Climate Justice Grants Act
Sponsored By: Representative Rep. Barragan, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create a Climate Justice Grant Program at the Environmental Protection Agency to fund community-led climate justice grants. It focuses on building local capacity so Tribal governments, local governments, and nonprofit community organizations can plan and carry out culturally and linguistically appropriate climate and energy projects that serve environmental justice communities.
Show full summary
- Residents in environmental justice communities would get support for local energy and resilience projects such as community solar, energy efficiency, home electrification, weatherization, microgrids, electric vehicle charging, and natural infrastructure. These projects must be driven by community needs and priorities.
- Tribal governments, local governments, and nonprofit community-based organizations can apply for grants and must show community representation, a budget, expected outcomes, and plans to sustain the work beyond the grant period. Each grant recipient may receive up to $2.0 million.
- The bill would authorize funding and oversight at the EPA with $1.0 billion available each fiscal year from 2026 through 2035 and a cap of 2 percent of each year’s appropriation for EPA administrative expenses. The EPA must report annually on program results and post each report publicly.
*This bill would authorize $1.0 billion a year for fiscal years 2026–2035, increasing federal spending by that amount and limiting EPA administrative use to 2 percent annually.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Grants for climate justice projects
If enacted, the bill would create an EPA Climate Justice Grant Program. Tribal governments, local governments, and community nonprofits could apply. Each grant recipient could get up to $2,000,000. The bill would authorize $1 billion each year for 2026 through 2035. The EPA could use up to 2% of each year's money for administration. Grants must be community‑driven, culturally and linguistically appropriate, and could fund community solar, electrification, weatherization, microgrids, EV charging, natural infrastructure, and other climate resilience projects.
Definitions for program eligibility
If enacted, the bill would set definitions used to decide who can get grants. 'Low income' would mean household income at or below the greater of 80% of area median income or 200% of the federal poverty line. A 'low‑income community' would be any census block group where 30% or more of residents meet that low‑income test. The bill would also define 'environmental justice community,' 'indigenous community,' 'population of color,' and 'natural infrastructure.' These definitions would guide program targeting and eligibility.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rep. Barragan, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]
CA • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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