U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has a critical role to play in shaping the future of the carbon dioxide removal (CDR) industry. By leveraging its procurement power, DOE  can establish a strong precedent for a pro-worker, equitable CDR industry that benefits climate, communities, and the workforce. We urge the DOE to prioritize these considerations as it develops any CDR procurement strategies. The BlueGreen Alliance welcomes the opportunity to contribute to discussions on catalyzing direct air capture technology commercialization. Our recommendations can be read in this comment letter.

The Build America, Buy America Act (BABA) was signed into law by President Biden as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL)—also known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. BABA strengthens and expands “Buy America” requirements for federally financed infrastructure projects. Specifically, it requires that the iron, steel, construction materials, and manufactured products used in all federally assisted infrastructure projects be produced in the United States. For American manufacturers, the passage of BABA means that billions of dollars are ready to be spent on the products you produce in the United States. Read our User Guide to learn more and take advantage of this new opportunity.

In 2024, BlueGreen Alliance California (BGA CA) continued its leadership in clean manufacturing and environmental stewardship, supporting a variety of bills this legislative session. Given the tough budget year, we’re proud of the strides BGA CA and our partners were able to make, including saving the High Road Training Partnership program.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announcedinvestments from the Biden-Harris Inflation Reduction Act to lower energy costs and grow clean power across nine states. The $3 billion funding from the New Empowering Rural America (New ERA) program will go to rural energy cooperatives in Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Minnesota, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. 

The U.S. Department of the Treasury today released the final rule on the 45X tax credit, a production tax credit meant to grow domestic manufacturing for solar, wind, batteries, and critical materials. Federal investments and tax credits in manufacturing and climate action—made possible by the Biden-Harris administration’s Inflation Reduction Act—have the potential to create 900,000 jobs by 2032. 

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced the selection of 14 projects to address critical clean energy supply chain vulnerabilities and grow domestic clean energy manufacturing in 12 states. The funding from the Advanced Energy Manufacturing and Recycling Grant Program will help revitalize communities affected by coal mine or coal power plant closures.   

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded Cleveland Cliffs funding from their Industrial Demonstrations Program (IDP) to get the first phase of a low-carbon steel project underway in Middletown, Ohio. The company plans to install a hydrogen-ready flex-fuel Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) plant and two electric melting furnaces at the facility. The hydrogen DRI process being used in the Middletown plant is a game-changing technology that promises dramatic reductions in the carbon intensity of primary steel and a boost to the competitiveness of US steelmaking. 

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and U.S. Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) unveiled the American Energy Worker Opportunity Act. The bill would provide comprehensive support for coal and oil refinery workers as we shift to a clean energy economy.

Since announcing Nippon Steel Corporation’s bid to buy U.S. Steel, Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel have waged an aggressive persuasion, advertising, and lobbying blitz to influence elected officials to approve their takeover.

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced more than $49 million in grants from the Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities (WORC) program. The grants will support 35 projects across 18 states and will help workers in rural America get prepared for jobs in high-demand sectors.

The Bluegreen Alliance today released a new report, Then and Now: US Manufacturing Under the Trump and Biden-Harris Administrations, which compares the success and failures of the last two administrations’ manufacturing agendas.

Taking a critical look at the industrial policies of the current Biden-Harris administration and the former Trump administration, we see a dramatic shift. On several points—including job creation, investment in manufacturing, investment in cleaning up industrial emissions, and domestic momentum in growing industries—we see that the Biden-Harris administration outperformed the Trump administration.