96272800

**Description:** This agreement provides funding under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to Grid Alternatives.

Specifically, on the east side of Puerto Rico, the project will provide energy efficiency audits, education, and electrification vouchers to 50 community centers and fire stations to reduce the cost for these buildings to electrify and upgrade appliances identified through the audit and thereby improving indoor air quality;

provide the same 50 community resilience hubs with rooftop solar plus storage systems to provide reliable clean electricity and therefore adequate shelter and critical services during climate emergencies;

provide a workforce recruitment, development and scholarship program to equip disadvantaged community members with the skills to meet the growing demand from the solar and renewable energy industry in Puerto Rico that necessarily also reduces the island's GHG emissions;

planting 10,000 mangroves and native species to improve outdoor air and water quality; and

conduct community engagement to ensure community awareness, support and involvement in the project.

**Activities:** The activities include installing solar energy plus storage systems; conducting energy efficiency audits, education about the audit results and issuing electrification vouchers;

implementing a recruitment drive for and providing a workforce development and scholarship program in the solar energy sector; and

conducting community engagement.

**Subrecipient:** Six subawards are proposed to carry out some of the project activities.

Pathstone will carry out the recruitment for and workforce development training of students in solar and renewable energy occupations.

Por Los Nuestros, Solar Responders, and Resilient Power Puerto Rico will develop, install and provide community education and engagement for 10, 7 and 7, respectively, solar plus storage systems for 24 out of the 50 planned at community hubs.

Resilient Power Puerto Rico will conduct 7 energy audits at the community hubs and provide follow-up energy efficiency education.

Justicia Energética will conduct 43 energy audits, provide follow-up energy efficiency education and engagement, and manage the energy-efficient appliance voucher program.

Para La Naturaleza will plant 10,000 trees.

**Outcomes:** The anticipated deliverables include 50 solar energy plus lithium battery storages at 50 community hubs;

50 energy audits, education sessions about the audits, and $1,000 electrification vouchers to the same 50 community hubs;

240 individuals actively recruited and trained for the solar energy sector and 24 scholarships for continuing education;

10,000 trees planted; and

community meetings, information sessions, outreach and tabling events, email contact; and CCG task force being held for community engagement and involvement;

and progress reports and monthly calls.

The expected outcomes include greater awareness and education of energy efficiency and ways to reduce energy burden;

increased adoption of electrification measures;

improved health from replacement of indoor fossil-fuel appliances;

increased grid resilience from solar and storage installations;

and greater efficient use of solar energy systems;

increased building resilience to climate disasters from solar and storage installations;

increased community resilience and preparedness for climate disasters and power outages;

and increased access to services during power outages;

greater workforce capacity in the project area to build renewable energy;

increased workforce opportunities for trainees;

and more solar installers working in the project area;

greater awareness and education of energy efficiency and health effects of fossil-fuel appliances;

and greater health for community members;

reduced exposure to carbon dioxide and other air pollutants;

increase in carbon sink capacity of the project area;

and greater barrier to hurricane and climate-related disasters for the project area.

The intended beneficiaries are the disadvantaged community members.

Grid Alternatives

2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS S - CROSS AGENCY STRATEGY S.1 - ENSURE SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY AND SCIENCE-BASED DECISION MAKING S - CROSS AGENCY STRATEGY S.1 - ENSURE SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY AND SCIENCE-BASED DECISION MAKING 6 - SAFEGUARD AND REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES 6.1 - CLEAN UP AND RESTORE LAND FOR PRODUCTIVE USES AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS 4 - ENSURE CLEAN AND HEALTHY AIR FOR ALL COMMUNITIES 4.1 - IMPROVE AIR QUALITY AND REDUCE LOCALIZED POLLUTION AND HEALTH IMPACTS 5 - ENSURE CLEAN AND SAFE WATER FOR ALL COMMUNITIES 5.1 - ENSURE SAFE DRINKING WATER AND RELIABLE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE 5.2 - PROTECT AND RESTORE WATERBODIES AND WATERSHEDS 6 - SAFEGUARD AND REVITALIZE COMMUNITIES 6.2 - REDUCE WASTE AND PREVENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION 5 - ENSURE CLEAN AND SAFE WATER FOR ALL COMMUNITIES 5.1 - ENSURE SAFE DRINKING WATER AND RELIABLE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.2 - EMBED ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS INTO EPA’S PROGRAMS, POLICIES, AND ACTIVITIES 5 - ENSURE CLEAN AND SAFE WATER FOR ALL COMMUNITIES 5.1 - ENSURE SAFE DRINKING WATER AND RELIABLE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE 2 - TAKE DECISIVE ACTION TO ADVANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS 2.1 - PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CIVIL RIGHTS AT THE FEDERAL, TRIBAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LEVELS S - CROSS AGENCY STRATEGY S.1 - ENSURE SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY AND SCIENCE-BASED DECISION MAKING S - CROSS AGENCY STRATEGY S.1 - ENSURE SCIENTIFIC INT

66.616 - Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant Program

EPA Region 2: New York City [EPA - RO]

Maunabo Zona Urbana, Puerto Rico United States

City-Wide

Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program (EPA-R-OEJECR-OCS-23-04)

Termination This project grant was reported as terminated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in July 2025. See All
Amendment Since initial award the End Date has been shortened from 01/05/28 to 05/02/25.