Hello and welcome to Climate Change Solutions!

In this week’s newsletter, we’re showcasing microgrid projects funded by a new Department of Energy program, our most recent climate hearing tracker, and the first college in the Southeast to achieve carbon neutrality. Plus, check out the latest episode of our podcast, The Climate Conversation, discussing the Gila River Indian Community’s new, innovative solar canal project. 

You won’t want to miss our upcoming briefings, either. This Thursday at 3 p.m. EDT, we’re covering Funding Opportunities for Nonprofits, Municipalities, and Communities on the Hill and online. We’re also excited to organize an October 7 panel on the coastal resilience policy landscape, based off our coastal resilience report, for the Restore America’s Estuaries 2024 Coastal and Estuarine Summit Finally, our Mississippi River briefing is coming up on October 8 kicking off our Resilient and Healthy River Communities briefing series. Don’t forget to RSVP (and join us for lunch if you can attend in person)! 

Thanks to everyone who joined us last week at the Library of Congress for our 40th anniversary reception! Onward and upward as we continue our work to advance climate solutions through policymaker education, support for rural clean energy, and opportunities for the next generation of climate leaders. Cheers!

Three Microgrid Projects in Rural Areas Showcase New DOE Program
[9 min. read]

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act included $1 billion for the Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) program. This article highlights three ERA grant awardees developing microgrid projects: the Wisconsin Office of Sustainable and Clean Energy and Office of Rural Prosperity, the Iowa State University Electric Power Research Center and Montezuma Utilities, and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Research Consortium. [click for more]

Conservation Bill Coasts Through Committee: The House Natural Resources Committee advanced the Coastal Habitat Conservation Act of 2023 (H.R.2950) to the House floor. Reps. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) and Jenniffer González-Colón (R-P.R.) lead the bill, which reauthorizes federal programming to bolster the health and resilience of coastal habitats. The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works passed its companion bill (S.1381) in July.

Critical Legislation Progresses from Senate to House: The Senate passed the Intergovernmental Critical Minerals Task Force Act (S.1871) by unanimous consent. The bill would establish an intergovernmental task force to identify and coordinate new avenues for domestic critical minerals production and recycling. Sens. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), and James Lankford (R-Okla.) introduced the original bill, which will move to the House for consideration.

Bill on Algal Blooms Ready for Floor Vote: The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation passed the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2023 (S.3348). Sens. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) penned the bill, which reauthorizes and strengthens federal programs that improve forecasting, monitoring, and mitigation of harmful algal blooms. The House companion bill (H.R.6235), introduced by Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) and David Joyce (R-Ohio), passed the House Natural Resources Committee in March.

Senate Ignites Wildfire Prevention Measures: The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation also passed the Fire Ready Nation Act of 2024 (S.4343), led by Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-Texas). The bill would both codify the Incident Meteorologist Service under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and establish new programming to improve wildfire forecasting and risk communication.

We track all environmental, energy, and climate legislation and hearings happening on Capitol Hill. See the full legislative trackers for September 9-13 and September 16-20.

EESI is tracking recent announcements and updates about the implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)

• The Department of Energy (DOE) announced over $3 billion in funding for domestic battery supply production as part of a $16 billion total investment in the Battery Materials Processing Grants Program and the Battery Manufacturing and Recycling Grants Program.
• The Department of Transportation announced almost $300 million in funding for ferry system modernization and expansion, making grants to 18 projects in 14 states, including eight projects with environmentally friendly propulsion technologies.
• DOE announced the recipients of $90 million in funding for implementation of updated  residential and commercial energy efficiency building codes.

Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)

• DOE also announced a $1.56 billion commitment to a loan guarantee to Wabash Valley Resources, LLC. The loan guarantee will support a carbon negative waste-to-ammonia production facility that would store carbon dioxide while producing ammonia for fertilizer. 
• The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced $100 million for projects that help reduce wildfire threats across the country under the Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy.
• DOE announced that both Rhode Island and Maine have entered the first phase of the federal Home Energy Rebates program. The agency also announced updates to the sample Home Efficiency Rebates funding application and a new tribal assistance resource for Consumer Protection Plans for Home Electrification and Appliances Rebates.

Funding Opportunities for Nonprofits, Municipalities, and Communities
Thursday, September 26
3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. EDT
Dirksen Senate Office Building SD-G11 and online

The next briefing in our IRA and IIJA progress report series will explore funding dedicated to nonprofit organizations and municipalities. For example, the introduction of “direct pay” is allowing tax-exempt entities to access the benefits of federal clean energy tax credits for the first time. Meanwhile, DOE and the Environmental Protection Agency are hard at work rolling out new programs specifically tailored to these entities. Panelists will describe the status of IRA and IIJA programs that increase the technical and financial capacity of these public sector groups. Lunch will be provided. RSVP here

The Landscape of Federal Policy and Investment in Coastal Climate Resilience: What’s New and Where the Work Remains
Monday, October 7, 2024
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. EDT
Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan National Airport
2799 Richmond Highway Arlington, VA, Room 10 
To attend, register for the Restore America’s Estuaries 2024 Coastal & Estuarine Summit (one-day and full conference passes available)

Four years ago, EESI published a report, A Resilient Future for Coastal Communities: Federal Policy Recommendations from Solutions in Practice, which included 30 federal policy recommendations to increase coastal resilience from Alaska to North Carolina. Since then, Congress has made historic investments through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, which included support for coastal communities. But where are we now? This session, organized by EESI, will provide an assessment of progress made and the work that remains, with a particular focus on Congress’s role in advancing coastal climate resilience. RSVP here

The Mississippi River
Tuesday, October 8
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Dirksen Senate Office Building SD-G11 and online

Don't miss the kickoff briefing of our Resilient and Healthy River Communities briefing series! This first briefing examines the environmental challenges facing the Mississippi River and solutions to address them. Spanning 10 states, the Mississippi plays a key role in tourism, commerce, biodiversity, and recreation in the United States. However, the Mississippi River and the communities that depend on it face challenges such as nitrate pollution, saltwater intrusion, flooding, and low water levels—many of which are exacerbated by climate change. Panelists will discuss the role of federal policy in advancing strategies to improve both the health and climate resilience of the Mississippi River system. RSVP here

Learn more about the full Resilient and Healthy River Communities series here. We have even more upcoming events, including our What Congress Needs to Know about COP29 series, detailed on our website! Click here to learn more.

Latest Media Coverage

• CoStar cited EESI's article on Maui's tourism industry in a piece about recovering hotel performance since the 2023 wildfire.
• South Carolina Utility News Digest (a blog published by the Terreni Law Firm) shared a piece summarizing EESI's analysis of the job creation benefits resulting from the Rural Energy Savings Program.