Federal RuleAug 21
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DOL Rewrites Disability Rules for 'Merit-Based Opportunity' Push
RuleLabor DepartmentFederal Contract Compliance Programs OfficeSignificant Wallet
HR1449119th CongressWALLET
Energy Resilient Communities Act
Sponsored By: Representative Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]
Introduced
Summary
Clean Energy Microgrid Grant Program would create federal grants for planning, outreach, and building community-scale clean energy microgrids that protect critical infrastructure and residences of medically dependent customers. The program prioritizes environmental justice communities and community ownership.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
New grants to build community microgrids
This bill would set up federal grants to plan, design, and build clean energy microgrids for critical services and medically dependent residents. States, Tribes, local governments, utilities, nonprofits, and public–private partnerships could apply. It would authorize $50 million a year for technical help and outreach and $1.5 billion a year for projects from FY2025 to FY2034. The federal share would usually cover up to 60% of costs, or up to 90% in environmental justice communities. At least 10% of project funds should go to community‑owned systems when practicable, and a single project grant could not exceed $10 million. DOE could use up to 2% of each pot for administration.
Higher wages and local hiring on projects
If enacted, workers on grant‑funded construction would have to be paid at least the local prevailing wage under Davis‑Bacon rules. Grantees would also aim to have at least 40% of laborers and mechanics come from priority groups, such as nearby residents, displaced energy workers, veterans, formerly incarcerated people, people with disabilities, homeless individuals, public‑assistance recipients, people without a high school diploma, emancipated foster youth, residents or workers in environmental justice communities, and certain registered apprentices. “Nearby” would mean within 15 miles in major urban areas or 50 miles elsewhere. A “registered apprentice” would be someone in a program approved by the U.S. Department of Labor or a State Apprenticeship Agency.
Priority and outreach for EJ communities
If enacted, the Secretary would give first priority to projects that benefit environmental justice communities. For construction grants, projects would be favored if they cut greenhouse gases and pollution, lower health gaps or energy bills, boost resiliency, use low‑impact sites, involve local small and women‑ or minority‑owned groups, use apprentices, or are in severe air‑quality areas. Technical help and outreach would also favor building community‑owned energy systems. Within 90 days of funding, DOE would start outreach, with contracts prioritized for women‑ and minority‑owned firms and with a focus on environmental justice communities. The program would use Small Business Act size rules to decide which firms count as small businesses.
Made-in-America rules for project materials
Projects funded by these grants would generally have to use iron, steel, and manufactured goods made in the United States. The Secretary could grant a waiver if U.S. items are unavailable, poor quality, not in the public interest, or would raise total project cost by more than 25%. Waiver requests would be posted for public input for at least 15 days, and rules would align with U.S. trade obligations. For iron and steel, “produced in the United States” would mean every manufacturing step, including coating, happens in the U.S.
Annual public report on grants and impacts
DOE would publish a yearly report on the program. It would list the number and dollar amount of grants, funds by state, and what was funded, including whether projects serve environmental justice communities. For each microgrid, it would cover jobs created and the share of targeted hires, greenhouse gas and air‑pollution cuts, health benefits, and reduced energy‑cost burden.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]
CA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4]
GA • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5]
MO • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7]
IN • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]
LA • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]
OR • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
TN • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1]
NM • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
WA • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]
PA • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-7]
AZ • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1]
HI • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Moskowitz, Jared [D-FL-23]
FL • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]
HI • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5]
IL • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
MI • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]
OR • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
ME • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Olszewski, Johnny [D-MD-2]
MD • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]
FL • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]
AZ • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]
CA • D
Sponsored 2/21/2025
Rep. Sykes, Emilia Strong [D-OH-13]
OH • D
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov