Federal Independent Agencies
News releases, reports, statements and associated documents from federal independent agencies.
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USAID: Celebrating Deputy Administrator Paloma Adams-Allen
WASHINGTON, April 24 -- The U.S. Agency for International Development issued the following statement on April 23, 2024, by Samantha Power:
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After almost three years of exemplary leadership, Deputy Administrator for Management and Resources Paloma Adams-Allen will be leaving USAID on April 30. Not one part of our Agency's reform agenda would have been possible without Paloma's vision, leadership, and drive to accomplish difficult things. I join colleagues from across USAID in offering my gratitude to her for propelling this work forward.
Over the past three years, Paloma has driven the
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WASHINGTON, April 24 -- The U.S. Agency for International Development issued the following statement on April 23, 2024, by Samantha Power:
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After almost three years of exemplary leadership, Deputy Administrator for Management and Resources Paloma Adams-Allen will be leaving USAID on April 30. Not one part of our Agency's reform agenda would have been possible without Paloma's vision, leadership, and drive to accomplish difficult things. I join colleagues from across USAID in offering my gratitude to her for propelling this work forward.
Over the past three years, Paloma has driven thepolicy changes that will allow USAID to tap into the expertise and skills of more U.S. and local organizations. As the scale of global challenges continue to dwarf our development resources, Paloma has been at the heart of our push to unlock more of the private sector partnerships that are key to tackling these challenges. And she has led efforts to reduce the administrative burdens and bureaucracy that make it harder for our teams to do their most impactful work and for a diverse range of partners to work with us - spearheading an initiative that has already resulted in the elimination of an estimated 3.8 million hours of inefficient, duplicative, or outdated processes.
Critically, as the Agency's very first Deputy Administrator dedicated to management and resources, Paloma has championed a wide-ranging set of efforts to strengthen USAID's workforce. She has been a powerful advocate with our Congressional partners for the investments we need to rebuild teams that for too long had been depleted and under-resourced. Among her longest-lasting legacies will be the changes she spearheaded with USAID's local staff, from better supporting them during times of crisis, to affording them greater access to training and fellowship opportunities, to opening up career paths and leadership positions so they could advance in their careers.
Throughout her tenure, Paloma has led with unfailing compassion. She has worked tirelessly to improve USAID's systems and structures to protect our workforce and make our Agency maximally effective. She has been dedicated to strengthening the Agency's safeguards - for our workers and our program participants - against sexual exploitation and abuse and other forms of misconduct. And in times of crisis, Paloma is always the first to advocate for the importance of meeting the most urgent needs of our teams and partners.
Throughout her career - including as Deputy Assistant Administrator and Senior Advisor in the Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean in the Obama Administration, as President of the Inter-American Foundation, and finally, as Deputy Administrator for USAID during the Biden Administration - Paloma has put human dignity at the heart of her work. She leaves an indelible mark on this Agency, and her legacy will continue to guide us after her departure.
On a personal level, Paloma has also been for me a trusted advisor and friend, a savvy and skillful thought partner whenever we have faced both big challenges and big opportunities for advancing USAID's mission, and an essential part of the leadership team I have learned so much from over the past three years.
President Biden has announced his intent to designate Dennis Vega as Acting Deputy Administrator for Management and Resources. I am grateful to Dennis for the tremendous impact he has already made at USAID and in the communities where we work, and I look forward to his leadership and guidance in continuing to pursue reforms and advocate for policies and programs that will change and save lives.
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Original text here: https://www.usaid.gov/news-information/press-releases/apr-23-2024-celebrating-deputy-administrator-paloma-adams-allen
NSF honors 3 outstanding early-career researchers with the Alan T. Waterman Award
WASHINGTON, April 24 (TNSres) -- The National Science Foundation issued the following news release:
The U.S. National Science Foundation honored three researchers with the Alan T. Waterman Award, the nation's highest honor for early-career scientists and engineers.
The 2024 recipients: Muyinatu A. Lediju Bell, a biomedical engineer at Johns Hopkins University; Katrina G. Claw, a genetic scientist at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; and Rebecca Kramer-Bottiglio, an engineer working in robotics at Yale University, were recognized for their innovative approaches and leadership
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WASHINGTON, April 24 (TNSres) -- The National Science Foundation issued the following news release:
The U.S. National Science Foundation honored three researchers with the Alan T. Waterman Award, the nation's highest honor for early-career scientists and engineers.
The 2024 recipients: Muyinatu A. Lediju Bell, a biomedical engineer at Johns Hopkins University; Katrina G. Claw, a genetic scientist at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus; and Rebecca Kramer-Bottiglio, an engineer working in robotics at Yale University, were recognized for their innovative approaches and leadershipin their respective fields and for pushing the boundaries of science in truly novel ways.
