On August 29, 2023, the Treasury and the IRS formally proposed rules on the IRA’s prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements. The new regulations mark the first time developers have received guidance on complying with the IRA’s requirements since November 29, 2022, when the IRS released its initial guidance on the IRA’s requirements and notified the public that those requirements would go into effect for qualified facilities beginning construction on or after January 29,… More
Tag Archives: Inflation Reduction Act
DOE Releases Draft Study Calling for More Interregional Transmission
On February 24, 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) released for public comment a draft of its National Transmission Needs Study (“Needs Study”), which endorses boosting overall transmission capacity—and transmission between grid regions in particular. The final Needs Study, expected this summer, could have significant implications for federal transmission planning and permitting, including by informing the potential designation of National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors.… More
Accelerating Electric Vehicle Adoption in 2022
This past year represents a real turning point in the transition to electric vehicles, demonstrated by new major incentives and regulatory activities at both federal and state government levels and several notable accomplishments in the private sector. First, the U.S. government approved EV Infrastructure Deployment Plans for all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico with an estimated $4.155 billion in funding going to states in the next five years to build out EV infrastructure.… More
Biden Announces New Initiative on “Game-Changing” Technologies for Achieving Net-Zero Emissions
On November 4, 2022, the White House announced a new initiative to support research and development projects on 37 “game-changing” technologies to advance the Biden Administration’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.
Led by an interagency working group, the “Net-Zero Game Changers Initiative” will direct billions of dollars under the bipartisan infrastructure law, the CHIPS and Science Act,… More
EPA’s Office of Land and Emergency Management Commits to Environmental Justice
Federal agencies continue to roll out plans to address environmental justice issues, which has become a focal point in the Biden administration’s agenda. Now that the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA) is in effect, federal agencies are now able to access more funds to address environmental justice concerns. As discussed in a prior blog post, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its “Equity Action Plan” in April 2022 and on September 30,… More
IRA Side Deal on Permitting Raising Ire
In order to pass the Inflation Reduction Act (“Act”) last month, a deal was struck with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) to create separate legislation to reform federal energy project permitting. Now that the Act has been signed into law, Senate Democrats are making good on their promise but, as might be expected, not all parties are supportive.
The reforms (and funding necessary to effectuate them) are proposed to be included as part of a Continuing Resolution that must be passed to prevent a government shutdown beginning October 1. … More
It’s Good to Be a Brownfield Site — As Long As It’s Not Too Brown
Tucked away in the recesses of the Inflation Reduction Act is a provision that reminds everyone why they love Superfund so much. On its face, it’s simply an incentive for renewable energy development, giving an adder to the amount of the investment tax credit (ITC) or production tax credit (PTC) to which certain renewable energy projects would otherwise be entitled, if they are located in an “energy community”. … More