The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded more than $4.3 billion in grants designed to help coalitions comprised of state and local governments and nonprofits tackle pollution and help transition the country to clean energy.
The 25 applications selected for Climate Pollution Reduction Grants will fund projects in 30 states that target reducing greenhouse gas pollution from six sectors: transportation, electric power, commercial and residential buildings, industry, agriculture/ natural and working lands, and waste and materials management.
The program is also helping 45 states and dozens of metro areas, tribes and territories develop climate action plans and is the single largest effort to spur development of concrete local climate action goals across the nation, the EPA said.
The projects could reduce greenhouse gas pollution by as much as 971 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2050, roughly the emissions from 5 million average homes’ energy use each year for over 25 years, the EPA said.
An announcement about an additional $300 million in selections under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants program for tribes, tribal consortia, and territories is expected later this summer.
The selections were announced Monday in Pennsylvania, where the state’s Department of Environmental Protection was awarded more than $396 million for their proposed RISE PA project, which will reduce industrial greenhouse gas emissions in the industrial sector through a competitive grants program and incentives for small-, medium- and large-scale decarbonization projects across the state.
The EPA also selected the South Coast Air Quality Management District in California to receive nearly $500 million for transportation and freight decarbonization through incentives for electric charging equipment and zero-emission freight vehicles.
The 25 applicants the EPA selected will receive federal funding to implement local and regional solutions. Many of the projects can be expanded and provide examples that other states, local governments, Tribes, and even businesses can replicate in their work to tackle the climate crisis, the EPA said.
Selected applications included:
The Montana Forest, Community and Working Landscapes Climate Resiliency Project will fund measures that improve forest management and expand urban and community forests. The funding will also assist efforts to mitigate wildfires and coal seam fires and support local initiatives to improve soil health and reduce pollution from agriculture.
The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy will fund measures to increase the adoption of climate-smart and precision agriculture and reduce agricultural waste from livestock. These include projects to improve energy efficiency in commercial and industrial facilities and low-income households as well as deploy solar and electrify irrigation wells.
The Clean Corridor Coalition’s proposal for zero emission vehicle infrastructure along the I-95 Corridor project will deploy electric vehicle charging infrastructure for commercial zero-emission medium- and heavy-duty vehicles on the Interstate-95 freight corridor. This is a joint venture among the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Delaware Department of Transportation, and Maryland Departments of the Environment and Transportation. The selected application will provide technical assistance for workforce development and corridor planning across New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, and Maryland.
The Accelerating Siting, Zoning, and Permitting of 60% Renewable Energy in Michigan grant will provide incentives and technical assistance to local and Tribal governments to accelerate the siting, zoning, and permitting of renewable energy. The selected application will help spur the adoption of renewable energy at the scale and pace needed to reach Michigan’s goal of 60 percent renewable energy by 2030.
The Atlantic Conservation Coalition is a regional approach focused on natural climate solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The selected application will fund efforts across North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland, and Virginia to leverage the carbon sequestration power of natural and working lands, including coastal wetlands, peatlands, forests, and urban forestry. The Atlantic Conservation Coalition is a partnership amongst the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, South Carolina Office of Resilience, Maryland Department of the Environment, and Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.
The Accelerating Clean Energy Savings in Alaska’s Coastal Communities grant will provide advisory services and incentives to replace residential oil burning systems with energy-efficient heat pumps in 50 Alaskan communities.
Photo courtesy of the Clean Air Task Force
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