The Waterman Award will be presented to the recipients at a ceremony during the National Science Board meeting, which will be held in on May 1. In addition to a medal, awardees will each receive $1 million over five years for research in their chosen field of science.
"These three outstanding researchers exhibit extraordinary scientific research accomplishments and stand out as leaders among their peers," said NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan. "This award recognizes their contributions and is also a vital investment in the future of science discovery and innovation, empowering the awardees to deepen their research, expand their projects, and explore new frontiers in their field. More importantly, it enables these exceptional individuals to apply their groundbreaking work for the betterment of their communities and society at large."
Harnessing light and sound to improve biomedical imaging systems
Muyinatu A. Lediju Bell, Johns Hopkins University
Muyinatu Bell knew at age 6 that she wanted to be a scientist. Among her earliest influences were the residents of Sesame Street, who captured her imagination by conducting "interesting experiments with colorful test tubes."
Inspired by those memories and guided by her mother and older brother, Bell is now a pioneering biomedical engineer, working in the intersection of physics, electrical and computer engineering, biomedical engineering and computer science. She has developed groundbreaking techniques that are transforming the utility of medical imaging, especially in ultrasound and photoacoustic imaging, by harnessing the power of light and sound to improve diagnostic capabilities and guide surgeries.
"My inspiration is drawn from a desire to improve disease detection, to deliver the earliest possible detection strategies as the best path to successful treatment plans, and to facilitate treatment plans that ensure the safest possible outcomes, particularly when surgery is involved," she said.
Bell, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University, is best known for inventing the short-lag spatial coherence (SLSC) ultrasound beamformer, which significantly improves ultrasound image quality by reducing acoustic clutter. This invention motivated the development and refinement of the generalized contrast-to-noise ratio, a widely used metric that sets a new standard for image quality assessments. Bell has also adapted the SLSC technology to photoacoustic imaging, most recently using it to overcome problems related to skin tone bias in which melanin affects how deeply light can penetrate in photoacoustic imaging and is also responsible for generating acoustic clutter that obscures structures of interest. This technique developed by Bell benefits multiple communities, including patients with darker skin tones, women with dense breast tissue, and overweight or obese patients.
"I learned that acoustic clutter is one of the most common and detrimental ultrasound imaging artifacts," she said. "My breakthrough came when I was the first to realize that I can integrate spatial coherence functions, which contain characteristic differences between real tissue signals and acoustic clutter, and thereby deliver visual images of these differences. This visual display of the distinct differences offers improved image quality for patients underserved by ultrasound technology due to the presence of acoustic clutter. The same underlying principle applies to photoacoustic images."
Bell is a lecturer, mentor and scientific role model committed to engaging a diverse research community by serving in leadership roles on committees and programs aimed at supporting women in physics, computer science and engineering. She is the recipient of NSF awards from the Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) program and the Smart Health program.
The NSF CAREER award "helped to give me the confidence that I am right where I belong, living my childhood dream, and with the award, I knew I would have resources to thrive as a scientist, at least for the next five years," Bell said. "I pursued many of the bold and creative ideas I proposed. I received supplements to mentor undergraduate students. My team grew and expanded. My students and collaborators contributed new and fresh perspectives and ideas. It was an amazing accomplishment and success that seeded, bred and fertilized more success. NSF support has been very instrumental to the progression of my career as a scientist and engineer."
The Waterman Award will assist Bell in expanding her current work in new directions and pursuing other avenues, she said. "I can now purchase new equipment to start a new line of research, hire the support and administrative staff that I need as I grow my lab, hire research scientists who will help me to expand new research opportunities, hire dedicated personnel to assist with multiple tech ventures originating from my lab. The possibilities are endless."
Building inclusivity in genetic research to improve disease prevention, treatment
Katrina G. Claw, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Growing up in the Navajo Nation, Katrina Claw did not know what "scientific research" meant or that it could be a career. But she understood that practices like dry farming or herbal remedies used by her family were rooted in long-established methods refined over centuries and passed down through multiple generations.
"This was the science -- Indigenous Science and Traditional Knowledge -- that I grew up with and are fundamental to my worldviews today," she said. "The interconnectedness of all living and non-living entities and balance are concepts that I learned as a child, and these are still concepts at the core of my research program."
Claw is a genomic scientist and leader in Indigenous science, recognized for her contributions to pharmacogenomics and for fostering cultural and bioethical research participation within Indigenous communities. As a member of the Navajo Nation, she is dedicated to collaborative and community-based genetic research that produces better science and ethically benefits all participants.
As a co-principal investigator and a past predoctoral fellow, Claw received an NSF award from the Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences' Office of Multidisciplinary Activities in the Ethical and Responsible Research (ER2) program. Her project aligns with a key aim of the ER2 program, which is to foster ethical and responsible practice in science, technology, engineering and mathematics research communities. Her research program supports equity and inclusion of diverse populations in pharmacogenomic research and personalized medicine, addresses disparities in health and health care, and enhances ethical research with participation from American Indian, Alaska Native and other historically marginalized communities. She has established research partnerships with multiple American Indian, Alaskan Native and First Nations tribal communities.
