Infrastructure Update

Press Releases      

EPA Launches $7 Billion Solar for All Grant Competition to Fund Residential Solar Programs that Lower Energy Costs for Families and Advance Environmental Justice 

June 28, 2023 | Source: EPA  

On Wednesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched a $7 billion grant competition through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to increase access to affordable, resilient, and clean solar energy for millions of low-income households. The Solar for All competition, which was created by the Inflation Reduction Act’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF), will expand the number of low-income and disadvantaged communities primed for residential solar investment by awarding up to 60 grants to states, territories, Tribal governments, municipalities, and eligible nonprofits. Awards will create and expand low-income solar programs that provide financing and technical assistance, such as workforce development, to enable low-income and disadvantaged communities to deploy and benefit from residential solar. 

DOE Report Finds Clean Energy Jobs Grew in Every State In 2022  

June 28, 2023 | Source: DOE 

On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released the 2023 U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER), a comprehensive study designed to track and understand employment trends across the energy sector. As the private sector continues to announce major investments in American-made energy thanks in large part to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, the 2023 USEER shows that the energy workforce added almost 300,000 jobs (+3.8% growth) in 2022. Clean energy jobs increased in every state reflecting increased investments due to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. Clean energy jobs grew 3.9% adding 114,000 jobs nationally, increasing to over 40% of total energy jobs. Clean energy technologies, such as solar and wind, accounted for more than 84% of net new electric power generation jobs, adding over 21,000 jobs (+3.6% growth), and jobs related to zero emissions vehicles saw nearly 21% growth, adding over 38,000 jobs. Read the full report here.  

DOT Announces Funding for 162 Community-Led Infrastructure Projects as Part of the Investing in America Agenda 

June 28, 2023 | Source: DOT 

On Wednesday, the Department of Transportation announced 162 projects were awarded funding through the annual RAISE grant program, totaling $2.2 billion. RAISE discretionary grants help project sponsors at the State and local levels, including municipalities, Tribal governments, counties, and others complete critical freight and passenger transportation infrastructure projects. Seventy percent of the grants from this year are going to projects in regions defined as an Area of Persistent Poverty or a Historically Disadvantaged Community, and half of the funding is going to rural areas.

DOT Opens Streamlined Application Process for More Than $5.5 Billion in Funding to Help Carry Out Major Infrastructure Projects Across the Country

June 27, 2023 | Source: DOT  

On Tuesday the Department of Transportation announced up to $5.575 billion in funding from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law through three major discretionary grant programs being solicited together under a single opportunity: the Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant program. The funding supports projects that involve surface transportation projects designed to strengthen supply chains, spur economic development, and improve safety and daily life Available funding includes: 1) $1.8 billion for the National Infrastructure Project Assistance (Mega) program 2) $3.1 billion for the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program, and 3) $675 million for the Rural Surface Transportation Grant (Rural) program. The deadline for applications is 11:59 pm EDT on August 21, 2023.  

FTA Announces Nearly $1.7 Billion to Help Put Better, Cleaner Buses on the Roads in Communities Across the Country 

June 26, 2023 | Source: DOT   

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced 130 awards totaling nearly $1.7 billion from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for transit projects in 46 states and territories. This funding invests in more than 1,700 American-built buses that will be manufactured with American parts and labor. Nearly half of these buses will be zero-emission models, bringing the total number of zero-emission transit buses funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law over two years to more than 1,800 – and more than doubling the number of zero-emission transit buses on America’s roadways. Many of the grant recipients have pledged to buy standardized buses and vans and avoid customization, which will result in faster delivery and lower costs. 

NTIA Announces State Allocations for $42.45 Billion High-Speed Internet Grant Program as Part of Investing in America Agenda  

June 26, 2023 | Source: DOC    

On Monday, The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today announced how it has allocated funding to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five territories to deploy affordable, reliable high-speed Internet service to everyone in America. Awarded projects from the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be used to deploy or upgrade broadband networks to ensure that everyone has access to reliable, affordable, high-speed Internet service. Once deployment goals are met, any remaining funding can be used to pursue eligible access-, adoption-, and equity-related uses.