Commerce Department announces $300M in ARP funds for coal, energy communities

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The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced an allocation of $300 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds for economic revitalization in hard-hit coal and energy communities.

The funding announcement advances the broader goals of the Interagency Working Group (IWG) on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization.

“For generations, energy communities helped build America, and now it’s time to help them rebuild,” Brian Anderson, IWG executive director and director of the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), said. “Today’s funding announcement is a powerful first step in helping revitalize the nation’s coal and power plant communities by helping create good jobs, clean up environmental waste, and support energy workers as the nation transitions to a clean energy economy.”

According to NETL, the grants are the largest dedicated source of funding for coal communities in the history of the EDA and further President Joe Biden’s commitment to supporting the recovery and revitalization of the country’s energy communities.

The new funding is part of a broader announcement of $3 billion from the ARP to invest in American communities by the EDA. Six new notices of funding opportunity have been released for communities across the country. The funding will help communities with their economic recovery while improving their resilience to future economic shocks. A webinar scheduled for Aug. 5 will explain how to apply for the funding.