Infrastructure Update

Press Releases      

DOE Announces $25 Million To Help Communities Expand Affordable and Reliable Clean Energy 

 September 14, 2023 | Source: DOE 

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $25 million through the Clean Energy to Communities (C2C) partnerships program to help six community teams develop tailored decarbonization strategies and clean energy solutions. Local governments, electric utilities, and community-based groups working closely with experts from DOE’s national laboratories will utilize $8 million in award funding and up to $17 million in technical assistance to research, model, and deploy clean energy systems that are reliable, affordable, equitable, and reflective of local priorities. 

DOE Unveils New Interactive Map Showcasing Clean Energy Investments 

September 14, 2023 | Source: DOE 

On Thursday, DOE released a new interactive map series showcasing, in localized detail, where clean energy investments are occurring across the United States. This new interactive tool will serve as a valuable resource for tracking the industrial revitalization happening across the country, fostered by a clean energy transition that will be built by American workers. Visit the interactive map here.  

USDA Invests $1 Billion for Nearly 400 Projects to Expand Access to Trees and Green Spaces in Communities and Neighborhoods  

September 14, 2023 | Source: USDA 

On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service announced more than $1 billion in competitive grants to plant and maintain trees, combat extreme heat and climate change, and improve access to nature in cities, towns, and suburbs where more than 84% of Americans live, work, and play. Communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several U.S. Territories and Tribal Nations are receiving funding, covered by the Justice40 Initiative and made possible by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. The Forest Service selected 385 grant proposals from entities working to increase equitable access to trees and nature, and the benefits they provide for cooling city streets, improving air quality, and promoting food security, public health and safety. 

EPA Invests More than $100 Million in Recycling Infrastructure Projects  

September 13, 2023 | Source: DOT 

On Wednesday, DOT opened applications for the Electric Vehicle Charger Reliability and Accessibility Accelerator which will provide up to $100 million in Federal funding to repair and replace existing but non-operational, electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. These targeted investments will complement hundreds of billions in private sector investment, support good paying jobs across the country installing, maintaining, and repairing EV infrastructure, and make our current charging network more reliable. Based on initial estimates of non-operational chargers, FHWA anticipates that the available $100 million in funding will likely cover the repair or replacement costs of all eligible projects, which will be awarded through a streamlined application process. This includes both publicly and privately owned chargers – so long as they are available to the public without restriction. 

DOT Announces More Than $80 Million in Grants to Improve Highway Safety, Including Better Access to Truck Parking 

September 13, 2023 | Source: DOT 

On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced more than $13 million for seven research and development projects focused on advancing hydropower as a critical source of clean energy. The funding, provided by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will advance technologies to generate power at dams that currently do not and accelerate the expansion of pumped storage hydropower (PSH). The funding supports organizations to accelerate hydropower research and development for non-powered dam and PSH technologies to make them more affordable, environmentally responsible, and deployable. The seven selected projects focus on: 1) Developing technologies to retrofit non-powered dams with environmentally sustainable power-generating infrastructure, 2) Advancing and developing technologies that could accelerate the deployment of PSH, and 3) Hydropower research and development by emerging organizations not extensively engaged with DOE’s Water Power Technologies Office.

DOT Announces Next Phase of Thriving Communities Grant Program to Help More Communities Unlock Access to Historic Infrastructure Investments

September 12, 2023 | Source: DOT 

On Tuesday, Department of Transportation (DOT) announced the availability of up to $22 million in grants to provide technical assistance and a Call for Letters of Interest from communities seeking support through the Thriving Communities Program. The Thriving Communities Program (TCP) provides intensive technical assistance to under-resourced and disadvantaged communities to help them identify, develop, and deliver transportation and community revitalization opportunities. Those communities receive in-kind support from Capacity Builders funded through the TCP to prepare grant application materials and undertake pre-development and project delivery activities including deploying innovative community engagement, workforce development, and clean technology strategies. There is no cost for communities to receive support through the program.