Collaborating with Underserved Communities to Contribute to Decarbonization in the United States
In the United States, vulnerable populations are often disproportionately impacted by exposure to pollutants from fossil-fuelled power plants and petroleum-fuelled vehicles. This chapter examines several legal developments that hold promise for addressing the distributive energy injustices in the United States that result from reliance on fossil fuels. It begins with examining how an energy non-governmental organization in Chicago has utilized a variety of legal tools to improve energy efficiency and its role in working with community partners to advocate for a new law, the Illinois Future Energy Jobs Act, that provides new funding for energy efficiency improvements in underserved communities and creates a new path for bringing renewable energy to underserved communities. The chapter also examines legal pathways in other jurisdictions to create community-based solar energy programmes. Finally, it explores recent developments in working with underserved communities to provide access to electric vehicles and electric vehicle infrastructure.