Washington, DC - Last week, leaders from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) affirming their joint commitment to collaborate on climate mitigation and adaptation at DHS facilities across the nation.
“The Biden Administration has elevated climate change as a key national security priority,” said Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Kelly Speakes-Backman. “Through this strategic partnership, DOE and DHS are modeling the Administration’s government-wide approach to strengthen our national security posture, leverage innovative technologies, and protect the American people from the worst effects of the climate crisis. Working together, we can set the example for how other sectors can leverage emerging technologies to reduce energy costs, cut carbon emissions, and boost resilience.”
“On behalf of the Department of Homeland Security, I am so excited to sign another MOU with the Department of Energy,” said DHS Executive Director for Sustainability and Environmental Programs Teresa Pohlman. “Our partnership focusing on infrastructure resilience and the impacts of climate change has provided inestimable value.”
Pohlman applauds the continued access to great resources across the Department of Energy that the MOU provides DHS. “I am confident that our Climate Action Plan and our Resilience Framework will continue to advance through this partnership with DOE – using clean energy technologies, increasing sustainability of our assets, supporting the adoption of electric vehicles, and maximizing innovative financial options available to the federal government,” she added.
This collaborative effort provides a framework for future cooperation between the agencies. Under the partnership, DOE’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) will provide technical assistance and training to accelerate the decarbonization of DHS operations through measures such as the electrification of the federal fleet of vehicles. In addition, MOU activities will strengthen the climate resilience of DHS facilities.
