Utah Clean Energy Alliance Inc

THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS TO INCREASE THE CONSTRUCTION OF COST-EFFECTIVE, RESILIENT, LOW AND ZERO EMISSIONS (LZE) RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS ACROSS THE INTERMOUNTAIN REGION THROUGH NEW, LOCAL GOVERNMENT-LED, VOLUNTARY, “ABOVE CODE” STRETCH CODE PROGRAMS THAT INCLUDE MUNICIPAL INCENTIVES AND EXPANDED EDUCATION AND TRAINING EFFORTS, WITH A FOCUS ON DISADVANTAGED AND UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN FUNDED COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT IS TO PROVIDE FUNDING UNDER SECTION 103 OF THE CLEAN AIR ACT TO UTAH CLEAN ENERGY TO BUILD RESILIENCY AND ADDRESSES INDOOR/OUTDOOR AIR POLLUTION CHALLENGES THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY BURDENED SALT LAKE CITY&RSQUOANDS WESTSIDE COMMUNITIES. THE PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE ENGAGING SALT LAKE CITY&RSQUOANDS WESTSIDE COMMUNITIES IN A COLLABORATIVE PROCESS TO: 1) BUILD A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF BENEFICIAL ELECTRIFICATIONAND 2) DEVELOP A COMMUNITY VISION OF WHAT ASPECTS OF ELECTRIFICATION ARE MOST IMPORTANTAND 3) IDENTIFY THE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES AND BARRIERS THAT THE COMMUNITIES WILL FACEAND 4) BRING STAKEHOLDERS (SUCH AS THE ELECTRIC UTILITY, SALT LAKE CITY, AND SERVICE PROVIDERS) INTO LISTENING SESSIONS SO THEY DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF COMMUNITY NEEDS AND GOALSAND AND 5) CO-DEVELOP STRATEGIES BETWEEN THE COMMUNITIES, GOVERNMENT, UTILITY, AND SERVICE PROVIDERS TO ENSURE THAT COMMUNITY NEEDS AND PRIORITIES ARE SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATED INTO PLANNING. EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THIS PROJECT ARE INCREASED CLIMATE RESILIENCY IN WESTSIDE COMMUNITIESAND LONG-TERM REDUCTIONS IN INDOOR/OUTDOOR AIR QUALITY POLLUTANTS (PM2.5, CO, NO2)AND IMPROVED HEALTH OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND IMPROVED COMFORT OF HOMES FOR THOSE WHO PARTICIPATEAND AND INCREASED COMMUNITY CAPACITY TO ACCESS RESOURCES AND PARTICIPATE IN FUTURE UTILITY AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTRIFICATION PROGRAMS. DIRECT BENEFICIARIES OF THIS PROJECT ARE RESIDENTS OF WESTSIDE COMMUNITIES IN SALT LAKE CITY, UT, WHO ARE PREDOMINANTLY PEOPLE OF COLOR, LOW INCOME, AND LINGUISTICALLY ISOLATED FACING INCREASED LEVELS OF EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION. THE RECIPIENT INTENDS TO ISSUE SUBAWARD AGREEMENTS TO ITS PARTNERS IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPENDIX A OF EPA&RSQUOANDS SUBAWARD POLICY. THE SUB-AWARDEES WILL PROVIDE TECHNICAL INSIGHT AND SERVE AS COMMUNITY CONVENORS HOSTING EVENTS, WORKSHOPS, AND LISTENING SESSIONS.

UTAH CLEAN ENERGY'S 'EMPOWER SLC' PROGRAM WILL IMPROVE LOCAL AIR QUALITY IN SALT LAKE CITY BY EMPOWERING UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES TO REDUCE ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN THEIR HOMES AND BUSINESSES, WHILE BUILDING THE COMMUNITY'S CAPACITY TO UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS AIR QUALITY ISSUES. THE PROGRAM WILL INCREASE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITIES BY EXPANDING UTAH CLEAN ENERGY'S RELATIONSHIPS WITH SALT LAKE CITY'S UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, NONPROFITS, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT PARTNERS IN REGARDS TO ENERGY EFFICIENCY, SOCIAL JUSTICE, AND AIR QUALITY ISSUES. OUR PROGRAM WILL RESULT IN LONG-TERM COMMUNITY-BASED PARTNERSHIPS THAT WILL CONTINUE TO IMPROVE LOCAL AIR QUALITY.