 
Local Governments
The Campaigns team at Rethink Energy Florida aids local governments interested in taking action against climate change with grant writing and research assistance. With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, unprecedented funding is available to advance sustainability plans and renewable energy in Florida. The Inflation Reduction Act includes many provisions allocating funding to state and local governments including Direct Pay for tax-exempt entities. Direct pay allows tax-exempt organizations to claim the benefits of tax credits by receiving payment from the Treasury Department in lieu of claiming the credit on their taxes.
Rethink Energy provides customized grant presentations based on priorities within the sustainability plans of local governments in order to ease the time-intensive process of finding grant opportunities. If you are interested in more information about possible opportunities for your locality, please reach out to our Campaigns Director, Brian Lee, at brian@rethinkenergyflorida.org
North Port Saint Joe
Rethink Energy Florida is currently working with residents in Port St. Joe against a proposed Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) Facility near the Gulf of Mexico. A Miami liquified natural gas company called Nopetro plans to develop the 60-acre plot, which is owned by the local utility company. Liquified natural gas facilities do not receive adequate oversight from the state or federal government despite liquified natural gas’s explosive composition.
Liquified Natural Gas facilities process methane, a greenhouse gas three times more powerful at trapping heat than carbon dioxide in its first 20 years. The term ‘liquified natural gas’ refers to the transformation of natural gas, primarily methane, into a liquid form. In its liquid state, methane is explosive posing risks for nearby communities if transportation goes wrong.
LNG facilities also contaminate the surrounding water, a problem for the already damaged Gulf of Mexico ecosystem recovering from years of pollution and destructive hurricanes, such as Category 5 Hurricane Michael in 2018.