Waste to Energy and Materials Technical Assistance for State, Local, and Tribal Governments
NLR provides U.S. state, local, and Tribal governments with technical assistance to advance technologies that upgrade waste into energy or recover materials (e.g., critical minerals) on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels and Feedstocks Office.
The free technical assistance addresses knowledge gaps, specific challenges, decision-making considerations, planning, and project implementation strategies related to waste to energy and materials. The program considers a range of waste streams:
- Organic wet waste such as food waste, wastewater sludge, animal manure, fats, oils, and greases.
- Nonrecycled municipal solid waste such as paper, cardboard, tires, electronics, metal, and plastics.
- Industrial waste and byproducts such as metallurgical residues, mining wastes, and wastewater streams (e.g., geothermal brines).
Request Technical Assistance
To receive updates about future technical assistance opportunities, contact the Waste-to-Energy and Materials Technical Assistance Team.
Eligibility
All U.S. states, counties, and municipalities (includes all 50 states and U.S. territories), as well as Tribal governments, are eligible for waste to energy and materials technical assistance at no cost. Entities representing multiple municipalities are also eligible, as well as airport authorities and municipal utilities.
Note: A community does not have to have an existing or planned waste resource or energy recovery project to be eligible. Communities conducting early-stage strategic planning around these waste streams are also eligible and encouraged to apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
For more information about waste to energy and materials technical assistance, see frequently asked questions.
Resources
Summary of Federal and State Funding Sources for the Solid Waste and Wastewater Sectors, NLR Brochure (2024)
Comparison of Select Thermochemical Conversion Options for Municipal Solid Waste to Energy, NLR Brochure (2023)
Anaerobic Digestion of Food Waste: Products and Their Uses, NLR Brochure (2022)
Comparison of Select Food Waste Utilization Options, NLR Brochure (2021)
Past Recipients
These participants were selected from the Fiscal Year 2024 waitlist:
Alaska Energy Authority
Beaver County, Utah
City and Borough of Sitka, Alaska
City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii
City of Fort Wayne, Indiana
City of Homestead, Florida
City of Littleton, Colorado
City of Pensacola, Florida
City of Rock Island, Illinois
Kentucky Office of Energy Policy
Michigan Department of Environment
Monroe County, Florida
Municipality of Anchorage Solid Waste Services, Alaska
Outagamie County, Wisconsin
Riverside County, California
Village of Jeffersonville, Vermont
Weber County, Utah
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Yakima County Development Association, Washington
Atlantic County Utilities Authority, New Jersey
Butte County Administration, California
City & Borough of Juneau, Alaska
City of Lincoln, Nebraska
City of Los Angeles Sanitation & Environment, California
City of North Bend, Washington
City of Phoenix, Arizona
City of San Antonio, Texas
City of South Sioux City, Nebraska
City of Tallahassee, Florida
Climate Action Collaborative for Eagle County Communities/Town of Avon, Colorado
Connecticut Green Bank, Connecticut
Corazon de Trinidad Creative District, Colorado
Montclair Township, New Jersey
New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department, New Mexico
New York City Department of Environmental Protection, New York
Ramsey/Washington County Recycling & Energy Board, Minnesota
The Coeur d'Alene Tribe Natural Resources, Idaho
Town of Windsor, California
Tule River Economic Development Corporation, California
Atlantic County Utilities Authority, Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
Beaver County, Utah
Butte County/City of Oroville, California
City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska
City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii
City of Dodge City, Kansas
City of Eudora, Kansas
City of Gainesville, Florida
Climate Action Collaborative for Eagle County, Colorado
Gulf Coast Authority, Houston, Texas
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Montclair Township, New Jersey
Nevada County, California
Solid Waste Services Anchorage Municipality, Alaska
Souhegan Regional Landfill District, Amherst, New Hampshire
Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts
Town of Windsor, California
Allegheny County Airport Authority, Pennsylvania
Brunswick County Government, North Carolina
City of Gainesville, Florida
City of Pensacola, Florida
City of Rockdale, Texas
City of Spokane, Washington
City of Unalaska, Alaska
City of Watsonville, California
County of Kauai, Hawaii
Interlocal Solid Waste Authority, Tennessee
Lincoln County, Montana
Miami Dade Water and Sewer, Florida
Monterey One Water, California
Pasco County, Florida
Ramsey Washington Recycling and Energy Board, Minnesota
Region 1 Planning Council, Illinois
Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts
City and County of Denver, Colorado
City of Ames, Iowa
City of Boston, Massachusetts
City of Frostburg, Maryland
City of Madison, Wisconsin
City of Unalaska, Alaska
City of Walla Walla, Washington
City of Watsonville, California
Hartford Solid Waste Task Force, Connecticut
Interlocal Solid Waste Authority, Tennessee
Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska
Monterey One Water, California
North Central Texas Council of Governments, Texas
Orange County and City of Orlando, Florida
Region 1 Planning Council, Illinois
Savannah Industrial Park, Illinois
Seward Climate Action Plan Committee, Alaska
Contact
If you have questions, contact the Waste to Energy and Materials Technical Assistance Team.
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Last Updated March 27, 2026