class VI programs. Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, Class VI programs ensure that groundwater resources are protected while supporting geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change. EPA supports efforts by states, Tribes, and territories to implement existing primacy programs and seek primary enforcement and permitting responsibility (primacy) for Class VI programs. EPA is inviting eligible applicants to submit letters of intent by March 20, 2023.
EPA Seeks Input on Inflation Reduction Act Programs to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions Associated with Construction Materials and Products
January 19, 2023 | EPA
On Thursday, the Environmental Protection Agency called for public input on new programs focused on lower carbon construction materials, funded by a $350 million investment from the Inflation Reduction Act. The EPA’s new programs will provide grants, technical assistance, and tools to help states and Tribal Nations, manufacturers, institutional buyers, real estate developers, builders, and others measure, report, and substantially lower the levels of embodied carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production, use, and disposal of construction materials and products. The programs will build upon EPA’s work in the ENERGY STAR Industrial Program and the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program, among others, to protect human health and the planet. The EPA will hold three public webinars and will accept written feedback on establishing new grant and technical assistance programs, and a carbon labeling program for construction materials with substantially lower levels of embodied greenhouse gas emissions.
Federal Funding
Details on available infrastructure-related funding opportunities.
| Opportunity Number | Opportunity Title | Agency | Deadline | Funding |
| 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-0002890 | Research on General Plasma Science Collaborative Research Facilities | PAMS-SC | 3/27/2023 | $3,000,000 |
| 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 |
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.
