Federal Economic Development and Environmental Sustainability: Lessons from 20 Years of Spending

This article builds on existing research focusing on the intersection of environmental sustainability and economic development while also contributing to a better understanding of the federal economic development landscape. Two major parts of this research work to understand federal economic development spending from 2003 to 2023 and how well environmental sustainability has been integrated into two of the largest programs. The findings reveal that the federal government has been a significant player in economic development, with more than $450 billion in average annual outlays during the study period. However, the two programs studied show minimal integration of environmental sustainability considerations. This research also highlights significant policy and implementation fragmentation in federal economic development spending.