Claw is an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, and her genomic research is at the forefront of disease treatment and prevention. She has demonstrated strong associations between nicotine metabolism and CYP2A6 gene variation in a tribally diverse Indigenous population. Claw's research further demonstrated substantial diversity in the versions of the CYP2A6 gene, which is strongly associated with nicotine metabolism, among Indigenous communities from different tribes and geographic regions. These findings suggest that diverse groups may benefit from personalized tobacco cessation treatment, guided in part by unique genetics.
"The foundation of my work is community-based participatory research, and I strive to use a culturally responsive and adaptive ethical framework that respects the principles of data sovereignty and tribal oversight," Claw said. "My overall goal is to show that community-engaged genomics research can bring about meaningful and impactful change in Indigenous communities. My research program studies pharmacogenomic variation and the cultural, ethical, legal and social implications (CELSI) of genomic research with Indigenous peoples. The past is inextricably linked to the present and the future, and the history of Native communities naturally extends my research into the ethical and social realms. Thus, my research projects involve both contemporary Indigenous peoples and Ancestors of the past."
Claw is a committed leader, mentor and contributor to national policy discussions for Indigenous communities, especially related to genetics. She is funded by the Native American Research Center for Health initiative to create a glossary of genetic terms and digital stories in Navajo. "Being awarded made me acutely aware of how my research interests and desire to work with Native communities was important, needed, and how few people from my tribal community were in the position to apply for these opportunities."
Claw is the first Waterman recipient from the Navajo Nation. "I hope that it will inspire some other young ch'izhii budding scientists entering their first science fair competition, and I hope that my story will help others believe in themselves and move forward in careers in STEM. With the award, I'm excited to fund the community engagement and tribal capacity-building work that are so important to the future of Native peoples in science."
Creating robots that adapt and evolve to changing conditions
Rebecca Kramer-Bottiglio, Yale University.
Rebecca Kramer-Bottiglio has "always been drawn to math and prototyping, and the thrill of uncovering how things work," she said. "Engineering seamlessly integrates these passions."
Her multidisciplinary research approach incorporates materials science, robotics, artificial intelligence, biology and art. Her breakthrough design strategy of adaptive morphogenesis for robotics is inspired by biological adaptations, morphogenesis and evolution and extends techniques she developed to create shape-shifting and phase-changing materials. When integrated into robots, these new materials enable transformative new capabilities via unprecedented adaptive behaviors.
"Robots are traditionally mechanical assemblies designed to complete a single task in a specific context. In contrast, biological organisms adapt physiologically, behaviorally and morphologically in response to changing environmental conditions," Kramer-Bottiglio said. "My research focuses on imbuing next-generation robots with the ability to adapt and evolve like animals. I study multifunctional materials and their utility in soft-material robots capable of evolving their physical structure and corresponding behavior as they encounter new task demands or environments."
Kramer-Bottiglio developed an amphibious turtle-inspired robot with limbs made from coupled fluidic actuators and variable-stiffness materials that change between hydrodynamic flippers and load-bearing leg shapes depending on the environment. Adapting both the form and function of the robot enabled efficient movement both in water and on land, yielding energetic savings for multi-environment locomotion. With this morphing robot platform, she proved that morphological adaptation is a favorable strategy to expand the future capabilities of robots while simultaneously reducing the energy requirements to do so.
"Breaking through my own conception of what a robot is helped me realize their potential," she said. "If we discard the notion that robots must be mechanical assemblies of discrete components and instead consider them as material systems with multifunctionalities, we gain access to a host of new materials, techniques and tools that can be used to create the next generation of robots."
Kramer-Bottiglio is a mentor dedicated to broadening participation in STEM research. She is the recipient of awards from the NSF CAREER, Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future, Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation, Human-Centered Computing, and Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers programs.
"NSF has been incredibly important throughout my career, supporting my research in areas such as materials processing, soft robotics and engineering education," she said. "For instance, one NSF award supported a collaborative research project to test the hypothesis that the implementation of soft robot design experiences improves students' engineering self-efficacy and interest in engineering careers as compared to traditional robot design experiences. Through a partnership with experts in engineering education, we found evidence to support this claim. The research resulted in a new engineering design curriculum that has been sustainably integrated into an upper high school course with national dissemination. I am unsure that I would have been able to pursue such an interdisciplinary project without the support of the NSF."
