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Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet
Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Better Kentucky Plan

Building Stronger Communities​​

​“Part of Gov. Andy Beshear’s Better Kentucky Plan​ is to use the $6.5 billion allocated through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) – also known as the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act – to build stronger communities in every corner of the commonwealth. These federal dollars offer unprecedented opportunities to communities, businesses and local governments to make improvements in areas of energy efficiency, forestry, renewable energy, waste management and water. It will let Kentucky make significant progress in reclaiming abandoned mine lands, redeveloping brownfields and capping orphaned oil and gas wells.​”   - Secretary Rebecca Goodman​​

In addition to IIJA/BIL funding, the Inflation Reduction A​​ct (IRA)​ provides additional state funding opportunities, as well as credits and incentives to consumers and businesses. Funding opportunities below include programs from both IIJA/BIL and IRA. 

"Building a Better Kentucky Weekly Update"  

Upcoming Dates

​​​See "Funding Opportunities" section for specific program application dead​lin​es.​

​​​​Feb. 5, 2026: Hypoxia Task Force

39th Hypoxia Task Force Public Meeting (TBD​)
EPA HQ, 1201 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington D.C. / virtual live-stream ​​​
Registration and agenda TBD at the EPA's e​​v​ent page​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​.

Approaching Deadlines...​​​​

See "Funding Opportunities" below for additional deadlines:

  • Dec. 31 - application, Rural Water/Wastewater Technical Assistance, Training TAT-FY26
  • Dec. 31 - application, Solid Waste Management Grant, SWMFY26
  • Jan. 5 - comments​, Proposed Rule, Updated Definition of WOTUS​​​​​

​Funding ​Opportuni​​​​ties

Search through the following list of grants and funding opportunities for Kentucky communities, schools, and businesses. Additional information and links to guidance will be posted on this page when they become available, so check back often!

​Energy Efficiency & Resilience​

​​Funding Source: ​IIJA/BIL
Program Title: ​Energy Improvement in R​ural or Remote Areas​​ (ERA)
​​Purpose: ​To support small community-driven clean energy projects $500,000 to $5 million that address at least one of the resilient clean energy objectives outlined in 40103(c)(3) are addressed
Who can apply: ​State/local government; Indian Nations; non-profits; for-profits; institutions of higher education; consortia
Deadline:  application period has passed
Questions: ​ ERAGrant@hq.doe.gov​​​​​​

​Funding Source: ​Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)​
Program Title: ​Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable Energy Systems & Energy Efficiency Improvement Guaranteed Loans & Grants
Purpose: To provide guaranteed loan financing and grant funding to agricultural producers and rural small businesses for renewable energy systems or to make efficiency improvements
Who can apply: Agricultural producers, small rural businesses
​​Deadlines: Application period CLOSED​
Where to Apply: ​USDA-RD via state energy coordinator
Questions? Contact Scott Maas, USDA-RD, 859-224-7319​​​​​​​​

Funding Source: ​IIJA/BIL
Purpose:  To increase the energy efficiency of dwellings owned or occupied by low-income persons, reduce their total residential energy expenditure and improve their health and safety
Who can apply:  Low-income households 
Deadline:  Ongoing
Where to apply:  Local Community Action Agency​
Questions? ​Weatherization Assistance ​Program​​​

​Forestry/Nature and Safety

Program Title:​ Community Wildfire Defense Grant​ (CWDG)
Purpose: To support plan development and implementation projects to reduce wildfire risks for high hazard potential communities
​Who Can Apply: local government, non-profits, non-profits, etc.
Deadline: 2025 deadline has passed
Where to Apply:  USDA via ​Grants.gov
Questions? Contact SM.FS.usfs_cwdg@usda.gov​
​
​

Funding Source: Other federal
Program Title: Timber Production Expansion Guaranteed Loan Program ​
Purpose: To provide financial support to qualified lenders whose loan applicants want to establish, reopen, expand, or improve a sawmill or other wood processing facility that process ecosystem restoration byproducts from USDA Forest Service National Forest System lands
Who Can Apply:​  See fact sheet for eligibility
Deadline:  ​rolling until funds expended​
Where to Apply: ​Local lender
Questions?  ​Contact TPEP@usda.gov​

