Climate + Energy Project
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Climate + Energy Project’s Executive Director, Dorothy Barnett, was invited to attend ‘Communities in Action’ convening at the White House in Washington, DC on Thursday, February 22, 2024 to share CEP’s work in Kansas, including the Energy Navigators pilot program and the need for the Kansas Renewable Energy Siting Collaborative.
Energy Navigators is a collaboration of community-based non-profit organizations, community action programs, and community health organizations that includes Salud + Bienestar, Destination Innovation, Derby Recreation Commission (Oaklawn), El Centro, the Community Health Coalition of Wyandotte County, Thrive Kansas, and several Community Action Programs across Kansas.The Kansas Renewable Energy Siting Collaborative will represent the leading voices involved in utility scale renewable energy siting, planning and permitting. This three-year effort, guided by research, transparency, and a commitment to finding common ground, will put Kansas on a pathway to expedite renewable energy growth. The vision of the Kansas Renewable Siting Collaborative is a future where utility-scale renewable energy development is characterized by seamless integration, fact-based information, and ecological and community responsibility. This vision is underpinned by a commitment to addressing the needs of local communities, preserving wildlife, and safeguarding our environment.
President Biden’s Investing in America agenda (Creating Clean-Energy Jobs and Combating the Climate Crisis) is delivering a clean, secure, and healthy future for Kansas families by:
- Expanding electric vehicle opportunities, with hundreds of thousands of people in Kansas eligible for discounts on new or used EVs through the Inflation Reduction Act, which will be supported by networks of EV chargers across the state funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
- Protecting Kansas against extreme weather, with historic investments for more resilient homes, businesses, and communities. In the last decade, Kansas has experienced 38 major extreme weather events, costing the state up to $13 billion in damages and often disproportionately affecting historically underserved communities.
- Supporting rural communities, by investing in climate-smart agriculture practices to help Kansas's 58,600 farmers lead on climate solutions, and helping electric cooperatives that deliver cleaner and cheaper power to about 300,000 Kansas homes and businesses.