The Waterman Award will enable Kramer-Bottiglio "to pursue interdisciplinary and high-risk research directions that hold the potential to unlock new capabilities for robots, enabling them to evolve on demand in response to changing tasks or environments," she said. "Robots that can evolve on demand provide a platform to study physical evolution-based optimization. How and when should a robot adapt its shape when switching between tasks or environments? What are the optimal shapes for specific tasks and environments? Can we use synthetic evolution to discover adaptation strategies that animals might use to adapt to our changing environment? Can the use of living materials in robots increase their adaptive capabilities? I hope to find out."
The award, established by Congress in 1975, is named for Alan T. Waterman, NSF's first director.
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Original text here: https://new.nsf.gov//news/nsf-honors-3-outstanding-early-career-researchers
Export-Import Bank of the United States Signs QUAD ECAs Memorandum of Cooperation at Berne Union
OSLO, Norway, April 24 -- The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. issued the following joint statement on April 23, 2024:
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The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) President and Chair Reta Jo Lewis officially signed a Memorandum of Cooperation alongside Manny Arabatzis, Chief Risk Officer of Export Finance Australia (EFA), Sristiraj Ambastha, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of ECGC India (ECGC), and Atsuo Kuroda, Chairman and CEO of Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI) and released the following joint statement during the Berne Union Spring meetings in Oslo, Norway.
Joint Statement
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OSLO, Norway, April 24 -- The Export-Import Bank of the U.S. issued the following joint statement on April 23, 2024:
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The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) President and Chair Reta Jo Lewis officially signed a Memorandum of Cooperation alongside Manny Arabatzis, Chief Risk Officer of Export Finance Australia (EFA), Sristiraj Ambastha, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of ECGC India (ECGC), and Atsuo Kuroda, Chairman and CEO of Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI) and released the following joint statement during the Berne Union Spring meetings in Oslo, Norway.
Joint Statementon Enhanced Quad Export Credit Agency (ECA) Cooperation:
We, Export Finance Australia ("EFA"), ECGC Limited ("ECGC") of India, Nippon Export and Investment Insurance ("NEXI") of Japan, and Export-Import Bank of the United States ("EXIM") (the above collectively, "Quad ECAs"), recognise our respective government's steadfast commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient, as stated in the Quad Joint Leaders' Statement dated 20 May 2023 (the "Leaders' Statement").
The Leaders Statement endorses cooperation between Quad ECAs stating "Quad partners' export credit agencies make an important contribution to the prosperity of the Indo-Pacific. We welcome ongoing efforts to enhance cooperation among Quad partners' export credit agencies, including through a Memorandum of Cooperation between ECGC Limited of India, Export Finance Australia (EFA), Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI) of Japan, and Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM)."
In line with our countries' shared values and the Leaders' Statement, we Quad ECAs make this Statement following the finalisation of a Memorandum of Cooperation between our four agencies and commit to enhancing the level of cooperation, engagement, and alignment with each other.
Supply Chain Resilience, Critical Technologies and Emerging Technologies
As ECAs, we have provided export credit insurance, financial guarantees, and/or public financing to support and facilitate international trade flows for over 50 years. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent recovery have demonstrated the need for enhanced supply chain credit and investment support, and we recognise the important role we can play in this area.
We commit to engage on opportunities to enhance supply chain resilience, through activities such as regional trade and investment support and market diversification efforts. We also commit to regularly exchange experiences and information on ways to develop and expand supply chain resilience through our financing activities, including opportunities for Quad partner businesses to work with each other.
We recognise the importance of supporting the development of, and investment in, critical and emerging technologies. We commit to supporting these areas by providing finance, credit insurance and guarantees to support business trade and investment, exchanging experiences and approaches to deliver finance, credit insurance and guarantees and assist businesses to scale and mature approaches to encourage private finance and investment in these areas.
Climate, Energy and Infrastructure
To increase connectivity in the Indo-Pacific (including the Pacific) and to facilitate productivity increases and prosperity in the region, we recognise it is critical to support the development of quality infrastructure in the region. We also recognise the urgent need to address climate change and share a common commitment to supporting the successful implementation of the Paris Agreement.
We commit to continue to expand our engagement and support for governments in the region to finance, guarantee and/or insure quality infrastructure, including renewable energy, working alongside other relevant Quad partner government agencies and the private sector.
We further recognize that the energy transition should allow for a range of practical pathways tailored to meet the circumstances of each country in the Indo-Pacific. We commit to support the development of enabling resources and technologies that can support the energy transition of the Indo-Pacific. This includes supporting growth in low- to zero-carbon emerging technologies and associated infrastructure development and critical minerals supply.
We commit to enhance the availability of finance, credit guarantee and insurance for Quad partner businesses to trade and invest in the Indo-Pacific, including through supporting exports, infrastructure projects and activities that encourage partnerships between Quad partner businesses.
Wherever possible and within the mandates of each Quad ECA, we commit to seek out opportunities to enhance our engagement on quality infrastructure beyond the Indo-Pacific, including in Africa.
