The Biden Administration has announced more than $7.3 billion to build clean energy for rural communities across the country.
Sandy Bahr, Director of the Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss this new initiative.
This money will be used to finance rural electric cooperatives that will be used through the Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program. Communities in Arizona will also be receiving some of this money.
In the pursuit of a cleaner and more equitable energy future, it’s crucial to highlight the pivotal role that the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) plays. These initiatives are dedicated to reducing energy burdens and fostering affordable sustainability. Among the most impactful endeavors are the Home Energy Rebate Programs, which allocate nearly $9 billion in energy rebates for American households. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, it’s important to recognize how these rebates can profoundly benefit the Hispanic community, alleviating energy burdens and promoting equitable energy consumption.
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signed an Executive Order on Wednesday to allocate $25 million in federal funding toward workforce development programs.
In addition, the order includes the creation of the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet, which includes various agencies including the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity and the Arizona Commerce Authority in hopes to push all of the state’s different workforce development program as businesses continue to set up shop.
Vilsack visits Marana to highlight Empowering Rural America funds for Trico & Sierra Southwest
The Inflation Reduction Act is bringing financial opportunities to Arizona’s rural communities, including ranchers and farmers, as part of the Empowering Rural America program, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said in Marana on Thursday.
The Biden administration official was highlighting more than $600 million in recent financing to support renewable energy in rural Arizona, including $83.5 million to Trico Electric Cooperative to expand battery storage and increase the reliability of electricity for residents on the Pascua Yaqui Reservation.
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has released a “Western Solar Plan” outlining a large expansion in solar energy development in 11 Western states.
The plan opens 31 million acres of public land to solar energy. It’s an update to the six-state Western Solar Plan released in 2012. Specific projects would still need to be authorized, but the plan is meant to steer solar developers away from areas that are environmentally or culturally sensitive. It identifies sites that are within 15 miles of an existing or proposed transmission line.
The Hopi tribe will receive $20 million from the federal government as part of a grant that will help deliver reliable electricity to as many as 900 homes that now lack power.
The tribe is one of 34 recipients of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grants and one of two in Arizona. The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community will receive nearly $10 million for its “Go Green Initiative,” which will fund clean energy initiatives.
One of the most critical safety concerns for electric vehicles is keeping their batteries cool.
With high temperatures like we see here in Arizona, it can lead to dangerous consequences.
However, new research at the University of Arizona proposes a way to prevent these issues.
“Recently in the last couple of years, we’ve seen a tremendous increase of fires in electric vehicles that are associated with battery overheating,” said Professor Vitaliy Yurkiv.
U of A researchers are developing a framework that uses A.I. and machine learning models to sense, predict and identify lithium-ion battery overheating, known as thermal runaway.
With its breathtaking mountains reaching 6,000 feet and low valleys studded with dazzling desert vegetation, Pinal County is an incomparable place of beauty. The sweet smell of creosote in the air after a summer monsoon storm is like no other.
But Pinal County has some of the worst air pollution in Arizona, and contributing to this sobering distinction are the pollution-spewing, methane gas-fired power plants that harm the residents of this community.
Sadly, Pinal County has endured too many of these gas power plant proposals.
Funded by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, EPA announces 34 selected Tribal and territorial applications through the competitive Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program
Today, Sept. 5, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the selected recipients of $300 million in Climate Pollution Reduction Grants for Tribes and U.S. territories as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda. EPA has selected 34 applications to fund projects proposed by 33 Tribal recipients and the Municipality of Saipan in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands to implement community-driven solutions to tackle the climate crisis, reduce air pollution, advance environmental justice, and accelerate the clean energy transition. EPA made its Tribes and Territories Competition selections following a review of 110 applications that requested a total of more than $1.3 billion in funding.
The Arizona Governor’s Office of Resiliency has officially launched the first phase of “Efficiency Arizona,” a statewide program designed to increase energy efficiency, promote clean energy, and reduce utility costs for residents. This initiative is part of Governor Katie Hobbs’ commitment to addressing high energy bills and extreme heat, particularly for working-class Arizonans.
Phase 1 of the program focuses on replacing air conditioning units with energy-efficient heat pumps for residents who meet specific income eligibility requirements (below 80% AMI and 80-150% AMI). This initial phase is a collaboration with Wildfire and regional community action agencies to ensure those most vulnerable to Arizona’s extreme temperatures receive the necessary support.