​Reclamation, Remediation, and Prevention

Funding Source: ​IIJA/BIL
Program Title: Abandoned Mine Land (AML) Reclamation Program​
​Purpose: To abate problems caused by historic coal mining (pre-May 18, 1982)
Who Can Apply: registered state vendor contractors
Deadline: See each RFB for deadlines
Where to Apply: ​Finance Cabinet Vend​or Self Ser​vice Portal
RFB#s:  RFB-170-25036AMLBAML​​ (Ohio), 1/21/26 @ 9:30a ET​​​​​​​​​
                 RFB- ​
Learn More:  Ky. ​Division of Abandoned Mine Lands​​
                         Contractor Workshop Slides​ / Additional Contractor Info​
​​Questions? Contact James Cable​, 502-564-2141​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

​Funding Source: Other Federal
Program Title: Abandoned Mine Lands Economic Revitalization (AMLER)
Purpose: ​to support economic and community development goals in areas that have been impacted by the downturn of coal production
Who Can Apply: ...
Where to Apply: AMLER Program Site
Learn More: AMLER presentation PDF / Video
Deadline:  2025 deadline has passed
Questions?​ Contact Ian.Rison@ky.gov or Hannah.Radosevich@ky.gov​


Funding Source: ​IIJA/BIL​
Program Title: FY24 Multipurpose, Assessment, RLF, and Cleanup (MARC) Grant
Purpose: to address sites contaminated by hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants (including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum) and petroleum
Who Can Apply: state/local govt, certain quasi govt, redevelopment agency, qualified non-profit, and others
Deadline: Jan. 28, 2026
Where to Apply:  grants.gov
      Multipurpose, EPA-I-OLEM-OBLR-25-03​​
      Community-Assessment, EPA-I-OLEM-OBLR-25-04​
      Assessment Coalition, EPA-OLEM-OBLR-25-05
      Cleanup, EPA-I-OLEM-OBLR-25-07​
Questions? Ky Brownfields – brownfields@ky.gov​
                     U.S. EPA - brownfields@epa.gov

Funding Source: Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)
Program Title: Methane Emissions Reduction Program ​Oil and Gas Methane Monitoring and Mitigation
Purpose: To minimize emissions of methane during production, processing, and transportation across the oil and natural gas industry, specifically small oil and natural gas operators
Who Can Apply: Operators
Deadline: Round 3 nominations due January 31, 2026
Where to Apply: KDOG w​​ebpage (nomination form; right of entry consent) ​
Questions: Email MERP@ky.gov​​​​​​​​

Funding Source: ​IIJA/BIL
Program Title: ​State Orph​aned Well Program​​​
Purpose: To assist in activities related to plugging, remediation and reclaiming orphaned wells on state and private lands
Who can apply: Registered state vendor contractors
Deadline: varies by RFP
Where to apply: Finance Cabinet Vendor Self Service Portal​
RFP#s:  RFP-151-26 KASTOW - ORPHAN WELL PACKAGE - WHITLEY #001, 1/5/26 @ 3:00p ET​​​​​​​​​
                 RFP-164-26 KASTOW... - CHRISTIAN #003, 1/9/26 @ 3:00p ET​​​​​​​​​
                 RFP-161-26 KASTOW... - JOHNSON #002, 1/9/26 @ 3:00p ET​​​​​​​​​
                 RFP-162-26 KASTOW... - JOHNSON #003, 1/9/26 @ 3:00p ET​​​​​​​​​
                 RFP-160-26 KASTOW... - LAUREL #001, 1/9/26 @ 3:00p ET​​​​​​​​​
                 RFP-163-26 KASTOW... - MUHLENBERG #003, 1/9/26 @ 3:00p ET​​​​​​​​​​
​Important:  Contractor Meeting Slides​
                        DOL Da​vis-Bacon Prevailing Wage Seminars​
Learn More: ​Kentucky's IIJA Orphan Well Plugging Dashboard
Questions?  Contact Ky. Division of Oil &​ Gas​​, 502-573-0147

​To report orphaned wells in your area, email OrphanWells@ky.gov​. ​​​​​

​Renewable Energy

Funding Source: ​IIJA/BIL
Program Title: Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs)​
Purpose: To support the development of six (6) to 10 regional clean hydrogen hubs to improve clean hydrogen production, processing, delivery, storage, end use
Learn More:  Kentucky Hydrogen Hub Workgroup​
                          DOE's H2Hubs Webinar Recording​
Questions?  Kentucky efforts, Kenya Stump​, 502-782-7083​​​​

