Your Community, Electrified | Episode 3: It’s All Connected (Communities)

An episode of the Electric Futures podcast, hosted by University of Southern California, titled "Your Community, Electrified | Episode 3: It’s All Connected (Communities)" was published on June 25, 2025 and runs 21 minutes.

June 25, 2025 ·21m · Electric Futures

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Summary

It’s January 20th, 2025. Donald Trump’s second term as president. He signs a slew of executive orders, including one called “Unleashing American Energy.”This order rolled back about a dozen climate change initiatives enacted by Joe Biden’s administration in 2021. Clean energy funding and programs set by 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act…were now halted.Also hanging in the balance is the Department of Energy’s projects. That includes the one we visited in Menifee during a previous episode, and two other programs we’ll explore in this episode.How do they work? Why is their role in the energy transition so important? And what’s at stake for these other communities during the second Trump Administration?You can follow us on Instagram at ⁠⁠@usc_electricfutures⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/usc_electricfutures-----Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California, hosted by me, Charles Zukoski, the Vivian Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and the former USC Provost. This series was executive produced by Allison Agsten, the director of USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.USC Annenberg professors Mallory Carra and Megan Donis are our lead producers. Natalie Lopez and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. Rebecca Torres is our production assistant. This episode was edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline.Our cover art is by Kim Ly. All music and sound effects used with express permission under unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound.

Episode Description

It’s January 20th, 2025. Donald Trump’s second term as president. He signs a slew of executive orders, including one called “Unleashing American Energy.”

This order rolled back about a dozen climate change initiatives enacted by Joe Biden’s administration in 2021. Clean energy funding and programs set by 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act…were now halted.

Also hanging in the balance is the Department of Energy’s projects. That includes the one we visited in Menifee during a previous episode, and two other programs we’ll explore in this episode.

How do they work? Why is their role in the energy transition so important? And what’s at stake for these other communities during the second Trump Administration?

You can follow us on Instagram at ⁠⁠@usc_electricfutures⁠⁠: https://www.instagram.com/usc_electricfutures

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Electric Futures is an original podcast from the University of Southern California, hosted by me, Charles Zukoski, the Vivian Professor of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science and the former USC Provost. This series was executive produced by Allison Agsten, the director of USC’s Annenberg Center for Climate Journalism and Communication.

USC Annenberg professors Mallory Carra and Megan Donis are our lead producers. Natalie Lopez and Spencer Cline are our associate producers. Rebecca Torres is our production assistant. This episode was edited and sound designed by Spencer Cline.

Our cover art is by Kim Ly. All music and sound effects used with express permission under unlimited blanket license authority from Epidemic Sound.