# The Buy Green Act of 2021: What It Actually Does

The Buy Green Act creates a new federal fund dedicated to purchasing environmentally friendly products and supporting the transition to clean energy. Think of it as the government putting its money where its mouth is on climate change—instead of just talking about going green, it's actually committing federal dollars to buy green products and help others do the same.

Here's what happens in practice: The federal government will establish a "Clean Energy Fund" that federal agencies can use to purchase clean energy products and services. This includes things like renewable energy to power government buildings, electric vehicles, energy-efficient appliances, solar panels, and materials used to make buildings more environmentally friendly. The bill also requires that at least 20 percent of these purchases go to small businesses, including those owned by women, veterans, and disadvantaged entrepreneurs. This is designed to spread the economic benefits of the green transition beyond just large corporations.

Beyond federal purchases, the bill creates grant programs for state, local, and tribal governments to buy clean energy products themselves. If your city or state gets one of these grants, they could use it to electrify school buses, upgrade public buildings, or purchase electric vehicles for municipal fleets. The bill specifically prioritizes helping disadvantaged communities—those that have historically borne the brunt of pollution and environmental damage—by requiring that at least 40 percent of grant money go toward projects in these areas. The bill also includes labor protections to ensure that workers producing these green products are treated fairly, and it establishes an oversight board to make sure the program is working as intended.

Buy Green Act of 2021

Levin, Andy

Buy Green Act of 2021 This bill provides for federal procurement of clean energy products. Specifically, the bill establishes a Clean Energy Fund at the Department of Energy (DOE) and authorizes DOE to transfer amounts from the fund to federal agencies for clean energy-related purchases. The bill creates a grant program for state, local, and tribal governments to make such purchases. The bill (1) provides grants to electrify the federal vehicle fleet, to states and municipalities to electrify public transit and school buses, and to design, build, and retrofit buildings to be more energy efficient; and (2) establishes a grant program for U.S. companies to invest in clean energy manufacturing by retrofitting or building facilities that produce clean energy products. The bill (1) establishes specified labor protections applicable to projects funded by grants in this bill and for manufacturers of specified products; and (2) directs 40% of state, local, and tribal grant funding for grants provided by this bill to purchases that benefit frontline, disadvantaged, and vulnerable communities that have been environmentally neglected. The bill establishes within DOE a Green Procurement Oversight Advisory Board. The Government Accountability Office shall conduct oversight of the use of funds and publicly report on program efficacy each year.