Transmission Siting and Economic Development Grants Program

State: Oregon
DOE Investment: $1,100,000
Project Description: Baker School District 5J and the Baker Technical Institute (BTI), with support from the Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative, will launch the Lineman College and Training Hub in Baker City, Oregon to train new workers who will support local small businesses, large employers in the area, and local governments., The Training Hub will help meet growing demand for utility workers and anticipate future demand for skilled workers in broadband, energy, and electrical infrastructure roles.

State: Oklahoma
DOE Investment: $17,650,000
Project Description: The City of Guymon’s Mesa Water Project will address water scarcity challenges and bolster water infrastructure in Guymon, Oklahoma, strengthening the long-term sustainability and resilience of the community. The project will include groundwater modeling, preliminary test well design, environmental and cultural assessments, well construction, and system commissioning.

State: New Mexico
DOE Investment: $1,800,000
Project Description: As a community hosting the Southline Transmission Project, the City of Lordsburg, in collaboration with multiple partners, will launch the Lordsburg Revitalization Project, a comprehensive investment to renovate downtown Lordsburg and bolster economic development, create opportunities for small businesses, and catalyze job growth.

State: North Dakota
DOE Investment: $14,284,567
Project Description: As a community impacted by the North Plains Connector (NPC) transmission line, the City of Mott will construct the Cannonball Community Complex (CCC), a multi-purpose, accessible community center that will stimulate the local economy, create new job opportunities for the local community, and help offset the impact of a new transmission line under development. The CCC will also serve as a shelter from severe weather and as a central base for essential services in emergency situations.

State: Arizona
DOE Investment: $10,708,054
Project Description: As a community impacted by the Southline Transmission Project, the City of Willcox will launch the Willcox Open Space and Riparian Area Conservation Project to preserve Cochise Lake as a wetland sanctuary for birds and other wildlife and boost tourism and economic development in the region. The project will modernize Cochise Lake’s underground water delivery system to ensure the wetland area has sufficient resources, in addition to building a visitor’s center and adding recreational and camping facilities to increase tourism.

State: Colorado
DOE Investment: $9,500,000
Project Description: The Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) and Southeast Colorado Enterprise Development, Inc (SECED) will launch the Southeast Economic Development Grant Program (SEED Grant Program) to help secure benefits for communities in Southeastern Colorado impacted by the development of the Three Corners Connector (3CC) transmission project. The SEED Grant Program will sub-grant funding to local public and not-for-profit organizations that will provide economic development, workforce training, and other opportunities to communities impacted by the transmission line.

State: Oklahoma
DOE Investment: $50,000,000
Project Description: As a community hosting the Three Corners Connector (3CC) transmission line, the Guymon Public School District will construct a new junior high school and workforce development center, catalyzing sustained economic growth through job creation and opening up new educational opportunities for students and local residents. New student facilities will include an outdoor environmental science classroom and a specialized STEM lab, and the workforce development center will provide trainings and classes for adults.

State: Massachusetts
DOE Investment: $42,328,000
Project Description: The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources and the Town of Barnstable will install a renewable energy-powered microgrid at the Barnstable High School and Intermediate School Complex. The microgrid will help reduce energy expenses, making more funding evaluable for educational programming. The microgrid will also help eliminate particulate and greenhouse gas emissions from boilers and gas heating, improve indoor air quality, and increase community resilience by expanding emergency shelter space and enabling electric vehicle charging in emergencies.

State: Michigan
DOE Investment: $35,751,540
Project Description: The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) will invest in workforce development initiatives to build a skilled workforce to support transmission construction and clean energy investments in the two counties affected by the Helix-Hiple transmission line, one of the MISO Long Range Transmission Planning Tranche 1 projects. LEO will provide specialized education and training through electric utility apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs, as well as training for EV infrastructure construction and installation. LEO will also invest in a low-income energy fund to support a residential weatherization program, as well as provide utility stipends to residents in communities impacted by the siting of a new transmission line.

State: Montana
DOE Investment: $47,459,092
Project Description: The Montana Department of Commerce’s Southeastern Montana Transmission Siting and Economic Development Initiative (SM-TSED) will sub-grant funding to the rural counties of Rosebud, Custer, and Fallon and the Northern Cheyenne Tribe to help mitigate the impact of construction of the North Plains Connector (NPC) transmission line. The SM-TSED program will enable these rural and Tribal communities to invest funding in critical community infrastructure, including emergency and medical services, transportation, water, and sewage services, and climate mitigation projects.

State: New Jersey
DOE Investment: $50,000,000
Project Description: The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) will catalyze civic engagement, workforce development, and economic mobility in New Jersey communities impacted by the development of offshore wind transmission projects. NJEDA will fund projects identified and chosen by local residents through Participatory Budgeting, during which residents propose, vote on, and lead spending decisions for projects in localities where new renewable transmission infrastructure is sited. NJEDA will also provide pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship training opportunities for electrical careers in partnership with the IBEW Local Union 400. Lastly, NJEDA will build new bike trails along transmission rights-of-way and link them with multiple existing paths to connect state, county, and municipal parks.

State: New York
DOE Investment: $43,538,714
Project Description: The New York Power Authority will implement the Propel NY Energy Sustainable Communities Initiative, which will make funding available to communities impacted by the Propel NY transmission project. The initiative would work with local schools, housing authorities, and community service agencies to develop energy education and job opportunities for residents in impacted communities.

State: Oregon
DOE Investment: $15,000,000
Project Description: The Northeast Oregon Economic Development District will help implement the Northeast Oregon Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy and fund community-identified projects in Baker and Union counties, which are impacted by the development of the Boardman to Hemingway transmission line. The program will fund economic development projects that focus on workforce, housing, business development, and infrastructure and promote a more resilient and vibrant economy while improving community well-being.

State: North Dakota
DOE Investment: $710,242
Project Description: The Roosevelt Custer Regional Council will expand the Amidon Fire Department’s Fire Hall, boosting community safety, resilience, and well-being. The expansion project will enable the Fire Department to house more equipment in bad weather, reduce the Amidon Fire Department’s response time, and provide new space for maintenance and training. The Amidon Fire Department is a volunteer, rural fire department that serves the rural communities surrounding Amidon, and enhancing the department’s facilities will enhance their emergency response capabilities.

State: California
DOE Investment: $5,584,683
Project Description: The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Mission Indians (SYBCI) will establish the Santa Ynez Chumash Oceanographic Institute to equip Tribal members with education, training, and professional development opportunities in ocean and coastal policy and science. The Oceanographic Institute will both enhance the Tribe’s capacity to collaborate on the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, as well as train Tribal members to advise and staff government agencies and companies that oversee ocean and coastal activities and site, permit, and develop offshore wind and offshore wind transmission projects.

State: Virginia
DOE Investment: $8,380,735 
Project Description: The Virginia Department of Energy, through the Hampton Roads Energy Workforce Development Initiative, will address the critical need for skilled workers in Hampton Roads’ emerging clean energy sector by connecting members of the community with training opportunities and job prospects. The project aims to connect approximately 350 individuals to jobs within the clean energy sector of Hampton Roads.