The federal government announced a $20 billion investment to support low-interest loans for climate and clean energy projects.

A new ‘green bank’ network created by the Biden administration will provide low- or zero-interest loans to fund climate and clean energy projects, with a focus on historically underserved communities.
According to an article by Kristoffer Tigue in Inside Climate News, “Under the Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund—also known as the country’s first national green bank—eight community development banks and nonprofit organizations will receive that federal funding to go toward rooftop solar installations, energy efficiency upgrades and other projects that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
The program falls under the federal Justice40 initiative, which requires that 40 percent of benefits from certain federal programs go to disadvantaged communities. Carla Walker, director of environmental justice and equity for the World Resources Institute’s U.S. branch, calls the $20 billion investment “a crucial step toward addressing longstanding inequities and barriers to accessing much-needed capital for the communities that need it most.”
FULL STORY: White House Awards $20 Billion to Nation’s First ‘Green Bank’ Network

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.

California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.

HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
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