September 2, 2022 | From City of New Orleans
City Announces Local, Regional Partners Selected as Winner of President Biden’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge
NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans today announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce has selected "H2theFuture," a 25-organization partnership with representation across South Louisiana, as one of the only 21 national winners of President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge.
The South Louisiana region will receive $50 million from the Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration, as well as a $25 million match from the State of Louisiana, to catalyze the clean hydrogen industry right here at home. The President made the formal announcement from the White House earlier this morning.
“This is a big day for the City of New Orleans, and an even bigger win for the people of South Louisiana,” said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “New Orleans and the region are already leaders in the energy, maritime and transportation and advanced manufacturing industries, and this investment from the White House further cements our position as a global leader in the energy transition and fighting climate change. This funding will ensure our City’s recovery from the COVID pandemic is equitable, while creating clean energy jobs of the future for our people."
The "H2theFuture" Coalition includes 25 partners from across South Louisiana united in the goal of establishing a world-leading green hydrogen cluster right here in our region. In doing so, "H2theFuture" will create jobs and economic growth, drive equitable an inclusive opportunity and protect the environment. The region will retain its position as a global energy and industrial hub, but with up to 68 percent less carbon emission. The "H2theFuture" program is a transformational strategy for decarbonizing the South Louisiana corridor.
President Biden’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge awardees span 24 states and will fund transformational projects developing workforce training programs, transitional assistance towards electric vehicle maintenance, providing digital resources to small farms, building advanced manufacturing centers for testing and training, renovating and repurposing industrial buildings for new businesses, and more. Additionally, private sector companies and local organizations are investing $300 million in these local projects.
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo said in a statement: “As we invest and grow critical industries in the U.S., we want to create industry hubs in diverse communities across the country. These grants will provide critical and historic funding directly to community coalitions to invest in new infrastructure, research and development and workforce development programs, while creating good-paying jobs, supporting workers and prioritizing equity.”
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