CLW Enterprises pursues DOE Communities LEAP Pilot program

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY ENERGY CAREER WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BY WAY OF ENERGY INDEPENDENCE

The DOE Communities LEAP (Local Energy Action Program) Pilot aims to facilitate sustained community-wide economic and environmental benefits primarily through DOE’s clean energy deployment work. This opportunity is specifically open to low-income, energy-burdened communities that are also experiencing either direct environmental justice impacts, or direct economic impacts from a shift away from historical reliance on fossil fuels. Under the Communities LEAP Pilot, DOE will provide supportive services valued at up to $16M for community-driven clean energy transitions.

The Communities LEAP Pilot Initiative of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) seeks to help communities access the economic and environmental benefits of clean energy and clean energy manufacturing. The pilot initiative aims to facilitate sustained community-wide economic empowerment through clean energy, improve local environmental conditions, and open the way for other benefits primarily through DOE’s clean energy deployment work. This opportunity is specifically open to low income, energy-burdened communities that are also experiencing either direct environmental justice impacts, or direct economic impacts from a shift away from historical reliance on fossil fuels.

The opportunities and potential benefits from the transition to net zero energy are compelling. They include lower local air pollution, lower utility costs and energy burdens, improved access to reliable energy, enhanced economic productivity, and new clean energy supply chain demonstration and manufacturing opportunities. Many of these opportunities will create and sustain high quality jobs when coupled with strong labor standards.

Under this pilot initiative, DOE will provide technical assistance services valued at up to a total of $16 million to support 24-36 communities to develop their own community-driven clean energy transition approach. It is DOE’s intent to help selected communities realize those benefits and DOE has designed this pilot initiative with the aim of:

• Recognizing each community’s specific energy-related challenges and opportunities.

• Supporting community member and stakeholder leadership in designing and implementing actions to address those challenges and opportunities.

• Building toward long-term community economic and environmental change and a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable future.

Selected communities will commit to working with DOE and its technical assistance provider network for approximately 12-18 months. Communities will receive assistance to:

• Work together as a community to identify local clean energy objectives, core community assets, and data and resource requirements.

• Create a plan built on those objectives, strengths, and resources to bring economic and other benefits to the community.

At the end of the technical assistance period, each participating community will have an action plan that prepares it to take further steps toward realizing its goals, including leveraging federal, state, and local funding or financing opportunities, participating in programs offered by philanthropic organizations, and/or partnering for private sector investment. DOE intends to assist participating communities in identifying specific resource opportunities to take those further steps.

This technical assistance opportunity is offered jointly by DOE’s Offices of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Electricity, Policy, Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, and Economic Impact and Diversity. This pilot initiative complements DOE’s ongoing efforts to deliver the benefits from clean energy research, development, demonstration, and deployment to environmental justice communities and communities with historical ties to fossil fuel industries.

Furthermore, this pilot complements services and resources across the federal government. DOE recognizes that energy is a critical part of a larger set of factors requiring cross-sectoral and long-term response for sustained economic and environmental health of the nation’s communities.

California's IFMA Component and Chapter Leaders Can Make a Difference

Our community of focus is the San Bernardino County Hispanic/Latino Young Adults workforce sector.If you are a facility manager who is interested in learning more about this initiative and how it can benefit your economically impacted community towards energy reduction and/or independence, we would love to hear from you. If so, please contact Corey Lee Wilson at clwenterprises@att.net or call (951) 415-3002 for more details.