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The Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization (Energy Communities IWG) is pursuing a whole-of-government approach to create good-paying union jobs; spur economic revitalization; remediate environmental degradation; and support energy workers in coal, oil and gas, and power plant communities across the country.
Empowering America’s Energy Communities: IWG Stakeholder Retreat
The Energy Communities IWG hosted the Empowering America’s Energy Communities stakeholder retreat in Washington, D.C., on July 23–24, 2024. Over two days, more than 175 energy community leaders and government officials convened to share insights and strategies for building resilient infrastructure and fostering economic diversification. With more than $20 billion in federal investments and $688 billion in private sector investments already driving economic growth and job creation, the retreat emphasized the importance of involving communities in the transition to a clean energy economy. The Energy Communities IWG co-chairs — Lael Brainard, National Economic Advisor; Ali Zaidi, National Climate Advisor; and John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation — highlighted the critical work of supporting transitioning energy workers and ensuring communities are integral to planning and benefiting from these investments.
Visit the event page for resources, fact sheets, photos and more.
AmeriCorps
Energy Communities AmeriCorps is a new initiative supported by an $8 million investment from federal agencies and philanthropic sources to support economic growth and job creation in nine energy communities. This project will engage 150 full-time AmeriCorps VISTA members over the next three years providing on-the-ground assistance to enhance economic development, workforce readiness, and environmental remediation in energy communities.
In partnership with AmeriCorps, Conservation Legacy is actively recruiting members for positions starting in October. Participants will work on diverse projects such as community needs assessments, educating residents about public health hazards associated with abandoned mine lands, and economic development outreach. Click here to learn more about Energy Communities AmeriCorps, and click here to apply to be a VISTA member.
New Funding Opportunities & Announcements
- U.S. Department of Commerce Announces $184 Million for Six Recompete Program Awardees
The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced the Phase 2 winners of the Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program, including $40 million for Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR). SOAR is a nonprofit aimed at combating population loss in the 54 counties of Eastern Kentucky by investing in existing communities to attract new businesses and residents. - U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) Announces $52 Million in Investments to Clean Up Legacy Pollution in Colorado, Illinois and West Virginia
These investments will clean up orphaned oil and gas wells, address hazardous sites, help create good-paying union jobs, catalyze economic growth and revitalization, help protect public health and the environment from harmful methane leaks, and advance environmental justice. - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Announces $2 Billion in Funds for the Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program
This Inflation Reduction Act program invests in environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity. The deadline to apply is November 12, 2024. - EPA Announces More Than $129 Million to Cuyahoga County for Community-Driven Solutions to Cut Climate Pollution
EPA announced funding to Cuyahoga County, along with the cities of Cleveland and Painesville, to support the transition away from a coal-fired power plant in Northeast Ohio through deployment of solar installations and battery storage on brownfields and previous landfill sites. - DOI Announces $20.4 Million to Address Legacy Pollution, Spur Economic Growth in Alabama
This funding will address pollution from abandoned mine lands (AMLs) in Alabama, create good-paying jobs, and catalyzing economic opportunity. - U.S. Department of Commerce’s EDA Announces New $25 Million for Good Jobs Challenge
EDA launched a new phase of funding for the Good Jobs Challenge. This new phase builds on the success of the first round of the Good Jobs Challenge awards, and will invest in high-quality, locally led workforce training programs that lead to good jobs.
Upcoming Funding Deadlines
The following funding opportunities and technical assistance programs have application deadlines coming up in the next several weeks and can all be found in the Energy Communities IWG’s online clearinghouse. To learn more about how to navigate the clearinghouse, click here.
U.S. Department of Energy
- American-Made Solar Prize – Round 7 Due August 22
- BIL Clean Fuels & Products Shot: Supporting Carbon Utilization Products via Electrochemical Conversion and Refinery Retrofitting Due August 27
- GTO Geothermal Resources Value in Implementing Decarbonization (GTO GRID) Due September 9
- IRA Assistance for the Adoption of the Latest and Zero Building Energy Codes – Round 2 Due September 13
- Data-Driven Distributed (3D) Solar Visibility Prize Due September 16
- Water Power Innovation Network Due September 18
- Connected Communities 2.0: Innovations to Manage Growing Transportation, Building, and Industrial Loads to the Grid Due October 10
U.S. Department of Interior
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Broadband Technical Assistance Due August 20
- Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs Phase I Due September 17
- Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Due September 30
U.S. Department of Transportation
Events & Additional Resources
- Forecasting Benefits and Public Returns for Brownfield Redevelopment Webinar
August 22, 2024
2:00 – 3:30 pm ET
This webinar will teach your community how to use economic and fiscal impact analyses to identify potential benefits and returns or evaluate impact after your brownfields redevelopment is complete. No registration is required. Click the link to join the webinar. - Plan for Success – Planning Activities Under a Brownfields Grant Webinar
August 28, 2024
2:00 – 3:30 pm ET
This webinar will discuss the value of planning and the best time to plan in the brownfields reuse process, and will highlight two grant recipients who have successfully used EPA Brownfields Grant funds to plan. No registration is required. Click the link to join the webinar. - Advancing Appalachia: ARC 2024 Annual Conference
September 4–5, 2024
Chattanooga Convention Center, Chattanooga, Tennessee
The Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) annual conference will highlight how Appalachia’s 13 states and 423 counties are working to advance the region by building businesses and workforces, investing in infrastructure and tourism, and growing local leadership capacity. - NTIA Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program Webinar Series
August 7–September 10, 2024
The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) will host a series of webinars designed to help prospective applicants understand the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program and to assist applicants to prepare high-quality grant applications. View and register for the upcoming webinar opportunities. - Redevelopment Institute Podcast with Energy Communities IWG Executive Director
Brian Anderson, Executive Director of the Energy Communities IWG, joined the Redevelopment Institute to discuss support for communities impacted by coal closures. Listen to learn about funding opportunities and tax credits fostering private sector investment. - Energy Communities IWG Site Review Tool
The Energy Communities IWG’s new Site Review Tool is designed for manufacturers, site selectors and project developers interested in developing clean energy supply chain facilities and deployment projects in America’s energy communities and beyond. Check it out to find your next project site. - Waterways Freight Diversification and Economic Development Initiative
Learn more about the Energy Communities IWG’s new initiative to promote economic development and freight diversification along the Ohio, Allegheny and Monongahela rivers corridor.
Success Story
Form Energy, Inc. is nearing completion of Form Factory 1, its first high-volume manufacturing facility. Located in Weirton, West Virginia, Form Factory 1 will be the site of production for iron-air batteries, which are used in renewable energy technologies including the electric grid.
Form Energy broke ground on the facility in May 2023 and anticipates starting production in late 2024. The facility, which has received nearly $800 million in venture capital funding, currently employs about 100 workers and more than 500 contractors onsite daily. When operating at full capacity, Form Factory 1 will employ at least 750 people. Hear more about Form Energy’s story Form Energy, Inc.
On behalf of all Energy Communities IWG member agencies, thank you for your continued interest in programs that support people living and working in America’s energy communities. Please feel free to share this newsletter with others in your network who may benefit.
Best regards,
Brian J. Anderson, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization
To learn more about funding opportunities, visit the Energy Communities IWG Clearinghouse.
Check out the Getting Started Guide and Navigator.
Click here to share your success story.