US Energy: DOE Announces More Than 140 Programs Supporting President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced 146 programs that support President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which aims to ensure Federal agencies deliver 40% of the overall benefits of climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, clean water, and other investments to disadvantaged communities. The Justice40 Initiative provides a pathway for equitable clean energy deployment to benefit communities that are overburdened, underserved, and have been disproportionately impacted by climate change and environmental injustice. DOE’s Justice40 covered programs underscore the Department’s commitment to accelerating pollution reduction and decarbonization efforts, spurring economic growth in underserved areas, and prioritizing equity and inclusion to meet President Biden’s climate goals.

“The Department of Energy is working to ensure that the billions of dollars in clean energy investments made possible by the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law offer the promise of environmental justice for the communities that need it most,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Our Department-wide collaboration with community groups, utilities and local governments will result in climate action that advances environmental justice and invigorates economic revitalization and job creation to benefit Americans for generations.”

To provide transparency and accountability in DOE’s efforts, the Department’s list of Justice40 programs released today highlights its top priorities to advance environmental justice and an equitable clean energy future, and details how program offices are implementing strategies for disadvantaged communities. Examples of DOE’s 146 Justice40 programs include the following:

Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) supports Research and Development (R&D) projects, R&D consortia, and early-stage technical partnerships with national laboratories, companies, state and local governments, and universities through competitive, merit-reviewed funding opportunities designed to investigate new manufacturing technologies. AMO recently announced $11.5 million for 10 small business research and development projects.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program provides Federal grants to states, units of local government, and tribal nations to assist in implementing strategies to reduce fossil fuel emissions and total energy use, and improve energy efficiency. (Funding amount: $550 million)
Preventing Outages and Enhancing the Resilience of the Electric Grid program to advance existing efforts to harden the grid and reduce the risk of power lines failing during extreme weather events. Eligible recipients include energy operators and providers, states, and Tribes. (Funding amount: $5 billion)
Pumped Storage Hydropower Wind and Solar Integration and System Reliability program to provide utilities, states, Tribes, and higher education institutions financial assistance on project design, transmission studies, power market assessments, and permitting for a pumped storage hydropower project. This project will ultimately facilitate the long-duration storage of intermittent renewable electricity. (Funding amount: $10 million)
Weatherization Assistance Program to increase the energy efficiency of dwellings owned or occupied by low-income individuals to reduce their total residential energy expenditures and improve their health and safety. Recipients include states and Tribes. (Funding amount: $3.5 billion)
Explore DOE’s full list of covered programs here.

In total, hundreds of Federal programs, representing billions of dollars in annual investment across the Federal government, are being utilized to maximize benefits to disadvantaged communities through the Justice40 Initiative.

DOE also today released a letter from Secretary Granholm that touts the Department’s commitment to Justice40 implementation, as well as a general guidance document that highlights the Agency’s top policy priorities to advancing an equitable clean energy future.