Climate Action Campaign Statement on President Biden’s Earth Day Solar for All and Climate Corps Announcement
For Immediate Release
DATE: April 22, 2024
CONTACT: Catherine Gorman, cgorman@cacampaign.org, (708)334-4424
Climate Action Campaign Statement on President Biden’s Earth Day Solar for All and Climate Corps Announcement
Washington, DC – Today, on the 54th Earth Day at the Prince William Forest Park in Triangle, VA, President Biden made two important announcements about his work to tackle the climate crisis. He announced $7 billion for investments through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Solar for All program that will provide funding and technical assistance for 60 solar projects to municipalities, states, territories, Tribal Governments, and nonprofits. He also announced the launch of ClimateCorps.gov -a website featuring nearly 2,000 Climate Corps positions located across 36 states, DC, and Puerto Rico.
In response, Margie Alt, Director of the Climate Action Campaign, issued the following statement:
“Today, communities across the country have cause for celebration. In the coming months, they will see an infusion of investment that will expand access to distributed solar energy for 900,000 households, thanks to the President’s Climate and Clean Energy Plan. ‘Solar for All’ will accelerate the transition from dirty and expensive fossil-powered energy to renewable and affordable solar power. Families will see savings – approximately $400 per household – and more than 30 million metric tons of carbon pollution will be cut over the next 25 years. These investments will primarily be focused in low-income communities guided by the President’s Justice 40 commitments and is projected to create 200,000 new jobs. Additionally, these federal investments will catalyze private capital for solar projects stimulating even more clean energy projects in undercapitalized markets.
“The President also announced the launch of the ClimateCorps.gov – a new website featuring 2,000 new job listings in climate and conservation. Modeled after FDR’s Civilian Conservation Corps, the president’s American Climate Corps that will put ‘more than 20,000 young Americans to work fighting the impacts of climate change today while gaining the skills they need to join the growing clean energy and climate-resilience workforce of tomorrow.’
“We’re thankful to the Biden administration for making these priorities a reality. While Republicans in Congress make every attempt to roll back climate progress, climate champions in Congress and throughout the administration are standing strong in their commitment to America’s clean energy future; a future where all Americans have access to clean energy, good-paying jobs in the clean energy industry, and see direct savings from this clean energy boom.”
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About CAC
Climate Action Campaign (CAC) is a vibrant coalition of advocacy organizations working together to drive ambitious, durable federal action to cut carbon pollution, address the climate crisis, advance environmental justice, and accelerate the transition to clean energy. Our goal is to reduce carbon pollution and accelerate the transition to clean energy through policies focused on climate, justice, and jobs and expanding opportunity for all.
