H.R. 6615 — Climate Justice Grants Act

This section establishes a Climate Justice Grant Program under which the EPA Administrator provides grants to eligible entities—namely, Tribal governments, local governments, or nonprofit community-based organizations—to build capacity to address climate justice issues in environmental justice communities and to carry out related community-driven activities. Grant funds may be used only for culturally and linguistically appropriate projects, including creating partnerships, providing education and outreach on climate justice, and implementing measures such as community solar and wind energy projects, energy efficiency and electrification, weatherization, energy storage, solar- and wind-supported microgrids, battery electric vehicles, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, natural infrastructure, and climate-resilient infrastructure. Individual grants may not exceed $2 million. The section authorizes $1 billion annually for FY2026 through FY2035, with no more than 2% of funds usable for administrative expenses (including outreach and technical assistance). Not later than one year after enactment and annually thereafter, the Administrator must submit reports to specified House and Senate committees describing the program's implementation and make the reports publicly available (including on EPA's website).

This section establishes definitions for terms used in the Act, including (1) Administrator, meaning the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; (2) climate justice, meaning the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all individuals regardless of race, color, culture, national origin, educational level, or income in climate change policies, recognizing historical responsibilities and ensuring communities least responsible for and most vulnerable to climate change do not suffer disproportionately; (3) environmental justice community, meaning any population of color, community of color, indigenous community, or low-income community experiencing disproportionate negative health and environmental impacts from pollution or hazards; (4) indigenous community, meaning a federally or state-recognized Indian Tribe, Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian community or organization, or any other indigenous community including in other countries; (5) low income, meaning annual household income equal to or less than the greater of 80% of the area median income or 200% of the federal poverty line; (6) low-income community, meaning any census block group where 30% or more of the population are low-income individuals; (7) natural infrastructure, meaning infrastructure that uses, restores, or emulates natural ecological processes, created naturally or by human design, or using plants, soils, and natural features to manage stormwater, flooding, and storm surges; and (8) population of color, meaning individuals identifying as Black, African American, Asian, Pacific Islander, another non-White race, Hispanic, Latino, or linguistically isolated.