# Energy Resilient Communities Act: What You Need to Know

This bill creates a federal grant program that gives money to communities to build small-scale clean energy systems called microgrids. Think of a microgrid as a neighborhood-sized power system that can generate its own electricity from solar panels, wind turbines, or other renewable sources and operate independently if the main power grid goes down. The program is designed to help communities become more resilient when disasters strike and to give them more control over their own energy.

The bill prioritizes funding for communities that have historically faced environmental injustice—places where low-income residents and communities of color have dealt with pollution, power outages, and higher energy costs. These communities can get grants to pay for up to 90 percent of project costs, compared to 60 percent for other areas. The money can be used for technical help to plan microgrids, community outreach to get people involved in decision-making, or actual construction of the systems. The bill also encourages projects that are owned by the community itself rather than private companies, ensuring residents have a say in how their energy system operates.

The program includes strong requirements for job creation and worker protections. Construction projects must hire at least 40 percent of workers from nearby communities, including people facing barriers to employment like formerly incarcerated individuals, veterans, people with disabilities, and those without high school diplomas. All workers must be paid prevailing wages, and the bill requires using American-made materials whenever possible. The bill authorizes $1.5 billion per year for actual microgrid construction and $50 million per year for planning and outreach, running through 2033, with annual reports tracking how many jobs are created and what environmental benefits result.

Energy Resilient Communities Act

Barragán, Nanette Diaz

Energy Resilient Communities Act This bill requires the Department of Energy to establish a program that awards grants to make critical energy infrastructure more resilient to climate change hazards, such as grants for developing clean energy microgrids that support critical community infrastructure or customers of electric utilities with special energy needs due to medical conditions.