Chris’ journey in environmental policy, how it started & the different roles he played before being appointed by President Biden

Chris Castro was born and raised in Miami, Florida, and had an intimate experience with nature growing up as his stepfather owned a palm tree business in South Florida. While studying at the University of Central Florida, he stumbled upon an environmental science and policy course taught by Dr. Penelope Cannan. This led him to create a campaign that mobilized students to pressure the university to commit to carbon neutrality and a net-zero future by 2040. He also founded a nonprofit organization called Ideas For Us, which has grown to become a UN-accredited NGO operating in over 30 countries worldwide.

After graduating, Chris started a company called Citizen Energy, which is a clean energy consulting firm helping commercial and apartment buildings retrofit their spaces with clean energy technologies. In 2013, he was contacted by the Orlando Mayor, Buddy Dyer, to help develop Orlando’s clean energy strategy. He decided to apply his entrepreneurial skill set to government and worked on the implementation of clean energy policies, programs, and partnerships for the last eight and a half years.

In July of last year, Chris was contacted by the White House Office of Presidential Personnel and offered a position to help create a new office at the Department of Energy that centered on states, tribes, city counties, and other communities in the transition to a clean energy future.

Chris’s current role & what he’s trying to accomplish at the DOE

Chris is excited about the current state of climate action taking place at the DOE, describing it as a “perfect storm” for the environment. He notes that Congress has recently passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Chips and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act, all of which have injected hundreds of billions of dollars into clean energy investments. With this influx of capital, the DOE’s mission has shifted towards equitable deployment of clean technologies, rather than just research and development. To achieve this, the department has realigned its skill sets and created a new Undersecretary of Infrastructure, with eight program offices focused on deployment. These include the Grid Deployment Office, the Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains Office, and the Office of State and Community Energy Programs. The latter manages $16 billion worth of funding for grants and technical assistance to help communities absorb opportunities for local economic development, job creation, and addressing legacy pollution. The overall goal is to deliver on the President’s Justice40 Initiative, ensuring that 40% of the benefits flow to historically disadvantaged communities. Chris says there’s an incredible runway to impact the American public and catalyze the transition towards a clean energy economy.

Realizing climate opportunities equitably for communities

Chris emphasized the importance of designing grant programs with a lens of Justice40 to ensure equity for communities. For example, the Renew America schools grant prioritizes schools located in districts that are historically disadvantaged, with the highest percentage of free and reduced lunch participants and the greatest energy-saving opportunities. To aid in this effort, the White House CEQ developed the climate and environmental justice screening tool, which identifies every historically disadvantaged parcel and census tract across the country, making it easier to ensure Justice40 is being delivered. Chris also mentioned the incorporation of community benefit plans, which requires applicants to consider how resources and benefits will flow to the community, including workforce and labor practices, community-based organization involvement, and ultimately, how the project intends to benefit the local community. This approach is intended to ensure that resources flow to the most underserved, marginalized, and disadvantaged communities across the country.

What else needs to happen to address climate change

Chris believes that interagency collaborations are crucial in addressing climate change. The Energy Communities Interagency Working Group is an example of such an effort, which focuses on transitioning coal, power plant, and fossil communities. The National Energy Technology Lab has identified the top 25 fossil energy communities and begun to create a whole-of-government approach to support them. This involves rapid response teams made up of 11 agencies that deploy personnel and resources to certain communities and help them understand the transition they will undergo. Chris is excited about the collaboration and partnership among agencies, which he believes will allow for better coordination and delivery of clean energy and climate solutions in a holistic way. He also mentions other interagency efforts, such as the Rural Partnership Network and the Thriving Communities Network, which focus on rural and remote communities and environmental justice communities, respectively. Chris emphasizes the need for connective tissues among federal government partners to deliver these benefits efficiently and effectively.

Resources Mentioned

• US Department of Energy 
• Office of State and Community Energy
• Ideas for Us
• Citizen Energy
• Energy Communities Interagency Working Group
• National Energy Technology Lab
• Rural Partnership Network
• Thriving Communities Network

Connect with Chris Castro

• Connect with Chris on LinkedIn

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