We commit to share experiences and expertise on infrastructure financings, including the development of green financing solutions and products. We also commit to exchange information on mechanisms and activities to lower our own business emissions and otherwise address climate change.
In making these commitments, we recognise the challenges some countries may face regarding debt sustainability. We will continue to support debt transparency commitments by our respective governments and will ensure our own export financing, credit guarantees and insurance activities are undertaken in a responsible and sustainable manner.
Organisational Exchanges
As Quad ECAs we have regular and ongoing exchanges between our organisations and staff. We have benefitted from these exchanges and have undertaken a range of joint export credit guarantees, financings and insurance. To further enhance our cooperation, we recognise the value in expanding Quad ECA exchanges. We, Quad ECAs will continuously strengthen our collaboration including technical-level exchanges, we commit to work to deliver tangible results to the Indo-Pacific.
In order to facilitate information exchanges and develop joint approaches, we commit to an annual meeting of Quad ECA Heads and for key officials from each of our agencies to meet periodically to identify and coordinate on projects of mutual interest and consider further steps to deepen our cooperation.
We also commit to deepening on our ongoing bilateral coordination, where possible and appropriate, in multilateral forums such as the Berne Union.
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ABOUT EXIM:
The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) is the nation's official export credit agency with the mission of supporting American jobs by facilitating U.S. exports. To advance American competitiveness and assist U.S. businesses as they compete for global sales, EXIM offers financing including export credit insurance, working capital guarantees, loan guarantees, and direct loans. As an independent federal agency, EXIM contributes to U.S. economic growth by supporting tens of thousands of jobs in exporting businesses and their supply chains across the United States.
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Original text here: https://www.exim.gov/news/export-import-bank-united-states-signs-quad-ecas-memorandum-cooperation-berne-union
EPA: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Bonneville Environmental Foundation to Receive $30.2 Million to Deliver Residential Solar in Wyoming, Lowering Energy Costs and Advancing Environmental Justice
CHEYENNE, Wyoming, April 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on April 22, 2024:
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Selectees under Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grant competition to deliver solar to low-income and disadvantaged communities through the President's Investing in America agenda
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Today, as the Biden-Harris Administration celebrates Earth Day, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Bonneville Environmental Foundation has been selected to receive $30,260,000 through the Solar for All (SFA) grant competition to develop long-lasting solar programs that
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CHEYENNE, Wyoming, April 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on April 22, 2024:
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Selectees under Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grant competition to deliver solar to low-income and disadvantaged communities through the President's Investing in America agenda
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Today, as the Biden-Harris Administration celebrates Earth Day, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Bonneville Environmental Foundation has been selected to receive $30,260,000 through the Solar for All (SFA) grant competition to develop long-lasting solar programs thatenable low-income and disadvantaged communities to deploy and benefit from distributed residential solar. This award is part of the historic $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, which was created under President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act to lower energy costs for families, create good-quality jobs in communities that have been left behind, advance environmental justice, and tackle the climate crisis.
The Wyoming SFA Program will expand economic and environmental benefits of solar to low-income, Tribal, and disadvantaged communities across the state. This will be achieved through a community designed program that addresses market and non-market barriers to residential solar through outreach, workforce development, and technical and financial assistance. The program will leverage and mobilize additional capital to maximize the number of households served through single family residential and multifamily residential solar projects. It will deliver significant electricity bill savings along with other meaningful benefits such as enhanced resilience, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and a more inclusive and skilled workforce.
"Although solar technology has become more affordable for residential use, many communities still face cost barriers to access," said Regional Administrator KC Becker. "One of our goals with the Greenhouse Gas Reduction fund is to make clean energy more accessible, especially for communities who are both overburdened by climate change impacts and disproportionately excluded from green technology resources. The Solar for All program will make access to cleaner energy more equitable for Wyoming communities."
The Bonneville Environmental Foundation is among 49 state-level awards EPA announced today totaling approximately $5.5 billion, along with six awards to serve Tribes totaling over $500 million, and five multistate awards totaling approximately $1 billion.
"The transition to clean energy represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to benefit all communities and generate jobs and economic development across every corner of our country," said Todd Reeve, CEO - Bonneville Environmental Foundation. "The awards announced today will kick off a necessary and truly remarkable set of investments that will build a foundation for a bright and sustainable future."
A complete list of the selected applicants can be found on EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund Solar for All website (https://www.epa.gov/greenhouse-gas-reduction-fund/solar-all).
EPA estimates that the 60 Solar for All recipients announced today will enable over 900,000 households in low-income and disadvantaged communities to deploy and benefit from distributed solar energy. This $7 billion investment will generate $350+ million annual savings on electric bills for overburdened households. The program will reduce 30 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions cumulatively from over 4 GW of clean energy capacity. In total, solar projects funded by this program will generate over $8 billion in household savings over the 25-year lifetime of the assets. Solar and distributed energy resources help improve electric grid reliability and climate resilience as well, which is especially important in disadvantaged communities that have long been underserved.
