The Biden administration announced Monday that it will allocate up to $6 billion to curb global warming emissions in some of the nation's most polluting industries, including chemical, metals and cement operations.
The award, which the administration calls „the largest investment in industrial decarbonization in U.S. history,“ is intended to both advance the administration's climate change goals and boost domestic manufacturing.
Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm told reporters that the investment targets technologies that are scalable and „establish a clear new gold standard for clean manufacturing in the United States and around the world.“ Ta.
“Simply put, this is good for the planet, good for the economy and good for workers,” she said.
A total of 33 projects in more than 20 states will receive federal funding ranging from $20 million to $500 million. The administration expects to leverage an additional $14 billion in private investment.
“These projects will provide solutions to reduce emissions in some of the most emitting sectors of our economy, including steel, aluminium, cement, concrete, chemicals, food and beverage, and pulp and paper. '' Granholm said. „Together, these industries account for about one-third of CO2 emissions. The projects we have selected promise to significantly reduce these emissions. To do.“
Together, the 33 projects could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 14 million tons per year (equivalent to 3 million vehicles) and create tens of thousands of jobs, according to the administration.
![Cleveland-Cliffs steel mill in Riverdale, Illinois, in February 2023. The company was selected to receive federal funding for decarbonized operations at one of its facilities in Middletown, Ohio.](https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/65fdf8832300003200550cff.jpeg?ops=scalefit_720_noupscale)
![Cleveland-Cliffs steel mill in Riverdale, Illinois, in February 2023. The company was selected to receive federal funding for decarbonized operations at one of its facilities in Middletown, Ohio.](https://img.huffingtonpost.com/asset/65fdf8832300003200550cff.jpeg?ops=scalefit_720_noupscale)
Chicago Tribune via Getty Images
Cleveland-Cliffs Steel in Middletown, Ohio, will receive up to $500 million to replace one of its blast furnaces with two electric furnaces, which will reduce the facility's greenhouse gas emissions by 1 million a year. It is expected that the amount will be reduced by tons. In Leveque, California, California National Cement Co. will use $500 million in federal funds to produce carbon-neutral cement using biomass from agricultural byproducts such as pistachio shells. And in Mansfield, Louisiana, International Paper Company will receive $46 million to use new chemical separation technology to reduce emissions during pulp production.
During the application process, the Department of Energy received a total of 411 concept papers seeking more than $60 billion in federal funding for energy efficiency projects, a Biden administration official said. The $6 billion allocated includes $5.47 billion from the Inflation Control Act of 2022 and $489 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act of 2021.
White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi told reporters the investment was a „huge deal“ not only for the fight against climate change, but also for environmental justice, with 79% of the projects in the He pointed out that it was being carried out in areas where there was no.
„This is part of a whole-of-government strategy to look at the industrial sector, and the president often says, 'When I think about climate, I think about jobs,' but climate change „We are looking at both opportunities and large-scale employment opportunities.“ . „Today's historic announcement is a huge step in that direction, both here in the United States and, frankly, for people around the world who are pursuing a better future.“