Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on Monday praised President Joe Biden and activists at a speech where he announced $7 billion in federal grants for residential solar power projects for low- and middle-income Americans.
“It is no accident that this president is overseeing the single biggest federal investment in tackling the climate crisis in our nation's history,” said Ocasio-Cortez, one of Congress’ most high-profile progressives, who introduced the “Green New Deal” bill years ago aiming to drastically reduce carbon emissions.
“Over just the past few months, President Biden has paused new natural gas exports, vastly expanded the conservation of our public lands in Alaska, and he has overseen tens of billions of dollars in climate investments across the United States.”
The solar power projects grants, which the Biden administration says will help more than 900,000 households, can be used for usually costly investments such as rooftop solar and community solar gardens. Biden also announced for Earth Day that he is expanding the American Climate Corps green jobs training program and offering nearly 2,000 positions across 36 states. His administration projects that the grants will eventually reduce emissions by the equivalent of 30 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and save households $350 million annually, per the Associated Press.
Ocasio-Cortez lauded the announcement as proof of “the power of organizing” and what activists can accomplish when “young people, climate advocates, labor organizers, and working people of all backgrounds come together.”