Solar for All will deliver on the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to creating high-quality jobs with the free and fair choice to join a union for workers across the United States. This $7 billion investment in clean energy will generate an estimated 200,000 jobs across the country. All selected applicants intend to invest in local, clean energy workforce development programs to expand equitable pathways into family-sustaining jobs for the communities they are designed to serve. At least 35% of selected applicants have already engaged local or national unions, engagement that demonstrates how these programs will contribute to the foundation of a clean energy economy built on strong labor standards and inclusive economic opportunity for all American communities.
The Solar for All program also advances President Biden's Justice40 Initiative, which set the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of certain federal climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, and other investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. All of the funds awarded through the Solar For All program will be invested in low-income and disadvantaged communities. The program will also help meet the President's goal of achieving a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and net-zero emissions economy by no later than 2050.
The 60 selected applicants have committed to delivering on the three objectives of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: reducing climate and air pollution; delivering benefits to low-income and disadvantaged communities; and mobilizing financing to spur additional deployment of affordable solar energy. Solar for All selected applicants are expanding existing low-income solar programs and launching new programs. In 25 states and territories nationwide, Solar for All is launching new programs and opening new markets for low-income, residential solar by providing subsidies and low-cost financing so that households in low-income and disadvantaged communities can build and access affordable solar energy for the first time.
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-announces-bonneville-environmental-foundation-receive-302
EPA Announces New Policy to Strengthen Civil-Criminal Enforcement Coordination
WASHINGTON, April 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on April 23, 2024:
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New policy will further EPA's efforts to hold polluters accountable, ensure environmental justice for communities overburdened by pollution
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance recently issued its Strategic Civil-Criminal Enforcement Policy to strengthen the partnership between EPA's civil and criminal enforcement programs. Collaboration between the two program offices is critical to promote robust and fair enforcement
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WASHINGTON, April 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on April 23, 2024:
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New policy will further EPA's efforts to hold polluters accountable, ensure environmental justice for communities overburdened by pollution
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance recently issued its Strategic Civil-Criminal Enforcement Policy to strengthen the partnership between EPA's civil and criminal enforcement programs. Collaboration between the two program offices is critical to promote robust and fair enforcementthat holds polluters accountable, ensures justice for communities scarred by pollution, and upholds the rule of law to level the playing field for law-abiding companies.
This policy reinforces EPA's efforts to reinvigorate its enforcement program under the leadership of Administrator Michael S. Regan. It identifies practices that will help ensure a more collaborative relationship between EPA's civil and criminal enforcement offices going forward. The policy mandates joint strategic planning, rigorous case screening, and regular communication throughout the life of an enforcement matter. A stronger partnership between EPA's civil and criminal enforcement programs will enable EPA to better deliver on its commitment to realize the full benefits of environmental laws and promote greater fairness in enforcement.
"A fair and robust enforcement program requires strong alignment between EPA's civil and criminal enforcement programs to hold polluters accountable, deter violations, and protect communities," said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann for EPA's Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. "With an integrated enforcement program, defined by a dynamic and strategic partnership between civil and criminal enforcement, EPA will be better able to address 21st century environmental problems and deliver on the promise of our Nation's environmental laws."
The policy requires the program offices to:
* Increase collaboration throughout the strategic planning process,
* Enhance case screening and improve case management to promote information sharing about violations, and
* Update training programs to ensure effective partnership between civil and criminal enforcement offices and factors to consider in deciding whether to pursue criminal, civil, or administrative enforcement.
The new policy, effective immediately, was developed in close collaboration and consultation with regional and national enforcement programs.
For more information about EPA's Enforcement program and learn how we address pollution problems please visit the agency's Enforcement website (https://www.epa.gov/enforcement).
EPA encourages the public to help the agency fulfill its mission to protect human health and the environment by sharing information about potentially harmful environmental activities in their communities or workplaces. To report a potential violation, visit EPA's Report an Environmental Violation website (https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations).
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-new-policy-strengthen-civil-criminal-enforcement-coordination
Biden-Harris Administration Announces Over $62 Million to Deliver Residential Solar, Lowering Energy Costs and Advancing Environmental Justice Across Hawaii
SAN FRANCISCO, California, April 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on April 22, 2024:
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EPA announces selectees under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grant competition to deliver solar to low-income and disadvantaged communities through the President's Investing in America agenda
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Today, as the Biden-Harris Administration celebrates Earth Day, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that the Hawai'i Green Infrastructure Authority has been selected to receive $62,450,000 through the Solar for All grant competition. With this investment,
... Show Full Article
SAN FRANCISCO, California, April 24 -- The Environmental Protection Agency issued the following news release on April 22, 2024:
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EPA announces selectees under the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grant competition to deliver solar to low-income and disadvantaged communities through the President's Investing in America agenda
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Today, as the Biden-Harris Administration celebrates Earth Day, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that the Hawai'i Green Infrastructure Authority has been selected to receive $62,450,000 through the Solar for All grant competition. With this investment,the Authority will develop long-lasting solar programs that enable low-income and disadvantaged communities to deploy and benefit from residential solar. This award is part of the historic $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, created under President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act to lower energy costs for families, create good-quality jobs in communities--including historically disadvantaged communities, advance environmental justice, and tackle the climate crisis.
