The last few weeks have been nothing short of extraordinary for Lawyers for Good Government (L4GG) and our Climate Change and Environmental Justice (CCEJ) team. Our participation in high-level meetings, from the White House to Climate Week NYC, underscored just how far we’ve come in using legal expertise to help under-resourced communities access critical funding to build clean energy projects.
As Jillian Blanchard, Director of the Climate Change & Environmental Justice Program at L4GG, shared:
"This experience has been the highlight of my career, but more importantly, it highlights just how far we’ve come at L4GG in making a real impact on communities that need it most. There is much more work to do, and we’re ready to take on this challenge."
Throughout these events, L4GG was recognized by federal leaders, nonprofit organizations, and community advocates for our critical role in helping communities navigate the complexities of federal funding. Here's a recap of the key moments from our recent engagements.
White House Meetings: State Implementation Accelerator (9/16–9/18)
L4GG was proud to be one of three technical assistance providers selected to support the State Implementation Accelerator, where we provided guidance to multiple states, including Rhode Island, Washington, Michigan, and Arizona, on how to equitably implement billions of dollars in funding from the Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
At the White House, our team met with senior officials such as John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation, and Tom Perez, Senior Advisor to the President and former U.S. Secretary of Labor. Both acknowledged L4GG’s leadership in ensuring that clean energy projects serve the needs of local communities.
Phoenix Convening on Direct Pay with the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center (9/18–9/19)
Immediately after the White House meetings, our team flew to Phoenix to present at a convening focused on Direct Pay, a critical provision in the IRA, with our partners at the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center. The event brought together nonprofits and community leaders in the Southwest, eager to access federal funding for transformative projects.
One powerful story from this convening featured an 18-year-old advocate who successfully convinced his Arizona school board to build a solar energy project that will save the district $25 million over the next 15 years. This project, powered by IRA funding, highlights the potential of community-driven efforts to create real change.
Climate Week NYC: Emerging Development Strategies from Public Authorities (9/23)
At Climate Week NYC, we attended a panel on emerging strategies for using IRA funds to scale renewable energy projects. One of the standout discussions focused on Minnesota’s efforts to bring solar energy to half of the state’s schools, a groundbreaking initiative that will significantly reduce energy costs while creating jobs and improving air quality.
During this event, Paul Williams from the Center for Public Enterprise specifically recognized L4GG for our legal and technical expertise in helping under-resourced communities navigate clean energy funding. It was a powerful moment of recognition for our work at both the federal and community levels.
Climate Week NYC: US Climate Alliance (9/23)
L4GG was invited to join US Climate Alliance and Governors Huchul, Inslee, and Grisham (climate leaders in the country) to witness the announcing of the 1,000,000 apprenticeship program for USCA Gov's Network - this program will put 1M to work in good green jobs to make sure that communities can take advantage of the green transition - it's a logical next step to their work with L4GG on pushing Elective Pay, which includes apprenticeship requirements.
Climate Week NYC: Green Finance (9/24)
L4GG joined roundtable discussions with many different partners to identify positive use cases of projects being built for communities using IRA dollars, including a community-scale wind farm on Tribal lands near the Dakota Access Pipeline, which was only made possible by community organizers, impact investing, and the IRA.
Climate Week NYC: Investing in Our Future - The 10-Year Promise of the IRA (9/24)
This event brought together a powerful panel of experts to discuss the long-term potential of the Inflation Reduction Act to drive sustainable clean energy transitions over the next decade. Key speakers included John Podesta and Peter Colavito from Invest in Our Future, who emphasized the importance of state-level implementation to ensure that IRA funding creates lasting impact.
Climate Week NYC: Expert Hubs on Direct Pay (9/25)
Later in the week, L4GG led discussions at several Expert Hubs focused on Direct Pay, providing guidance to non-taxable entities like schools and local governments on how to navigate the complexities of clean energy funding. Our team engaged with other experts and community leaders to map out the resources and support available for implementing clean energy projects.
Climate Week NYC: Protect the Dollars (9/26)
L4GG met with critical partners in this space to discuss the best strategies for ensuring that a hostile Administration does not dismantle or clawback the historic federal funding approved under BIL, IRA, and many other bills. We learned that once again, lawyers are critical in this space.