$2 million DOE grant to benefit energy efficiency projects in Arkansas

Arkansas will receive a $1.96 million federal grant to help local governments expand electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, support clean energy jobs and complete energy efficiency projects, according to a Tuesday (Nov. 14) news release.

The Office of State and Community Energy Programs of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will give Arkansas one of 19 Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program awards. More than $31 million in program grants will be given to 19 state and local governments. The $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or Bipartisan Infrastructure Law identifies the money for the program.

“Nationwide, we are flipping the switch for an equitable clean energy transition: one community at a time,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm. “We are empowering states and their local governments – that know their needs best – to implement ambitious plans to transform their communities and ensure no one is left behind when it comes to energy efficiency upgrades.”

According to the program website, Arkansas is expected to “establish a competitive sub-granting program for local governments with existing energy planning capacity to expand EV infrastructure and micromobility, promote clean energy workforce development, and conduct energy audits and retrofits in residential and commercial buildings.”

The program has more than $430 million in grants available for 2,708 state, local and tribal governments. The 19 grantees announced today comprise the second group of grants announced by the DOE. The federal agency announced the first group of grants for the program in October.