SEATTLE – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the Washington State Department of Commerce was awarded $156,120,000 in funding through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund’s Solar for All program. The competition, created by President Biden’s landmark Inflation Reduction Act, seeks to enable low-income and disadvantaged households across America to access the benefits of low-cost, clean solar energy—benefits that include home energy savings, energy resilience, improved air quality, wealth building, and quality jobs.
The climate law authorized $7 billion in funding for the Solar for All program, but by last year’s deadline for applications, EPA had received requests totaling more than $38 billion. Washington was one of 50 states and territories, 57 municipalities, and 113 eligible nonprofits that applied for funding through the program. A complete list of recipients of Solar for All awards can be found here.
In response, Sierra Club Deputy Regional Field Director Robin Everett issued the following statement:
“The Solar for All funding is another great example of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act accelerating a just and equitable transition to clean energy and away from dirty fossil fuels. We all deserve access to affordable clean energy and healthy air, and now more residents and communities will have access to just that, especially those who have historically been disproportionately affected by the climate crisis and air pollution. With this investment, we’ll also see more solar jobs, and we look forward to seeing these funds further maximize the positive impacts that come with the expansion of clean energy in Washington.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.