Funding Source: ​Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)
Program Title: Low Income Com​​m​unities Bonus Credits​
Purpose: Provides a 10 or 20 percentage point increase to the investment tax credit for qualified solar and wind energy facilities with a maximum net output of less than five megawatts (AC)​
Who Can A​pply:  Applicants investing in certain solar or wind powered electricity generation facilities (​see above link for details)
Deadline: ​2025 deadline has passed
Questions?  contact EJBonusSupport@hq.doe.gov​​​​​​​​

​Funding Source: ​Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)
Program Title: Solar for All​
Purpose: to expand the number of low-income and disadvantaged communities primed for residential solar investment
Who Can Apply: currently in planning
​​Deadline: ​currently in planning
Events: ​next Stakeho​lder Meeting​, TBA
More Information:  Ky Solar for All Status
​​Info about residential rooftop solar ​

​Waste Management

​Funding Source: IIJA/BIL
Program Title:  Electric Drive Vehicle Battery Recycling and Second Life Applications​
Purpose: For research, development, and demonstration of second-​life applications for electric drive vehicle batteries, as well as technologies and processes for final recycling and disposal of ev batteries.
Who Can Apply:  Higher educ., for-/not-for-profit entities, state/local government, and consortia of these
​​Deadline: ​FY23 deadline has passed
Where to Apply: DOE via Grants.gov​
Questions?  ​​Contact BIL-Batterymanufacturing@hq.doe.gov​​

​Water

Funding Source: ​IIJA/BIL
Program Title: Clean Water State Revolving Fund​
Purpose: To provide financial assistance for wastewater infrastructure, storm water, and non-point source projects
Who can apply: Projects listed on Kentucky's annual Clean Water Intended Use Plan/Priority list
Where to apply: Local Area Development District
Learn More: Division of Water - CWSRF​
Questions? See Division of Water SRF Contacts​
                    See also Kentucky Infrastructure Authority​

Funding Source: ​IIJA/BIL
Program Title: Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
Purpose: To provide financial assistance to help water systems and states achieve the objectives of the Safe Drinking Water Act (1996)
Who can apply: Public Water Systems
Where to apply: Local Area Development District
Learn More: Division of Wa​ter - DWSRF​
Questions? See Division of Water SRF Contacts​
                    See also Kentucky Infrastructure Authority​​​

​Funding Source: IIJA/BIL
Program Title: OSG Green Infrastructure Assistance Program (GIAP)
Purpose: To support rural and disadvantaged communities seeking to use green infrastructure and nature-based solution to address stormwater runoff
Who Can Apply: mucipal entities, priority to rural or disadvantaged​
​​Deadlines: ​2025 deadline has passed
Where to Apply: EEC-DOW program portal
Questions?  ​​contact dale.booth@ky.gov​

Federal guidance on the following is forthcoming.  Please check back closer to the identified time period for updates.

​Workforce

No open programs at this time, see "More Programs..." for  links to potential future opportunities

New Resources

KY Well Plugging DashboardInteractive map for Kentucky's orphaned oil & gas well plugging through IIJA/BIL (new link, updated layout)

State Resources

Doing Business with the CommonwealthResources and support for businesses interested in selling goods or services to the Commonwealth of KentuckyEnergy DashboardsInteractive dashboards that display data on major energy metrics in KentuckyKYE3: Designs for a Resilient EconomyGovernor Andy Beshear's energy, environment, and economic development plan for KentuckyKY Feasibility StudyHydrogen-Powered Truck Operations in Kentucky (4/2024)OEP Project ExplorerDashboard shows the status of various funding programs awarded to Kentucky's Office of Energy Policy (OEP)

Federal Resources

U.S. Department of EnergyDOE's listing of Infrastructure ProgramsU.S. Department of InteriorDOI's BIL webpageU.S. Environmental Protection AgencyEPA's BIL webpageU.S. Forest ServiceUSDA Forest Service's program landing page

Other Resources

BIL, IRA Map ToolSearch federal investments by Zip Code. Hosted by GristClean Economy WorksDashboard of clean energy projects since IRAEnergy Savings Hubresources for consumers to save energy and moneyFederal Investment GuideU.S. Conference of Mayors resource for local leadersIIJA Investments at the County LevelResource page developed by the National Association of CountiesInfrastructure Act ResourcesNational Assoc. of State Energy Officials resourceLocal Infrastructure HubCollaborative effort to help local leadersU.S. Department of TransportationDOT's infrastructure law informationUSDA Energy ProgramsFederal funding for clean energy projects in rural America

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Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet
300 Sower Blvd
Frankfort, KY 40601    

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