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Articles by Kelly Aves
Innovative Approaches to Dual-Purpose Solar
Generating energy from renewable sources—such as solar and wind—will help the U.S. become more self-sufficient in energy production while lowering its energy costs. Solar energy has become one of the most mature industries within renewable energy in the last ten years, with costs decreasing and efficiency increasing. One of the major concerns with widespread solar development is balancing other land-use needs, like housing and food production.
Low-Cost Municipal Pilot Programs to Encourage Home Electrification
Co-authored by Emma O’Reilly, Intern, National League of Cities According to a report from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), using behavioral science can promote residential electrification and help overcome common deterrents, like high costs and perceived inefficiencies of electric appliances. These deterrents often stem from outdated information about electric technologies, such as heat pumps and induction stovetops.
How IRA Elective Pay is Helping Cities Meet Climate Action Plans
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 continues existing and creating numerous new tax incentives for clean energy today. The most notable change for municipal governments has been the option for elective pay, in which local governments can take advantage of rebates as a non-taxable entity. Through elective pay, cities large and small can receive rebates for projects in clean energy and electric vehicles.
How Cities Can Grow the Building Retrofit Workforce
Cities, towns, and villages play a crucial role in driving economic growth, promoting equity, and meeting sustainability goals within their communities.
Streamline Solar Permitting and Zoning with SolSmart
The United States has set a goal of 100% clean energy by 2035. To achieve this ambitious and important goal, the work to plan, permit and implement project must begin in local jurisdictions across the country. 2024 is expected to bring unprecedented opportunities for investment in clean energy. Through new programs like direct pay, grant initiatives like EPA Solar for All, and the other many federal incentives pouring into the renewable energy sector from the Inflation Reduction Act and .
How Municipalities Can Foster Sustainable, Affordable Housing
From tackling climate change to addressing social equity, municipalities have the power to shape a future where everyone has access to quality, sustainable and healthy homes. The following strategies are described in further detail in NLC’s report, Creating Good, Green Jobs in the Building Sector. Local governments can lead the charge in reducing the carbon footprint of buildings.
Leverage Partnerships for Community Agriculture Programs, Education
Congress continues to work toward the reauthorization of the Farm Bill, the most impactful piece of legislation related to agriculture and food. Local leaders have an opportunity to advocate for the programs they leverage in their communities and consider new ways to partner with community groups to start or expand initiatives that could be supported by Farm Bill programs.
Rural Development Opportunities and the 2023 Farm Bill
The Farm Bill contains many programs that contribute to the maintenance and modernization of rural infrastructure, mainly in Title VI: Rural Development. This section of the bill covers a wide range of programs, including housing, workforce development, water infrastructure, broadband and telecommunications, business development, energy and utilities. You can see all of the programs here.
Strategies to Advance Solar in Small, Rural Towns
With solar energy becoming more economical in the past few years, communities of all sizes are looking to take advantage of its benefits. Communities can gain energy independence, minimize outages during natural disasters and reduce energy burden on low-income residents, all while advancing climate and sustainability goals.
Federal Funding, School Bus Program Creates Avenues for Cleaner Municipal Transit
Federal funding is available for municipal leaders looking to reduce carbon emissions in public transportation fleets. The transportation sector is the largest emitter of carbon in the U.S. and funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is available to help local bus systems, including public school buses, become zero or low emissions.
2023 Farm Bill: A Driver for Conservation
The Farm Bill is up for reauthorization this year as it is set to expire September 30, 2023. In the next few months, lawmakers will be busy drafting legislative language for the 12 Titles of the bill. NLC shared local government priorities for the next version of the bill with members of the Senate and House Agriculture Committees. In the U.S., agriculture contributed 10 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in 2021.
Getting Your Municipality Ready for Federal, Private Funds for EV Charging
As part of Earth Month 2023, NLC released its second brief on electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Bring Electric Vehicle Charging to Your Community: Put Federal Funding and Private Partnerships to Work is a brief that prompts local leaders to think about approaches they want to take to apply for federal EV charging funds or work with the private sector to set EV chargers throughout their communities.
How Small Communities Can Benefit from Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Funding
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced additional resources and funding for communities under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) that are particularly geared toward smaller communities. The EECBG is designed to assist states, local governments and tribes in planning and implementing programs and policies to reduce energy use, reduce fossil fuel emissions and improve energy efficiency. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law directed $550 million to the EECBG program.
Federal Funding Sources for Municipal Sustainability and Climate Action
For cities looking to comprehensively address resilience and sustainability at the local level, there is an array of federal funding sources available for a wide variety of eligible uses. These funds, ranging from annual allocations to competitive grants, give municipalities the financial opportunity to add a climate and resiliency lens to all municipal operations and projects. For an introduction to the basics of major federal grants, check out this fact sheet.
Five Ways to Encourage Solar Energy in Your Community
NLC is a proud partner of SolSmart, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office. SolSmart is a national designation program that helps local governments produce clean energy locally, which leads to energy independence, clean air and lower energy costs. The program provides no-cost technical assistance to support jurisdictions, increase their knowledge, meet community challenges and achieve solar energy goals.
Federal Inflation Reduction Act Funding Opportunities for Climate Action
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced two new grants to support local governments in reducing carbon pollution and meeting their climate goals. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) created the Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF). Both funding opportunities support climate action, which creates good-paying jobs, keeps communities healthy and safe, and improves quality of life for residents.
New Electric Vehicle Charging Grants Coming Soon
New federal community electric vehicle (EV) charging grants will soon be available to help communities add new EV charging locations as the number of EVs on the roads grows. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Department of Energy and new Joint Office of Energy and Transportation (JOET) announced a slate of standards to make EV charging in the U.S. consistent and dependable for EV drivers.
How Local Governments Can Use Direct Pay on Clean Energy Projects
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides a variety of incentives for clean energy. Many of these tax credits and rebates are aimed at individuals and households to transform their energy use and consumption – from home energy efficiency improvements to rooftop solar and electric vehicles. Local leaders have an important role to play in helping their residents understand and take advantage of these opportunities.
MARC 2022 Annual Meeting
MARC We must address our present needs while looking to a changing landscape on the horizon and this is why we must start “Building the New Normal”. We have already begun to see unprecedented investments from the recently enacted Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act which will provide much-needed funding into our grid, pipelines, and other critical infrastructure.
The UN’s “Sustainable Development Goals” is a Misnomer
How do countries pursue socioeconomic development in a sustainable and equitable way? This question has received considerable attention, more so with the COVID-19 pandemic bringing about discussion of a green (economic) recovery. The United Nations formulated 17 Sustainable Development Goals in 2015 to provide a framework for global development, ranging from climate action to gender equality.
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