The BlueGreen Alliance submitted comments in response to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s request for comments on the proposed general applicability public interest waiver of the Build America, Buy America Act as applied to the Clean Ports Program.

The BlueGreen Alliance responded to a Notice of Intent to Prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Future Floating Wind Energy Development Related to 2023 Leased Areas Offshore California.

A new report from the University of Massachusetts Amherst Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) examines labor supply, demand, and potential shortages from new U.S. clean energy, manufacturing, and infrastructure laws: the Inflation Reduction Act, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and CHIPS and Science Act.

The BlueGreen Alliance today responded to the CEQ’s request for information on Phase One of the Environmental Justice (EJ) Scorecard and to provide recommendations on additional metrics to include in future versions of the EJ Scorecard.

Read Companies Succeed, Communities Benefit: Bluegreen Alliance User Guide for Companies to Demonstrate Community Benefits in Federal Funding Applications.

 The Inflation Reduction Act expanded the availability of clean energy tax credits so that tax-exempt entities like public and non-profit hospitals can receive “direct pay” (also known as “elective pay”). In simple terms, direct pay allows such entities to recoup a significant portion of a clean energy project’s cost as a tax-free cash payment from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Building healthier schools is within reach. Up to half the cost of a clean energy project at your school could be refunded to the district under the federal Inflation Reduction Act. Tax-exempt entities such as public schools can receive “direct pay” (also known as “elective pay”). In simple terms, direct pay lets school districts recoup a significant portion of a clean energy project’s cost as a cash payment from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Today the BlueGreen Alliance hosted a webinar called “Game Changer: The Inflation Reduction Act and Clean Manufacturing.” Government officials, union representatives, environmental experts, industry representatives, and others across the U.S. heard leading climate and labor experts discuss the Inflation Reduction Act and its promise to revitalize industrial manufacturing.  

The new report from the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst estimates that the combined investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Inflation Reduction Act, and CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS) will support nearly 3 million jobs per year and 19 million job-years over their lifetime.

Last year, fueled by a desire to buck the status quo that has chipped away at workers’ health, safety, and rights for too long, the BlueGreen Alliance advocated tirelessly for a historic climate and jobs bill. We called for a bill based on the core tenet that the clean economy should work for working people, while protecting the environment and people’s health. It should also create good-paying, accessible jobs for all.

Just one year after being signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act is helping to build a clean economy that does all that. If it is implemented correctly and the jobs created are good, safe, union jobs for all workers.

Our newest map highlights the opportunity for strong equity and labor standards to equip hard-hit communities to translate the investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act into higher-paying jobs, cleaner air, improved health, and stronger local economies.

On February 24, 2023 the White House announced a 200% tariff on aluminum imports from Russia in response to its war in Ukraine. Currently, the U.S. imports more than 6 million tons of aluminum per year. The domestic industry has been on the decline for over a decade and currently only five aluminum smelters are operational within the country.