Grant termination endangers Holyoke energy project
Iconic 'Plantation Man' statue to be restored in East Longmeadow for Fourth of July
The termination could jeopardize the construction and jobs of a low-carbon cement plant in Holyoke.
Mass. clean cement company hopes to win back $87M federal award
A major clean energy project in Holyoke could be facing some serious delays after a federal grant was terminated by the Trump administration, cutting $3.7 billion in clean energy grants, including $87 million that was promised to Sublime Systems, a start-up company out of Somerville.
They were scheduled to open a 16-acre facility on Water Street in Holyoke within the next couple of years. It would produce tens of thousands of tons of low-carbon cement annually. It's also set to create about 70 jobs .
Congressman Richard Neal helped draft the Inflation Reduction Act, which funded the grant.In a statement, he tells 22News, 'Scrapping funding for projects like sublime systems in Holyoke undercuts years of progress in decarbonizing heavy industry, jeopardizes good-paying jobs and economic development in communities that need it most.'
A spokesperson for Sublime Systems tells 22News that they are 'surprised' and 'disappointed' by this decision, adding that their company is in alignment with the trump administration its goal to reduce imports.
'Sublime was surprised and disappointed to receive the news about the termination of our Industrial Demonstrations Program award, given the clear progress we've made in scaling our American-invented technology, partnering with some of the Western World's largest cement producers, and generating a bankable customer base. We've heard the policymakers in DC say loud and clear that they desire to displace foreign imports with products that can be made here in America, by dominant American innovation, for America's economy.'
Erin Glablets, Sublime Systems
As for what's next, they go on to say, 'Scenarios that leave our scale-up unimpeded,' and as the company explores their options, Neal says he will continue to urge the trump administration to reverse this decision and recommit to a forward-looking energy strategy.
22News has reached out to the office of Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia. We will have their response as soon as we hear back.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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