A project that supports community engagement with hydropower and river restoration projects has received more than $3 million through the U.S. Department of Energy.

The $3.7 million in Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding invests in efforts to include environmental groups, disadvantaged communities and Tribes "to better incorporate community priorities in hydropower R&D activities," the DOE states in its March 2 announcement. 

"This investment seeks to expand collaboration on the dual goals of maintaining hydropower as a key source of renewable energy," the DOE states in the announcement, "and preserving healthy rivers to support communities and the environment."

The project, lead by Americans Rivers, will build on the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment’s Uncommon Dialogue on Hydropower, River Restoration, and Public Safety, the DOE reports. 

American Rivers and its partners are tasked with developing documents and tools that can inform the DOE and other involved groups on subjects such as dam safety, federal licensing processes, inclusive workforce and reservoir emissions, among other issues, according to the announcement. The project's goal is to improve outcomes for disadvantaged communities and Tribes in the typically remote regions where hydropower and river restorations are often located, the DOE reports.

“Hydropower has served as a reliable source of renewable energy in the United States for nearly 150 years, and it will continue to be a source of both clean energy and power system flexibility critical to achieving the nation’s climate goals,” Alejandro Moreno, acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, said in the announcement. 

“Through this project, we can uplift the efforts of diverse hydropower stakeholders who are focused on achieving these goals while respecting rivers’ environmental and cultural importance," Moreno said.