WISCONSIN – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) announced she helped deliver over $13 million for two Wisconsin Tribes to invest in renewable energy solutions that will cut emissions, improve air quality, bring down energy costs, and create pathways to high-quality jobs. The grants, supported by the Baldwin-backed Inflation Reduction Act, have been awarded to the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians and St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin.
“Investing in clean energy is a win for families’ pocketbooks, puts Wisconsinites to work, and helps our children breathe cleaner air,” said Senator Baldwin. “I am proud to bring home this investment for Wisconsin’s Tribes to help them cut energy costs and improve our air quality, all while creating good paying jobs in a growing clean energy sector.”
The grants come through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program, which was created under the Baldwin-backed Inflation Reduction Act. The program provides grants to states, local governments, tribes, and territories to develop and implement ambitious plans for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and other harmful air pollution.
Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians will receive over $8.3 million to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by conducting extensive electrification upgrades in Tribal residences, developing new grid-tied residential solar installations and a commercial microgrid, electrifying the Tribal vehicle fleet, and adding vehicle charging infrastructure. On-site training and certification programs will be developed to create accessible pathways to high-quality jobs and careers in renewable energy construction and operations.
St. Croix Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin will receive nearly $5 million to improve energy efficiency of Tribal buildings, while simultaneously producing more renewable energy within the community by installing a 1-megawatt solar electricity system. The selected application will support the Tribal community by reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels and will reduce overall energy costs for low-income community members.
An online version of this release is available here.
