President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda Funding Five Projects in Mining Communities Across the Nation, Supporting Local Economies While Accelerating Affordable, Clean Energy Solutions
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As part of President Joe Biden’s “Investing in America agenda,” the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on Thursday announced up to $475 million in funding for five projects in Arizona, Kentucky, Nevada, Pennsylvania and West Virginia to accelerate clean energy deployment on current and former mine land.
This funding—made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—will support a variety of diverse, locally-driven clean energy projects that can be replicated in current and former mining communities across the country.
The projects are expected to expand local and regional workforce partnerships and generate local tax revenues, supporting essential public services and spurring new economic opportunities in communities that have helped power the nation for generations.
Thursday’s announcement will help strengthen America’s energy security and ensure the nation’s mining communities continue to play a vital role in the energy economy—reinforcing the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to building an inclusive and equitable clean energy future that creates healthier, more resilient communities.
“President Biden believes that the communities that have powered our nation for the past 100 years should power our nation for the next 100 years,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.
“Thanks to the President’s Investing in America agenda, DOE is helping deploy clean energy solutions on current and former mine land across the country—supporting jobs and economic development in the areas hit hardest by our evolving energy landscape.”
In line with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, these projects will advance energy and environmental justice and help ensure the benefits of the clean energy transition flow directly to impacted communities.
The projects announced Thursday will accelerate clean energy solutions that are critical to reducing pollution, creating healthier communities and meeting the Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious clean energy and climate goals.
Accelerating Clean Energy Deployment in America’s Mining Communities
The selected projects cover a range of clean energy technologies, from solar, microgrids and pumped storage hydropower to geothermal and battery energy storage systems.
Three projects are on former Appalachian coal mines, which supports economic revitalization and workforce development on land that is no longer viable for industrial purposes.
In the west, two projects seek to displace fossil-fuel use by ramping up net-zero mining operations and providing the critical materials needed for a robust, domestic, clean energy supply chain.
These projects are expected to create more than 3,000 “good-paying” construction and operations jobs.
Among the five projects selected for award negotiation include: Mineral Basin: Coal-to-Solar (Clearfield County, Pennsylvania).
This project plans to re-purpose nearly 2,700 acres of former coal mining land to support the largest solar project in Pennsylvania. At 402 MW, Mineral Basin will generate enough clean energy to power more than 70,000 homes.
This project will increase regional access to clean energy and fill a critical electricity-generation gap following the closure of the Homer City coal plant.
The project expects to create more than 750 construction jobs and six operations jobs, while providing $1.1 million in annual tax revenue to Goshen and Girard townships, Clearfield County and the Clearfield County School District.
Once operational, Mineral Basin will contribute $500 for every megawatt generated annually to Goshen and Girard townships for community improvements, for a total of more than $200,000 per year.
Mineral Basin Solar Power LLC, a subsidiary of Swift Current Energy, the selectee, plans to partner with multiple local and regional education and workforce stakeholders to increase economic mobility for citizens across a 27-county region; make significant improvements to the water quality on the Susquehanna River; and create high-demand, high-wage jobs across multiple sectors.
Developing clean energy projects on mine land provides an attractive economic alternative to using undisturbed natural and agricultural land.
Mine land is often located near critical infrastructure that makes it suitable for clean energy development, including electric substations, transmission lines and access to roads or railroad lines.
Projects ultimately selected for award have the potential to be replicated and scaled on the millions of acres of current and former U.S. mine land.
Managed by DOE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), the Clean Energy Demonstration Program on Current and Former Mine Land (CEML) will help provide the mining industry with a range of ways to decarbonize their operations and minimize environmental impacts and air pollutants, abating greenhouse gas emissions and disturbances to fragile, surrounding ecosystems.
Simultaneously, replicating clean energy technologies like these on other current and former mines will help maximize local workforce development and community opportunities for generations.
Learn more about the selected projects here.
Building an Inclusive Clean Energy Future
DOE is committed to ensuring that America’s mining and traditional energy producing communities benefit from the nation’s transition to a clean energy future.
This includes supporting local workforces, advancing environmental and energy justice, and fostering community engagement through the development and implementation of comprehensive Community Benefits Plans.
Two selectees, as outlined in their Community Benefits Plans, have already signed agreements with local organized labor. The remaining selectees are either exploring or planning to develop project labor agreements to ensure a timely project completion with the help of skilled and diverse workers.
This program also advances President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, which sets the goal that 40 percent of the overall benefits of certain Federal climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, and other investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution.
According to the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST), four of the selected projects (Arizona, Nevada, Kentucky, and West Virgina) will benefit disadvantaged communities, and one project (Pennsylvania) is located near a disadvantaged community for one of its proposed sites.
As part of the Department’s commitment to transparency and engagement, OCED will also hold a series of national and project specific community virtual briefings to provide information on the selected projects, OCED’s approach to clean energy demonstrations, and opportunities for community engagement. Learn about CEML engagement opportunities and register to attend here.
Selection for award negotiations is not a commitment by DOE to issue an award or provide funding. Before funding is issued, DOE and the selectees will undergo a negotiation process, and DOE may cancel negotiations and rescind the selection for any reason during that time.
?If awarded,?OCED will evaluate these projects through a?phased approach to project management?that?includes “go/no-go” decision points between each project phase where DOE reviews and evaluates implementation progress, including community benefits. ??
OCED manages the CEML program and will provide project management oversight for the projects selected. Learn more about how OCED is supporting the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government approach in?addressing the climate crisis and delivering a clean and equitable energy future for every American.