The Hawai'i Green Infrastructure Authority (HGIA), an agency attached to the State's Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, is Hawai'i's Green Bank. Leveraging HGIA's inclusive and risk-mitigating financing mechanisms, this solar initiative will dedicate program funds to finance residential rooftop solar, storage systems, and residential-serving, community-owned solar systems for low-income households and in disadvantaged communities statewide.
"For years, the benefits of household solar - such as the significant savings on energy bills - have been out of reach for too many in Hawai'i," said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. "With this new EPA investment of over $62 million, residents across Hawai'i, including those in our disadvantaged communities, will now be able to adopt solar and reap the advantages of this climate change-fighting technology."
HGIA is among 49 state-level awardees the EPA announced today, receiving approximately $5.5 billion in total. Six awards to serve Tribes total over $500 million, and five multistate awards total approximately $1 billion.
The EPA Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund's Solar for All website (https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-announces-over-62-million-deliver-residential-solar#https://www.epa.gov/greenhouse-gas-reduction-fund/solar-all) provides a complete list of the selected applicants.
The Solar for All program advances President Biden's Justice40 Initiative, which set the goal that 40% of the overall benefits of specific federal climate, clean energy, affordable and sustainable housing, and other investments flow to disadvantaged communities that are marginalized by underinvestment and overburdened by pollution. All the funds awarded through the Solar for All program will be invested in low-income and disadvantaged communities. The program will also help meet the President's goal of achieving a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and a net-zero emissions economy by 2050.
EPA estimates that the 60 Solar for All recipients announced today will enable over 900,000 households in low-income and disadvantaged communities to deploy and benefit from distributed solar energy. This $7 billion investment will generate $350+ million in annual savings on electric bills for overburdened households. The program will reduce 30 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions cumulatively from over 4 gigawatts of clean energy capacity. Solar projects funded by this program will generate over $8 billion in household savings over the 25-year lifetime of the assets. Solar and distributed energy resources help improve electric grid reliability and climate resilience, which is especially important in disadvantaged communities that have long been underserved.
Solar for All will also deliver on the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to creating high-quality jobs with the free and fair choice to join a union for workers across the United States. This $7 billion investment in clean energy will generate an estimated 200,000 jobs nationwide. All selected applicants intend to invest in local, clean energy workforce development programs to expand equitable pathways into family-sustaining jobs for the communities they are designed to serve. At least 35% of selected applicants have already engaged local or national unions, an engagement that demonstrates how these programs will contribute to the foundation of a clean energy economy built on strong labor standards and inclusive economic opportunity for all American communities.
The 60 selected applicants have committed to delivering on the three objectives of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund: reducing climate and air pollution, delivering benefits to low-income and disadvantaged communities, and mobilizing financing to spur additional deployment of affordable solar energy. Solar for All selected applicants are expanding existing low-income solar programs and launching new programs. In 25 states and territories nationwide, Solar for All is launching new programs and opening new markets for low-income, residential solar by providing subsidies and low-cost financing so households in low-income and disadvantaged communities can build and access affordable solar energy for the first time.
Review and Selection Process Information
The 60 selected applicants nationwide were chosen from 150 Solar for All competition applications. The selectees were chosen through a robust competition review process. This multi-staged process included hundreds of climate experts, power markets, environmental justice, labor, and consumer protection from across EPA, the Department of Energy, Housing and Urban Affairs, the Department of Treasury, the Department of Agriculture, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Labor, Department of Defense, and the Department of Energy's National Labs - all screened through ethics and conflict of interest checks and trained on the program requirements and evaluation criteria.
EPA anticipates that awards to the selected applicants will be finalized in the summer of 2024. The selected applicants will then begin funding projects through existing programs and expanding community outreach programs to launch new programs. Selections are contingent on resolving all administrative disputes related to the competitions.
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Informational Webinars
EPA will host informational webinars as part of the program's commitment to public transparency. Registration details for this week's webinar are included below. Information on other Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) webinars can be found on EPA's GGRF webpage.
* Solar for All webinar: Monday, April 29, 2024, 4:00- 4:30 pm ET. Register for the webinar here (https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-announces-over-62-million-deliver-residential-solar#https://usepa.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/wn_riokuyakr1qeycvrwojcda#/registration).
