October 11, 2024
Federal Hydrogen Hub Community Guide
Hydrogen Hub projects, their impacts, and opportunities to advocate for your community and the climate
Who is this Guide for?
- Community members and organizations in states that have been selected to pursue a federal Hydrogen Hub
- May also be useful for communities facing hydrogen projects that are not part of a Hub
What is in this Guide?
- Information on the Hydrogen Hub Program and its potential impacts on your community and our climate
- Tools your community can use to advocate around proposed Hydrogen Hub projects
- Public information on the Hub Program and Hub projects is currently limited. We will update the guide as more information becomes available.
This guide is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for professional legal counsel. Please consult with an attorney to discuss your specific legal needs.
Introduction
A brief summary of the Hydrogen Hub Program and its potential impacts. Go to Introduction.
The stakes are high for communities facing proposed hydrogen projects, particularly communities already overburdened by pollution. Billions in federal subsidies are driving a surge in hydrogen projects, including through the Department of Energy’s (“DOE”) Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub Program. Whether hydrogen is good for the climate and communities depends heavily on how it is produced, transported, and used.
The Federal Hydrogen Hub Program
Detailed overview of the federal Hydrogen Hub Program, including descriptions of the seven Hubs selected by the Dept. of Energy to negotiate for funding. Go to Hydrogen Hub Program, or navigate to specific subsections linked below.
Each Hydrogen Hub must create and comply with its own Community Benefits Plan, which must include how Hubs engage, impact, and stay accountable to communities.
Types of Hydrogen Hub Projects
Examples of Hub projects that produce, use, transport, and store hydrogen
Tools for Communities
Tools to help you understand the Hydrogen Hub projects and effectively advocate to minimize harms and maximize benefits. Go to Tools for Communities, or navigate to specific subsections linked below.
DOE’s Guidance on Hubs’ Community Benefits Plans
Key points from the Dept. of Energy’s Guidance that communities can use to gain information on and influence over Hub projects
Federal, State, and Local Permits and Approvals
Understanding the federal, state, and/or local permits and approvals that may be required of Hub projects
How communities can raise the profile of their Hub advocacy and put pressure on Hubs and decision-makers to address community concerns
Specific Types of Hydrogen Hub Projects That Could Impact Your Community
Learn about Hydrogen Hub projects that communities are likely to face, potential community and climate impacts, and environmental approvals. Go to Projects & Impacts, or navigate to specific subsections linked below.
Projects that Produce Hydrogen
Different production methods can have substantially different community-level and climate impacts
Projects that Transport or Store Hydrogen or CO2
Potential impacts — positive and negative — from hydrogen transportation or storage
Potential impacts — positive and negative — from various hydrogen uses
Glossary
Definitions of technical terms used in this Guide and/or in descriptions of Hydrogen Hub projects. Throughout this Guide, technical terms defined in the Glossary are shown with a footnote ‡ icon.
Updated on October 11, 2024
About the Photo: An Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., carbon capture and blue hydrogen facility in Port Arthur, Texas. (David Goldman / AP)
Questions? For questions or feedback on this Guide, please contact us at webmaster@earthjustice.org
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