WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today kicked off its “Cleanup to Clean Energy” initiative, an innovative effort to repurpose parts of DOE-owned lands—portions of which were previously used in the nation’s nuclear weapons program—into the sites of clean-energy generation. Working with a diverse range of stakeholders, including industry, federal entities, tribes, state, and local officials, the DOE will explore opportunities to lease federal land for the buildout of utility-scale clean energy projects. “Cleanup to Clean Energy” will help achieve President Biden’s ambitious climate goals and the directive in Executive Order 14057 for agencies to use their properties for the development of new clean electricity generation.
“We are going to transform the lands we have used over decades for nuclear security and environmental remediation by working closely with tribes and local communities together with partners in the private sector to build some of the largest clean energy projects in the world,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “Through the ‘Cleanup to Clean Energy’ initiative, DOE will leverage areas that were previously used to protect our national security and will repurpose them to the same end—this time, generating clean energy that will help save the planet and protect our energy independence.”