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Original text here: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-announces-over-62-million-deliver-residential-solar
Administrator Power Issues Remarks at the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure Governing Council Meeting
WASHINGTON, April 24 -- The U.S. Agency for International Development issued the following remarks on April 22, 2024, by Administrator Samantha Power at the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure Governing Council Meeting:
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ADMINISTRATOR SAMANTHA POWER: Thank you so much, Dr. [P.K.] Mishra. It has been a great honor to serve with you for these past two years as co-chair of the CDRI. And it's really a privilege to work alongside such a powerful advocate for disaster resilience. This was a gleam in just a few people's eye, and now it's a major global force and it's going to have increasing
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WASHINGTON, April 24 -- The U.S. Agency for International Development issued the following remarks on April 22, 2024, by Administrator Samantha Power at the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure Governing Council Meeting:
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ADMINISTRATOR SAMANTHA POWER: Thank you so much, Dr. [P.K.] Mishra. It has been a great honor to serve with you for these past two years as co-chair of the CDRI. And it's really a privilege to work alongside such a powerful advocate for disaster resilience. This was a gleam in just a few people's eye, and now it's a major global force and it's going to have increasingimpact on the ground as it goes deeper in the countries in which it works and offers its expertise.
I'm struck that when it comes to the changing climate, an increasing fatalism is taking hold where people feel almost immobilized by the scale of the challenge, and even have started to take for granted that we're going to live on a more dangerous and unstable planet. It is easy to fall prey to such fatalism given the gravity of what is coming at particularly vulnerable communities right now. But I credit, really, Dr. Mishra, you, your Indian colleagues, and this group that has gathered because you all are an exception to that fatalism. You have insisted that we can build the world around us in a way that keeps us safe and productive, even with these challenges coming at us.
And my old boss, Barack Obama, used to sometimes chastise me and say, "Sam, stop admiring the problem." Stop admiring the problem, you have come together to invest in solutions, and to begin building a movement to scale what actually works in building resilience, again, to these very, very powerful forces that are coming at so many communities.
In the two years since I began my co-chairmanship, CDRI has made incredible strides, which Dr. Mishra has just spoken to. We released the world's first Global Infrastructure Risk Model and Resilience Index, which is really going to be over many, many years in the future, helping countries predict the risks that various disasters pose to them, and their associated average losses. And this will, hopefully, provide advocates for greater investment in climate resilient infrastructure, some of the data and forecasting ammo that they need to secure those resources. So again, it's hard to change what you cannot measure, this index is really, really important. We formed the Infrastructure Resilience Accelerator Fund, which is a multi-donor trust fund, to support the countries who are most at risk of disaster, yet least able to finance the resilient infrastructure that they need to withstand disaster. So far, the Donor Fund has a commitment of $50 million, but we expect that to grow over time. And we all know, again, how challenging it has proven for the most vulnerable countries and communities to get access to climate finance. So this pool of resources is going to prove very important, again, over time.
Through programs, like the CDRI Fellowship Program, which Dr. Mishra mentioned, fellows around the world are leading efforts to innovate solutions that are addressing real problems in the here and now. For example, in Australia and Sri Lanka, CDRI fellows engineered a groundbreaking fiber optic sensor system to detect water pressures and ground movements in real time. This, of course, helps get earlier warnings out for potential disasters like landslides, so this can be a complete lifesaver. In India, CDRI fellows are pairing satellite data with crowd sourced information on flooding patterns from the citizens who are experiencing floods, to improve, again, flood prediction models, and give communities the early warning they need to stay safer. We want and need to see more of this innovation around the world, we need to see the solutions that work getting used and being iterated and improved. And we need to see those solutions spread to more places.
That's why last year, I announced a $5 million commitment to establish a partnership between American and Indian institutions of higher education. And today, I'm excited to announce the outcome of that pledge, the CDRI Higher Education Partnership. We are going to be working with universities like Virginia Tech and the Indian Institute of Technology to create curriculum on infrastructure resilience, to offer certification courses for infrastructure management, and to support research that is focused on infrastructure resilience. And as we all know from other sectors, these kinds of education, and fellowship, and scholarship, and training, and certification investments are ones that have ripple effects for generations to come - as people get schooled and trained, and come out and then bring their training to bear within governments, in the private sector and beyond.
Today, CDRI is expanding and it's demonstrating that more partners than ever are realizing the importance of building the world around us to withstand what we know are coming disasters. In just two years, we've seen membership grow from 36 countries to 46 and more countries have expressed interest in joining. So we want to go wide and deep at once. I am eager to see CDRI grow and evolve in the years to come, and it will do so with the leadership of a new incredibly forward thinking chair.
Thank you so much.
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Original text here: https://www.usaid.gov/news-information/speeches/apr-22-2024-administrator-samantha-power-coalition-disaster-resilient-infrastructure-governing-council-meeting
