US president marks Earth Day

WASHINGTON

US President Joe Biden marked Earth Day on Monday by announcing $7 billion in grants for residential solar projects.

"To reduce family energy costs for folks with low and moderate incomes today, the Environmental Protection Agency will invest $7 billion from my Inflation Reduction Act in a new program called 'Solar for All'," Biden said in remarks in Triangle, Virginia.

He added that this project will power 900,000 households and will "give us more breathing room and cleaner breathing room."

Biden also announced that Americans across the country can now apply to become the first members of the American Climate Corps, which will recruit for over 2,000 positions in 36 states.

Noting that there are still those who deny the climate is in crisis, he said: "Anyone in or out of government who willfully denies the impacts of climate change is condemning the American people to a very dangerous future -- and the world, I might add."

Earth Day, which was first celebrated in 1970, is an annual event to demonstrate support for environmental protection.