More than 100 federal programs have been identified to address the Justice40 Initiative of having 40% of overall benefits of certain federal investments go to disadvantaged communities affected by pollution.
The department announced these 146 programs in a July 25 Department of Energy news release. Among the covered 146 programs are the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, $550 million; Preventing Outages and Enhancing the Resilience of the Electric Grid program, $5 billion; and Weatherization Assistance Program, $3.5 billion. The full list of covered programs is available online.
“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,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said in the release. “Our Departmentwide 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.”
The Justice40 Initiative programs "underscore the Department's commitment to accelerating pollution reduction and decarbonization efforts," the release reported. The recently announced programs highlight the Department's "top priorities to advance environmental justice and an equitable clean energy future."
“Every American will have a seat at our clean energy table. Our 140+ programs supporting @POTUS' #Justice40 Initiative will help strengthen communities disproportionately affected by environmental injustice with equitable access to clean energy solutions,” the Department of Energy said in a July 25 post on Twitter.
