Notice of Intent for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Section 40551: Weatherization Assistance Program Enhancement & Innovation FOA, 32762-32763 [2023-10861]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 98 (Monday, May 22, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32762-32763]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-10861]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY


Notice of Intent for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Section 
40551: Weatherization Assistance Program Enhancement & Innovation FOA

AGENCY: Office of State and Community Energy Programs, U.S. Department 
of Energy.

ACTION: Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of State and 
Community Energy Programs (SCEP) issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to 
issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled ``WAP 
Enhancement & Innovation'' in accordance with the Infrastructure 
Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure 
Law (BIL). As stated in the NOI, the aim of this anticipated FOA is to 
support WAP Enhancement & Innovation, and the broader government-wide 
approach to deploy demonstration projects that maximize the benefits of 
the clean energy transition as the nation works to curb the climate 
crisis, empower workers, and advance environmental justice. The 
anticipated FOA will seek applications to expand the impact of DOE's 
existing Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) by utilizing leveraged 
resources and enhanced community partnerships to perform deep energy 
retrofits of low-income residential buildings and empower local 
community representation within the energy workforce. DOE plans to seek 
proposals that drive innovative approaches to program coordination and 
service delivery, while fostering the

[[Page 32763]]

collaboration of dynamic and diverse teams.

DATES: The NOI was issued via the Clean Energy Infrastructure eXCHANGE 
system on June 6, 2023 available at https://infrastructure-exchange.energy.gov/.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Brittany Price, U.S. Department of 
Energy, Office of State and Community Energy Programs, 1000 
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (240) 
306-7252, Email: [email protected]. Electronic 
communications are recommended for correspondence.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Congress, through section 1011(e) of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, (Pub. L. 116-260),\1\ directed 
DOE to establish a competitive program for WAP Enhancement & 
Innovation, with five (5) purposes:
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    \1\ Codified at 42 U.S.C. 6864d.
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    1. Expand the number of dwelling units that are occupied by low-
income persons that receive weatherization assistance by making such 
dwelling units weatherization-ready;
    2. Promote the deployment of renewable energy in dwelling units 
that are occupied by low-income persons;
    3. Ensure healthy indoor environments by enhancing or expanding 
health and safety measures and resources available to dwellings that 
are occupied by low-income persons;
    4. Disseminate new methods and best practices among entities 
providing weatherization assistance; and
    5. Encourage entities providing weatherization assistance to hire 
and retain employees who are individuals--
    a. From the community in which the assistance is provided; and
    b. From communities or groups that are underrepresented in the home 
energy performance workforce, including religious and ethnic 
minorities, women, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and 
individuals who are socioeconomically disadvantaged.
    Congress established the following eight (8) award factors to 
consider when awarding financial assistance for WAP Enhancement & 
Innovation:
    1. The applicant's record of constructing, renovating, repairing, 
or making energy efficient single-family, multifamily, or manufactured 
homes that are occupied by low-income persons, either directly or 
through affiliates, chapters, or other partners (using the most recent 
year for which data are available);
    2. The number of dwelling units occupied by low-income persons that 
the applicant has built, renovated, repaired, weatherized, or made more 
energy efficient in the 5 years preceding the date of the application;
    3. The qualifications, experience, and past performance of the 
applicant, including experience successfully managing and administering 
Federal funds;
    4. The strength of an applicant's proposal to achieve one or more 
of the purposes stated above;
    5. The extent to which such applicant will utilize partnerships and 
regional coordination to achieve one or more of the purposes stated 
above;
    6. Regional and climate zone diversity;
    7. Urban, suburban, and rural localities; and
    8. Such other factors as the Secretary determines to be 
appropriate.
    In response to this direction, SCEP anticipates that the FOA that 
may include the following three (3) Topic Areas:
     Topic Area 1--Multifamily Housing;
     Topic Area 2--Single Family & Manufactured Housing; and
     Topic Area 3--Workforce Development.
    Through the FOA, SCEP tentatively envisions awarding multiple 
financial assistance awards in the form of grants using funds made 
available to WAP through section 40551 of the BIL.\2\ From the amount 
appropriated for WAP, DOE intends to make a total of $25 million in BIL 
funds available through this opportunity, with a maximum award amount 
of $2 million. Eligible entities would include existing WAP Grantees, 
WAP Subgrantees, and other nonprofit entities. The period of 
performance for each award would be three (3) years.
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    \2\ Section 40551 of BIL authorized $3,500,000,000 for fiscal 
year 2022, to remain available until expended. DOE is limited to 
using no more than $25,000,000 for any fiscal year to carry out WAP 
Enhancement & Innovation per section 1011(e), 42 U.S.C. 6864d(j)(2).
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    SCEP issued the NOI so that interested parties are aware of the 
SCEP's intention to issue this FOA in the near term. All of the 
information contained in the NOI is subject to change. Once the FOA has 
been released, SCEP will provide an avenue for potential applicants to 
submit questions.

Signing Authority

    This document of the Department of Energy was signed on May 17, 
2023, by Henry McKoy, Director of the Office of State and Community 
Energy Programs, pursuant to delegated authority from the Secretary of 
Energy. That document with the original signature and date is 
maintained by DOE. For administrative purposes only, and in compliance 
with requirements of the Office of the Federal Register, the 
undersigned DOE Federal Register Liaison Officer has been authorized to 
sign and submit the document in electronic format for publication, as 
an official document of the Department of Energy. This administrative 
process in no way alters the legal effect of this document upon 
publication in the Federal Register.

    Signed in Washington, DC, on May 17, 2023.
Treena V. Garrett,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, U.S. Department of Energy.
[FR Doc. 2023-10861 Filed 5-19-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P