EPA Announces Leadership and Next Steps for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund
Senior Advisor to the Administrator and Acting Director Jahi Wise will bring expertise in climate policy and equitable finance to lead early design and implementation of historic IRA-funded program
WASHINGTON — Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Jahi Wise has joined EPA as the Senior Advisor to the Administrator and Acting Director for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund program. Wise was previously a Special Assistant to President Biden for Climate Policy and Finance in the White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy. Prior to joining the White House, Jahi served in a variety of roles at the intersection of equitable clean energy finance, law and policy.
“EPA is thrilled to welcome Jahi as Senior Advisor to the Administrator and Acting Director for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund,” said EPA Chief of Staff Dan Utech. “Jahi brings expertise in climate finance, strong relationships with stakeholders, and a deep commitment to environmental justice. Jahi will drive continued progress in implementing this vital Inflation Reduction Act program.”
Jahi joins EPA during a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund milestone. Today, following a 45-day comment period, the Agency’s Request for Information (RFI) will close. The RFI asked for public comment on a range of implementation questions, such as what entities will be eligible to apply, the number of grants that will be awarded, and the criteria for eligible projects. EPA anticipates receiving a large number of RFI responses that reflect the diverse perspectives of communities across the country. The Agency will share further guidance on the program design and competition timeline next year in a manner that allows applicants ample time to prepare thoughtful proposals.
Over the last several months, EPA has also held listening sessions to gather input from stakeholders. Since the Agency announced its public engagement plan in October, the Agency has heard from hundreds of members of the public about their vision for this program. More than 1,000 people across the country registered for two national listening sessions in November where EPA and White House leaders heard several hours of public comments. Speakers shared many ideas, such as the technical assistance that will be needed to implement this program and finance gaps local communities face.
Agency leaders have also held stakeholder discussions with existing green banks, a diverse set of community financial institutions, leading advocacy voices on this topic, and labor organizations. EPA continues to work with many advisory boards, including the Environmental Finance Advisory Board, Local Government Advisory Committee, National Environmental Justice Advisory Council, and White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council for advice on program design. EPA is also working closely with local, State, and Tribal government partners to solicit their input on how the Fund can meet the needs of government partners and local communities.