← Back to results
Federal

Energy Resilient Communities Act

Source: Congress.gov  ·  4,125 words in original text
What This Bill Does
The bill directs the Secretary of Energy to create a grant program that gives money to communities to build clean energy microgrids (small-scale energy systems powered by renewable sources like solar and wind). The program focuses on helping environmental justice communities, which are areas with many people of color, low-income residents, or Native American communities that face pollution and health problems. (Sec. 2) ##
Who It Affects
- State and local governments - Tribal agencies - Electric utility companies - Nonprofit organizations - Private businesses - Communities living near pollution sources - Medical baseline customers (people with medical conditions requiring reliable electricity) ##
Key Provisions
- The Secretary of Energy must establish a grant program to provide money to eligible organizations for technical assistance, community outreach, and construction of clean energy microgrids that power important community buildings like schools, hospitals, and fire stations. (Sec. 2(a) and 2(b)) - Grants prioritize environmental justice communities first, then projects that are community-owned energy systems (owned by local government, nonprofits, community members, or worker-owned businesses). (Sec. 2(c)) - Eligible organizations must ensure that at least 40 percent of construction workers are hired from disadvantaged groups including people living nearby, displaced workers, veterans, people with disabilities, formerly incarcerated individuals, and those without high school diplomas. (Sec. 2(i)) - All iron, steel, and manufactured goods used in projects must be made in the United States, unless the Secretary of Energy waives this requirement for specific reasons including cost increases over 25 percent. (Sec. 2(g)) - Construction workers must receive prevailing wages (standard pay rates for similar work in that area) as determined by the Secretary of Labor. (Sec. 2(h)) - Individual project grants cannot exceed $10,000,000. (Sec. 2(f)) - The federal government covers 60 percent of typical project costs, but covers up to 90 percent of costs for projects in environmental justice communities. (Sec. 2(e)) ##
What Changes
If enacted, this bill creates a new federal grant program that did not previously exist. Organizations can apply for money to study, plan, and build clean energy systems in their communities. The bill authorizes spending of $50,000,000 yearly for planning and technical help, and $1,500,000,000 yearly for actual construction projects, for fiscal years 2024 through 2033. At least 10 percent of construction funding must support community-owned energy systems. The Secretary of Energy must publish annual reports showing how many grants were given, where the money went, how many jobs were created, and what pollution was reduced. ##
Important Definitions
**Clean Energy** means electricity generated from solar, wind, geothermal, existing hydropower, micro-hydropower (small water systems producing 100 kilowatts or less), hydrokinetic (water movement), or hydrogen fuel cells. (Sec. 2(l)(1)) **Environmental Justice Community** means an area with significant numbers of people of color, low-income people, or Native American communities that experiences or risks experiencing greater pollution and health problems. (Sec. 2(l)(7)) **Low-Income Community** means a census block group where at least 30 percent of people earn annual household income at or below 80 percent of the area's median income, or 200 percent of the federal poverty line, whichever is greater. (Sec. 2(l)(8)) **Community-Owned Energy System** means an energy system owned by local government, a nonprofit in that area, community members collectively, or a worker-owned or community-owned business. (Sec. 2(l)(3)) **Critical Community Infrastructure** means essential community buildings and systems including schools, town halls, police and fire stations, hospitals, health clinics, community centers, libraries, grocery stores, water systems, homeless shelters, senior housing, and public or affordable housing. (Sec. 2(l)(5)) **Microgrid** means an interconnected system of clean energy sources, energy storage, and management tools that can operate independently or connect to the larger power grid, serves a defined area, and has a connection point with no more than 20 megawatts of capacity. (Sec. 2(l)(11)) **Medical Baseline Customer** means someone with special electricity needs due to medical conditions, including those needing motorized wheelchairs, ventilators, dialysis machines, apnea monitors, nebulizers, respirators, refrigerated medication, or air cleaning systems. (Sec. 2(l)(10)) **Eligible Entity** means a state, territory, tribal agency, local government, electric utility, nonprofit organization, or partnership between a private company or nonprofit and a government that owns critical community infrastructure. (Sec. 2(l)(6)) ##
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
Important: This plain English summary was generated by AI and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice. Always consult the official bill text on Congress.gov or a qualified attorney for legal matters.