Some of the wealthiest coastal cities and towns in the United States — with sizable tax bases, good schools and robust job opportunities — are getting a special tax incentive intended for communities left behind.
The federal government is currently labeling cities like Alexandria, Virginia, Greenwich, Connecticut, and Cape Cod, Massachusetts, as “energy communities” — areas considered to be struggling from the move away from coal and other fossil fuels to clean sources of energy.
“Energy communities” qualify for an extra incentive for clean energy development, a bonus provided by the Inflation Reduction Act intended to ensure that the places most hurt by the decline in fossil fuels are given the most help in the clean energy transition.