Energy Resilient Communities Act

Bill Number

H.R. 1449

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Energy

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-02-21: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Last Updated

2025-07-30T12:52:13Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Energy Resilient Communities Act (H.R. 1449) aims to enhance energy resilience, promote community involvement in energy decisions (referred to as "energy democracy"), and improve energy security across U.S. communities. It establishes a federal grant program administered by the Department of Energy (DOE) to fund clean energy microgrids—localized energy systems that can operate independently or alongside the main power grid during outages. The program prioritizes environmental justice communities, which are areas facing higher environmental and health risks due to factors like pollution or poverty.

Key Provisions

• Grant Program Establishment: DOE must create a program providing grants to eligible entities (states, local governments, Tribal agencies, electric utilities, nonprofits, or partnerships involving critical infrastructure owners) for three main uses:
• Technical assistance to update building codes for climate hazards (e.g., floods, wildfires), develop disaster mitigation plans, or assess and design clean energy microgrids.
• Community outreach and planning to engage residents in microgrid projects.
• Construction of clean energy microgrids supporting critical community infrastructure (e.g., schools, hospitals, water systems) or homes of medical baseline customers (individuals with medical devices needing reliable power, like ventilators).
• Priorities for Grants:
• Highest priority for projects benefiting environmental justice communities (defined as areas with significant populations of color, low-income residents, or Tribal/indigenous groups facing disproportionate environmental harms).
• Secondary priorities include community-owned energy systems (e.g., owned by local governments, nonprofits, or residents), projects reducing greenhouse gases or air pollution most effectively, enhancing resiliency, minimizing land impacts (e.g., using rooftops or brownfields), involving small or minority-owned businesses, requiring apprenticeships, or targeting high-pollution areas.
• Educational Outreach: DOE must launch a program within 90 days of funding to educate potential applicants, prioritizing environmental justice communities and explaining microgrid benefits. Contracts for this outreach favor women- or minority-owned entities.
• Cost Sharing and Limits: Federal funding covers up to 60% of costs generally, or 90% for environmental justice projects. Individual project grants cannot exceed $10 million.
• Labor and Materials Requirements:
• Projects must use U.S.-produced iron, steel, and manufactured goods (with waivers possible if unavailable or too costly; public input required for waivers).
• Workers on construction must receive prevailing wages (local standard rates set by the Department of Labor).
• At least 40% of laborers should be from targeted groups (e.g., local residents, unemployed energy workers, veterans, formerly incarcerated individuals, people with disabilities, or those in environmental justice communities), to the extent practicable.
• Reporting and Funding:
• DOE submits annual reports to Congress on grants awarded, impacts (e.g., emissions reductions, jobs created), and environmental justice benefits.
• Authorizes $50 million annually (2025–2034) for technical assistance and outreach, and $1.5 billion for projects (with at least 10% for community-owned systems). Up to 2% of funds can cover DOE administrative costs.
• Definitions: Includes terms like "clean energy" (from sources such as solar, wind, or hydrogen), "microgrid" (a small-scale system up to 20 megawatts, able to isolate from the main grid), and "low-income community" (census areas where 30%+ of households earn ≤80% of local median income or 200% of federal poverty line).

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill introduces a new standalone grant program under DOE authority, without explicitly amending prior laws. It builds on existing frameworks like the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) hazard mitigation planning and Department of Labor wage standards but adds specific incentives for clean energy microgrids, community ownership, and equity-focused priorities. It also incorporates "Buy American" rules consistent with broader federal procurement policies (e.g., from the Build America, Buy America Act) and labor protections from the Davis-Bacon Act, extending them to this energy context.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: DOE gains responsibility for program administration, outreach, reporting, and waiver decisions, potentially increasing workload and requiring new staff or partnerships. State and local agencies may benefit from grants for infrastructure upgrades, aiding disaster preparedness.
• Citizens: Could improve energy reliability for vulnerable groups (e.g., medical patients, low-income households) by reducing outage risks and costs, while cutting pollution and health disparities in targeted communities. Broader benefits include job creation in clean energy and more local control over energy systems.
• International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though emphasis on U.S.-made materials aligns with domestic manufacturing goals and could indirectly support U.S. trade positions in clean energy technologies.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Eligible Entities: States, Tribes, local governments, utilities, nonprofits, and infrastructure owners (e.g., hospitals, schools) applying for and implementing grants.
• Communities: Environmental justice, low-income, communities of color, and Tribal/indigenous groups, who receive priority funding and benefits like reduced energy burdens and health risks.
• Workers and Businesses: Laborers (especially underserved groups), apprentices, small/women/minority-owned firms involved in projects; utilities and energy developers adapting to microgrid requirements.
• Federal Oversight Bodies: DOE (program lead), Department of Labor (wage enforcement), and Congress (via reports).

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Enforces labor standards (prevailing wages, apprenticeships) and domestic content rules, with built-in waiver processes for flexibility; ensures compliance with international trade agreements. Defines key terms to clarify eligibility, reducing potential disputes.
• Constitutional: Involves federal spending under Congress's commerce and spending powers, promoting general welfare through energy security and equity without apparent First Amendment or property rights conflicts.
• Political: Advances environmental justice and clean energy goals, potentially bridging urban-rural divides via community ownership. Authorizes long-term funding (10 years), signaling sustained federal commitment, but requires annual appropriations, subject to congressional budget debates.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44]

Cosponsors (31)

Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17], Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20], Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12], Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5], Rep. Grijalva, Raúl M. [D-AZ-7], Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1], Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2], Rep. Moskowitz, Jared [D-FL-23], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14], Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5], Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13], Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6], Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1], Rep. Olszewski, Johnny [D-MD-2], Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14], Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3], Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7], Rep. Sykes, Emilia Strong [D-OH-13]

Recent Actions

• 2025-02-21: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-02-21: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-02-21: Introduced in House
• 2025-02-21: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Energy Resilient Communities Act — issued 2025-02-21 — PDF (20 pages)